Where's the new stuff?
Where are the invites to special events? It's May. Does it strike anyone else as odd that Apple has only made one major announcement this year? Why would Apple wait to make all of its major hardware announcements at the Worldwide Developers Conference on June 11th? I would think they'd focus solely on OS X & iOS there. In the past Apple sprinkled its product announcements throughout the year, whether it was MacBook Pro or iMac or iPhone. Thus far in 2012 we only have the new iPad — in a year that Tim Cook announced was "just the beginning." Good start, but it's since fallen flat. Intel has new processors for MacBook Pros and Mac Pros ready to go. So where's the new stuff?
Comments
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Originally Posted by DHagan4755
Does it strike anyone else as odd that Apple has only made one major announcement this year?
Not really.
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Why would Apple wait to make all of its major hardware announcements at the Worldwide Developers Conference on June 11th?
I know; that just makes no sense at all, does it? I certainly hope that's not what they do.
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I would think they'd focus solely on OS X & iOS there.
I would HOPE they'd focus solely on OS X and iOS there…
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Good start, but it's since fallen flat.
Not like there's no precedent for that. 2007 was "the year of the Mac". Look how well THAT worked: "Computer" removed from the company name, Leopard pushed back to make way for a phone, virtually no actual Mac announcements at all…
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Intel has new processors for MacBook Pros and Mac Pros ready to go. So where's the new stuff?
If they're doing with the MacBook Pro line what I think they're doing, they have to wait for MacBook Air chips to be available before they can announce either line.
It would be nice to see a quad-core/discrete graphics mini for $999.
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Originally Posted by DHagan4755
Where are the invites to special events? It's May. Does it strike anyone else as odd that Apple has only made one major announcement this year? Why would Apple wait to make all of its major hardware announcements at the Worldwide Developers Conference on June 11th? I would think they'd focus solely on OS X & iOS there. In the past Apple sprinkled its product announcements throughout the year, whether it was MacBook Pro or iMac or iPhone. Thus far in 2012 we only have the new iPad — in a year that Tim Cook announced was "just the beginning." Good start, but it's since fallen flat. Intel has new processors for MacBook Pros and Mac Pros ready to go. So where's the new stuff?
Why would you take executive speak to mean anything? Second note that we haven't seen a lot of components shipping in volume. Intel got burned with early Sandy Bridge issues last year, so they are being more cautious on their releases. You'll see Ivy Bridge Macs before too long. The iphone was updated late last year, so it's not really due for an update yet. The people who expected another within a few months were just those who didn't like the update.
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Originally Posted by Relic
I would like to see an external graphics card similar to what Sony introduced last year that connects via Thunderbird. That way I could use it on my Mini and MacBook Air. I know you can now buy an external PCIe box with four slots but it costs a small fortune.
You don't seem to be alone in this kind of thinking, but it still makes no sense to me. At the point you start investing quite a lot in the mini, the imac starts to make seemingly more sense for most things. With the Air, I really don't understand. I mean is it that you just require the option of bringing them along occasionally? Keep in mind that the air also has a lower bandwidth chip. Anyway I doubt Apple will do this, so you'd be dependent on a third party. Unless the Windows side adopts thunderbolt with a matching connector, the prices are likely to remain high due to an extremely limited market for this kind of thing. Note how exotic accessories often seem overpriced.
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Originally Posted by hmm
Why would you take executive speak to mean anything? Second note that we haven't seen a lot of components shipping in volume. Intel got burned with early Sandy Bridge issues last year, so they are being more cautious on their releases. You'll see Ivy Bridge Macs before too long. The iphone was updated late last year, so it's not really due for an update yet. The people who expected another within a few months were just those who didn't like the update.
I'm not too concerned with the iOS products. They're OK, and they've got an obvious trend. The Mac stuff on the other hand... I understand that some components aren't shipping in volume but geez, that Mac Pro offering is very stale and I believe those parts are available now, yes?
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Originally Posted by DHagan4755
The Mac stuff on the other hand... I understand that some components aren't shipping in volume but geez, that Mac Pro offering is very stale and I believe those parts are available now, yes?
As of only a month or so ago. None of Apple's competitors are shipping Sandy Bridge Xeons yet, even.
I'm starting to grow weary, forgive me. It seems like things are taking a really long time.
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Originally Posted by DHagan4755
I'm starting to grow weary, forgive me. It seems like things are taking a really long time.
My mom's waiting for the new MacBook Pro (well, MacBook, if things go well) line, too. She's no techie, but she asks me every day, "Did they announce the new ones yet?"
There's a song from the early '80s, I believe, that sums this up well.
They probably have technology coming together outside of the Intel chips. This may require a wait but I dont see WWDC as the hold up for the Laptops. The more we wait he more I think major overhal.
You concerns are noted but this isn't the first time Apple has waited to WWDC.
Yeah Dell doesn't even have the configuration options up for their new workstations yet. I at least like messing around with the configurations for fun.
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Originally Posted by DHagan4755
I'm not too concerned with the iOS products. They're OK, and they've got an obvious trend. The Mac stuff on the other hand... I understand that some components aren't shipping in volume but geez, that Mac Pro offering is very stale and I believe those parts are available now, yes?
