G4 iBooks...

pscatespscates
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Now that the iBook is the lone G3-based Mac in Apple's lineup, how long - and be serious and realistic, please - do you think it'll be before the iBook gets a G4?



Summer? Fall? Next winter? MWSF 2003? Never?



What practical (engineering and production) issues might be at play, preventing this? Heating? Ventilation? Power consumption?



Or is it more from a marketing/economic stance? Affordability and recognizing that perhaps a G3 is perfectly fine for the iBook's intended target audience?



I know, lots of questions...



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 37
    fran441fran441 Posts: 3,715member
    I believe the iBook will be upgraded to the G4 after the G5 is introduced. The problem with upgrading it now is that it would take sales away from PowerBooks.
  • Reply 2 of 37
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    But you don't think the Titanium PowerBook will also get a G5 do you?



    When the G5 IS announced, it'll be just desktop towers, right?



    So what would it matter than if the TiBook is still a G4?



    Just perception and marketing then? I don't know...I'm asking.
  • Reply 3 of 37
    bigcbigc Posts: 1,224member
    Maybe they will make the powerbooks dual CPU and the ibook single cpu G4??? New technology batteries probably needed? New memory architecture for the TiPB??



    Then again is any part of the perceived "slowness" of the ibook G3 with OSX due to the fact that it has to run OSX and OS9 at the same time??? Would 1+Ghz help??



    Too many questions no answers.
  • Reply 4 of 37
    thttht Posts: 5,768member
    How about when Motorola produces a HiP 7 G4, which hopefully, at long last, will support a DDR MPX bus. (HiP 7 would mean approximately 30% reduction in power consumption, due to lower voltages, from a HiP 6 product with the same basic microarchitecture and number of transistors.)



    So hypothetically:



    TiBook has 733 to 867 MHz HiP 7 G4. If Apple wants to further separate the products, they can add L3 cache or DDR SDRAM.

    iBook has 700 MHz HiP 6 SOI G4 on 100 MHz bus.
  • Reply 5 of 37
    satchmosatchmo Posts: 2,699member
    I agree. The iBook has to be pretty much in line with their other consumer product, the iMac.



    A 700 mhz G4 iBook with a 100 bus would fit the bill.



    I don't imagine the new Powerbook to have a G5 anytime soon. So it goes up to a 867 and 933 Mhz G4 processor, better video card, increased screen resolution, built in airport, and a 133 bus.



    From a marketing point of view, I think there would be enough of a performance/features difference between the two.
  • Reply 6 of 37
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    Yes, I agree with Satchmo wholeheartedly!



    I think it's WAY more important that the iBook is fitted with a G4 (OS X, iTunes, overall performance, iMovie, etc.) than it is to sit and wait for the PowerBook to get a G5.



    They can do lots of things to differentiate the two (just as they've done with the LCD iMac and the Quicksilver towers...both G4's, but both quite different in specs/performance).



    A nice, iMac-matching iBook in the 700MHz G4 range (give or take), with a 100MHz bus, combo drive, 30-40GB hard drive, etc. would be wonderful, especially if they apply Satchmo's ideas to the TiBook to further separate the two.



    I hope it's soon.



    I have a buddy who I'd LOVE to see get a 14" G4 iBook with a Combo Drive. She'd be set!



  • Reply 7 of 37
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    Now that I think about it, I don't think MWNY would be too unreasonable to expect a G4 iBook announcement.



    The current iBook will be one year old in May and, while not expecting or even WANTING a massive redesign, I'm confident that somehow Apple can figure out a way to outfit the current iBook case design with a G4.



    I'm going on record and am betting that a G4 iBook will be one of the announcements during Job's MWNY 2002 keynote.



    If OS X is the end-all/be-all OS (according to Apple and their marketing stance), it would help if their lineup all had a processor that could comfortably run it and take advantage of all it's features in a way that isn't too slow and painful.



    You'll turn more people off to the platform if their first impression is that the hardware AND the OS are both sluggish and less than zippy.



  • Reply 7 of 37
    mattyjmattyj Posts: 898member
    Isn't the G5 built to be cool(keeping in mind the heat that the G4 produces), small, and have low powr comsumption right from the start? If this is true, then we could see the introduction of TiBook G5s at the same time as PowerMac G5s.
  • Reply 9 of 37
    jesperasjesperas Posts: 524member
    [quote]Originally posted by pscates:

    <strong>Now that I think about it, I don't think MWNY would be too unreasonable to expect a G4 iBook announcement.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    As I've recently acquired an iBook 600mhz G3 combo, a major hardware upgrade within the next few months would be consistant with all of my other Apple purchasing experiences...



