Apple's 2013 product pipeline to feature new iPhones and all-Retina iPad and MacBook Pro lineups

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  • Reply 41 of 78

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    As for Apple's MacBook, the analyst sees an end of life for non-Retina MacBook Pros, which will be replaced by an all-Retina lineup that eschews optical drives. Pricing should be reduced to help move units. The MacBook Air will see little change besides a bump in internal specs as sizing down the high-resolution Retina display is seen as too steep a challenge at this time. Because the Air will not see a significant design change, the tweaked models are expected to arrive earlier in the year, with the all-Retina MacBook Pro line coming in quarter three.


     


    Please let this not be true. I'll happily take the retina display (I paid the extra $92 [with my corporate discount] to upgrade my early-2011 15" to the high-res matte display), but I do.not.want a laptop that has its innards wired to the logic board! While I don't need the optical drive, I do need its bay so that I can have two internal hard drives (a small but fast SSD in the SATA-III bay, and a slow but large HDD in the SATA-II bay). I'm also not crazy about the inability to upgrade RAM in the future. My laptop came with 4gb and was immediately upgraded to 8gb. I like that I can ultimately upgrade to 16gb as the price of RAM falls.


     


    C'mon Apple - please keep the word "pro" in the PRO lineup. image

  • Reply 42 of 78


    Originally Posted by djames4242 View Post

    While I don't need the optical drive, I do need its bay so that I can have two internal hard drives (a small but fast SSD in the SATA-III bay, and a slow but large HDD in the SATA-II bay).


     


    A stopgap solution isn't a very good reason not to buy the future.

  • Reply 43 of 78
    19831983 Posts: 1,225member
    I believe there is going to be a new redesigned Mac-Pro...didn't Tim Cook say there would be last year? He should know right? I'm trying to think what it would look like. Say they dump internal expansion slots and the optical drives and use only SSD's. Maybe then, it'll resemble the Mac cube they released in the late 90s early 00s but redesigned for the needs of today - that'd be interesting! That was a stunning design back in the day, more art than computer.
  • Reply 44 of 78

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


     


    A stopgap solution isn't a very good reason not to buy the future.



     


    I guess I don't see this as a necessary future, and it's only a stopgap solution because of the high cost of SSD storage. The Air has to have fixed components to save space. The Retina MBP is smaller than the regular MBP, but it doesn't have to be. It's not that much smaller as to neuter its expandability. When I can get 1tb of storage in my laptop while keeping both the speed of the SSD and the affordability I have now, then I'll see this as the future. For now I see it as (needlessly) fixing components for the sake of a couple of mm.

  • Reply 45 of 78


    Originally Posted by djames4242 View Post

    When I can get 1tb of storage in my laptop while keeping both the speed of the SSD and the affordability I have now, then I'll see this as the future. For now I see it as (needlessly) fixing components for the sake of a couple of mm.


     


    So "keep it loose until it doesn't matter to me"? I guess that works.


     


    RAM not being carded solves the problem of a bottleneck. And the SSD is still upgradable, despite what Apple tells you.

  • Reply 46 of 78
    kpomkpom Posts: 660member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post



    So he's taken all the previous rumours and said he believes them, too. What a treat these analysts are¡ Note there isn't a single comment about the Mac Pro, Apple Display, or AirPort routers.


     


    I believe they were pretty accurate last year. Didn't they predict the timing of the rMBPs and that they would be sold alongside the older model? Apple has been down this path before. The Air was sold alongside the MacBook for 2.5 years before supplanting it.


     


    It will be interesting to see how much Apple is able (and willing) to reduce the price of the rMBP next year. $1199 is the current starting point of the MacBook Pro line. They have already blurred the line between the 13" MBA and 13" rMBP. I wonder if they will just reposition the 13" Air to take the place of the 13" Pro as the top seller. If they can pull off a rMBP for $1299 with decent specs (i.e. the Haswell equivalent of the current $1699 model) they may have a real winner. $1499 seems very doable.

  • Reply 47 of 78
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by blackbook View Post




     



     


    Classic 3.5 inch Retina screen, thin tear drop design coupled with a $299 price (for 8GB, each storage upgrade would be Apple's typical $100 upcharge) and this could be a hit.



    That would be a negative on the curved back. Too wobbly on a table and the design places two components which need the entire depth of the case back to back at a point where the case tapers. If you move the back facing camera to the side it would be difficult to line up the shot with the camera facing away at an angle. Corners are way too rounded for for good interior volume usage. No place for the speakers. Totally non Apple-esque in my opinion.

  • Reply 48 of 78

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


     


    So "keep it loose until it doesn't matter to me"? I guess that works.


     


    RAM not being carded solves the problem of a bottleneck. And the SSD is still upgradable, despite what Apple tells you.



     


    My point, really, was that those who want small can buy an Air. Those of us who want a little flexibility (presently) have an alternative. If Apple wants to go this route, why not put a Retina display in the Air and keep the Pro as-is? And true, I get that the SSD is upgradable, but I was able to outfit my machine with double the RAM it came with as well as 750gb of storage plus 120gb of fast OS and Application storage (including my 50gb Windows 7 VM) and a high-res matte display for the total sum of about $2600. When I price out the equivalency of a 15" retina (including upgrading the processor and doubling the memory as I did with my current machine, and adding an external superdrive as I effectively did by moving my machine's internal superdrive to an external case), I come up with a figure over $3500. And that gives me over 100gb less storage than I have now. Granted the new machine will absolutely scream with all that storage being SSD, and have an amazingly sharp display, but with a $900 premium (keep in mind I spec'd out these systems using my corporate discount code - the premium would be around $1000 more at retail prices).


     


    I get the needs of the many, and so on. However, I just feel like the reduction in size on the retina isn't necessary. Again, for those who want small and light, get an Air.