Technically it is available, but it hasn't been widely adopted in shipping machines yet. Intel wanted to be able to say they were launched, so they got it to that point. Overall they've been far more cautious this year given the Sandy Bridge issues last year. Stepping problems were rumored to push back Sandy Bridge E before. I can't remember what caused problems with the initial Sandy Bridge release. Anyway I don't think they want to eat a huge loss again.
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Originally Posted by wizard69
This may require a wait but I dont see WWDC as the hold up for the Laptops. The more we wait he more I think major overhal.
You concerns are noted but this isn't the first time Apple has waited to WWDC.
I don't think they've announced much in the way of hardware at WWDC over the past couple years.
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Originally Posted by DHagan4755
I'm starting to grow weary, forgive me. It seems like things are taking a really long time.
It's been 196 days since the last Macbook Pro update, more than a month less than even the shortest previous gap between updates. Although the last one was only a minor bump.
On the other hand it's over a year since the iMac got even a minor bump, the longest ever gap.
I'd have thought they'll certainly announce iMacs at the developers conference, possibly along with the new Macbook line, with or without the Pro suffix.
But yeah, it does feel like an age since anything happened. I'm having to fight off buying an iPad just out of pure boredom.
HP sure the hell is. I just configured one last week! Sorry, but Apple is out of exuses.
The iMac chips are out and the update is long overdue but I expect it will lose the optical drive, which means a redesign.
The Macbook Pro chips are out but only for the 15", not the 13".
The Mac Pro chips are out but they aren't significantly faster and the Mac Pro needs a redesign due to Thunderbolt. It may not be updated at all though.
They could possibly update the iMac without an event but resolution independence is an important development for the iMac so I think they'd rather ship the new machines with 10.8.
While there could be an event for the MBP, it would leave the 13" MBP sitting without a redesign in the same group as redesigned 15" models and resolution independence matters for laptops too.
IMO, this points to all updates coming after 10.8 is released at WWDC. It's only 4 weeks away and a special event would dilute the content at WWDC. I don't think Cook can carry an event with very little content so it's better to jam as much into the keynote as possible.
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Originally Posted by Marvin
1. The Mac Pro chips are out but they aren't significantly faster and the Mac Pro needs a redesign due to Thunderbolt. It may not be updated at all though.
2. They could possibly update the iMac without an event but resolution independence is an important development for the iMac so I think they'd rather ship the new machines with 10.8.
3. While there could be an event for the MBP, it would leave the 13" MBP sitting without a redesign in the same group as redesigned 15" models and resolution independence matters for laptops too.
4. IMO, this points to all updates coming after 10.8 is released at WWDC. It's only 4 weeks away and a special event would dilute the content at WWDC. I don't think Cook can carry an event with very little content so it's better to jam as much into the keynote as possible.
1. The Mac Pro needs Thunderbolt & an overhaul. It just needs to come out. This is probably the most ridiculous.
2. R.I. already exists in Lion but I read it may be improving in Mountain Lion.
3. Why should Apple wait? Seems silly to me!
4. Mountain Lion is a late summer release. That could be September. Would Apple let its hardware lines languish for Mountain Lion. Again seems silly to me!
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Originally Posted by tony3d
HP sure the hell is. I just configured one last week! Sorry, but Apple is out of exuses.
Apparently they are starting to ship. I don't see the custom configurations available on those yet, but I may have missed them. Apple has never been the first to update. A few mentally handicapped individuals claim that they get first pick on computer parts, so everyone always expects them to update before anyone else. The times that has happened, it has been explained by other factors. Now obviously they have have contracts, which would put them ahead of distributors, but that's about as far as anyone should expect it to go. They've always been pretty random. I don't think there's much that can be done about that.
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Originally Posted by Marvin
The Mac Pro chips are out but they aren't significantly faster and the Mac Pro needs a redesign due to Thunderbolt. It may not be updated at all though.
I know this is the popular rumor, but none of us have any real information on it.
Yes but did you actually buy one and get a shipping date. I actually thinking you are running out of things to whine about.
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Originally Posted by wizard69
Yes but did you actually buy one and get a shipping date. I actually thinking you are running out of things to whine about.
It says, "Ships 5/16/2012".
But it says that even if I configure with dual top-end processors, 256 gigabytes of RAM, dual nVidia 6000 chips, and a Tegra card. So take that as you will.
The AIRs on the other hand will not ship at all with the current IB chips. The iMac could win big time with IB. While loosing the optical is possible, the motivation to redesign should revolve around other issues. Either way I suspect the new iMacs will be very nice. I'm not too sure about the 13" model. Given the right arrangement of hardware, a new 13" designed around the current IB chips would certainly stand apart from the AIRs. Sandy Bridge E is much faster for certain work loads. It has a much faster memory subsystem and a few other advantages. Of course it might not mean much for the average app used on the Pro. 10.8 has been said to come in late summer, I can't see Apple waiting that long.
If new hardware comes at WWDC it will be for reasons other than 10.8.
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Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
It says, "Ships 5/16/2012".
But it says that even if I configure with dual top-end processors, 256 gigabytes of RAM, dual nVidia 6000 chips, and a Tegra card. So take that as you will.
Well maybe there's hope that Mac Pro updates will happen very soon!