  • Reply 10 of 37
    satchmosatchmo Posts: 2,699member
    [quote]Originally posted by pscates:

    <strong>They can do lots of things to differentiate the two... </strong><hr></blockquote>



    One further differentiation is that the 14" iBook is also heavier and bulkier (although, some actually prefer this).



    Plus the iBook only has mirroring capabilities vs. spanning on the Powerbook.

    Although I hope any new iBook would have the ability to span.
  • Reply 10 of 37
    majukimajuki Posts: 114member
    I think the iBook will get a G4 when there is enough difference in the models where a G4 in the iBook would not take away too many powerbook sales. However, even if the iBook had a G4, people would want the PowerBook for its larger screen, better video, GigE, etc.
  • Reply 12 of 37
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    [quote]Originally posted by Majuki:

    [QBHowever, even if the iBook had a G4, people would want the PowerBook for its larger screen, better video, GigE, etc.[/QB]<hr></blockquote>



    Some, maybe. But not if you're a student, on a budget, only need it for surfing/e-mail, etc.



    Not every Mac user is a power-hungry graphics person.







    The iBook, in lots of ways, is much more attractive to many people. Especially if there is a gap of $1000 to reach those features you mention.
  • Reply 13 of 37
    gamblorgamblor Posts: 446member
    I recall hearing about an Apple engineer stating that the iBook would be using the G3 until sometime next year... Perhaps around MWSF or so.



    I must say I'm a bit disappointed in Apple with their attitude towards the portables-- it just seems that reving the iBook to 600 & 700 and the TiBook to 667 & 800 is such an obvious next step... I hope they don't wait for MWNY to do it.
  • Reply 14 of 37
    there is no g5there is no g5 Posts: 137member
    I'd suspect that the iBook switches to G4-600(100) when the Powerbook goes to G4-667/800 (133).



    TING5
  • Reply 15 of 37
    ppc8500ppc8500 Posts: 14member
    When they introed the original ibook with a G3 processor, the powerbook still had a G3. When the original iMac was introed it had a G3 while the Powermacs still had G3.

    From apple's history, i suspect that they enjoy touting their updated consumer machines as on par with the power of their Pro machines, only to update their pro machines shortly thereafter.



    my guess: Faster G4 powerbooks. Faster G3 ibooks. ibook goes G4. Powerbooks get faster G4s. Powermac goes G5. Faster G4 ibooks. Powerbook goes G5.

    (i am not even going to attempt a time table for these events.. but i see Powerbook G5 in late 2003 early 2004)
  • Reply 16 of 37
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    I'm not convinced they're going to be able to get a G4 in an iBook until (or unless) the G4 goes to .13µ. And even then, that new G4 will go in the PowerMacs first, and perhaps the PowerBooks at the same time.



    I'm thinking Sahara G3, with all its cheaper, faster, smaller, cooler technology, starting within a couple months at 700 Mhz and going up to 1Ghz within a year or so.
  • Reply 17 of 37
    satchmosatchmo Posts: 2,699member
    While many have speculated the the 12" model is going to be discontinued, I think Apple will keep it and even put in a G4 into it.



    Reason being, is that it will really fill the need of the sub-notebook category with out developing a whole new laptop. While at 4.9 pounds is not lightweight, it's small size and features more than make up for it's weight.



    How sweet a 12" G4/700 Combo drive iBook would be!
  • Reply 18 of 37
    tigerwoods99tigerwoods99 Posts: 2,633member
    It's been said that the G3, G4, & G5 will all be used at the same time.



    I dont really think the iBook will go G4 until even a PBG5 is released, or until the PBG4 clock speed gets a lot higher. It all depends on the chips though.
  • Reply 19 of 37
    baumanbauman Posts: 1,248member
    [quote]Originally posted by BRussell:

    I'm thinking Sahara G3, with all its cheaper, faster, smaller, cooler technology, starting within a couple months at 700 Mhz and going up to 1Ghz within a year or so. <hr></blockquote>

    IBM already has 1.5 GHz G3s :eek:

    <a href="http://www.geek.com/procspec/apple/g3e.htm"; target="_blank">http://www.geek.com/procspec/apple/g3e.htm</a>;

    supposedly it was ready a year ago!



    [ 04-07-2002: Message edited by: bauman ]</p>
  • Reply 20 of 37
    gardenofearthlydelightsgardenofearthlydelights Posts: 963member
    I could easily see a bifurcated iBook line: 12" with a G3 and the 14" with a G4.



    The G3 will keep the costs down for target audience like schools, while the G4 could provide the performance necessary for those needing more "oomph."



    The 14" already has the bigger screen and better battery-- why not a G4?



    This has good marketing implications to me. But then, what do I know?
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