     


    What if Apple redesigned the Mac Pro to be more like the iMac? Do you think power users would feel alienated by a machine with no expansion cards or internal storage, and no possibility of future upgrades?

  • Reply 49 of 78


    Originally Posted by djames4242 View Post

    If Apple wants to go this route, why not put a Retina display in the Air and keep the Pro as-is?


     


    Because it's a bigger world than just making it thinner. They're doing this for other, better reasons.





    …$2600. …$3500. 




    You're operating under the assumption that this will always be the price. By the time they drop the non-retina models, price won't matter.






    What if Apple redesigned the Mac Pro to be more like the iMac? Do you think power users would feel alienated…



     


    Oh, they will. And they will! But they'll be wrong. It'll be interesting, hopefully. We'll have to wait for Apple to wow us again.

  • Reply 50 of 78
    2 issues i have with this story

    1. why is it "breaking" when its only a rehash of previous rumour articles

    2. it says "Apple ... TO FEATURE ...."
    Who confirmed that??? Surely it should read "may feature"?
    mislead much?

    ANALysts!!
  • Reply 51 of 78

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


     


    Because it's a bigger world than just making it thinner. They're doing this for other, better reasons.



     


    I hope so - although I can't imagine what those reasons are. Thin for the sake of thin sounds similar to spec-whoring to me...


     


    "Mine is thinner." 


     


    "Yeah, well mine is faster."


     


    "But mine is thinner."


     


     


    Quote:




    You're operating under the assumption that this will always be the price. By the time they drop the non-retina models, price won't matter.






     


     


    Oh undoubtedly - prices will fall. They always do. But then applications and data get bigger. By the time a 1TB SSD is as affordable as a 1TB HDD, we'll need 2TB of storage.


     


    Quote:


    Oh, they will. And they will! But they'll be wrong. It'll be interesting, hopefully. We'll have to wait for Apple to wow us again.


     




     


    I don't know that they'll be wrong. Granted, the inclusion of Thunderbolt (and the upcoming SuperSpeed USB3) will make a lot of that internal stuff somewhat superfluous, if the external devices ever ship. And that's fine for a desktop machine such as a Mac Pro (or an iMac), but it makes less sense for a portable.


     


    Who knows - perhaps you'll be right. I'll be so wowed by what comes that I'll buy one. But today, the way things are, I'd chose the older MacBook Pro over a Retina MacBook Pro without hesitation or regret. If the older MacBook Pro were to disappear today, I would very much mourn its loss.

  • Reply 52 of 78
    They skipped the IMac and why are 90% in second half of year.
  • Reply 53 of 78


    Am I missing something but what makes this rumor/prediction any different than any other rumor/prediction....as to highlight this particular article as "BREAKING" news? 

  • Reply 54 of 78
    dgnr8dgnr8 Posts: 196member
    MAC PRO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Reply 55 of 78
    There is no way Apple will remove the camera from the iPod to reduce the price.

    The only way they will reduce the price is via cheaper enclosures and a reduction of current component costs.
  • Reply 56 of 78

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by beta.services View Post



    There is no way Apple will remove the camera from the iPod to reduce the price.



    The only way they will reduce the price is via cheaper enclosures and a reduction of current component costs.


     


    Why not? The original Touch didn't have one, and when Apple ultimately did put a camera in the Touch, it wasn't really much better than what was in the old QuickTake and yet they sold loads of them. And now there's the iPad Mini coming in at a price not too far off the price of the Touch, so if they want to keep it a viable product, they may just have to find a way to lower its price.

  • Reply 57 of 78
    blackbookblackbook Posts: 1,361member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by djames4242 View Post


     


    Why not? The original Touch didn't have one, and when Apple ultimately did put a camera in the Touch, it wasn't really much better than what was in the old QuickTake and yet they sold loads of them. And now there's the iPad Mini coming in at a price not too far off the price of the Touch, so if they want to keep it a viable product, they may just have to find a way to lower its price.



     


    dumb.


     


    If anything they'll offer an 8GB model again.

  • Reply 58 of 78
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    djames4242 wrote: »
    And now there's the iPad Mini coming in at a price not too far off the price of the Touch, so if they want to keep it a viable product, they may just have to find a way to lower its price.

    The iPad mini has mostly the same grade components as the iPod Touch, including being almost having nearly as many pixels.
  • Reply 59 of 78
    timbittimbit Posts: 331member
    I
    blackbook wrote: »
    A cheaper iPhone does make a lot of sense, but I doubt they'll ever make one rugged enough for dirt biking ;)

    There are a few plastic iPhone mockups online that look very Apple-esque. I wouldn't be surprised if they released something akin to this:

    <img alt="" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="19165" data-type="61" height="263" src="http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/19165/width/350/height/700/flags/LL" style="; width: 350px; height: 263px;" width="350">

    <img alt="" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="19166" data-type="61" height="263" src="http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/19166/width/350/height/700/flags/LL" style="; width: 350px; height: 263px;" width="350">


    Classic 3.5 inch Retina screen, thin tear drop design coupled with a $299 price (for 8GB, each storage upgrade would be Apple's typical $100 upcharge) and this could be a hit.

    I like this design, except I would want to see the screen on the back instead. Have a curved glass screen that curves away instead of flat. The back of the phone would be flat instead. I know it's almost impossible right now but it would be cool
  • Reply 60 of 78
    blackbookblackbook Posts: 1,361member
    timbit wrote: »
    I
    I like this design, except I would want to see the screen on the back instead. Have a curved glass screen that curves away instead of flat. The back of the phone would be flat instead. I know it's almost impossible right now but it would be cool

    Why would you want the screen to curve away? That'd probably be very uncomfortable to hold up to your ear.
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