Apple needs to upgrade the MacBook and Air with processors that can perform reasonably well, or the machines should die. I cannot use my iPad Pro as an external monitor to the MacBook with the anemic integrated Intel graphics. Any of the machines with discrete GPUs perform well. The discrete GPUs don't get nearly as hot either when used this way.
Since Intel is failing, I really don't expect to see any compelling upgrades. The iPad Pro line stands a better chance of compelling upgrades than the MacBook line.
The rationale of the Retina Macbook is to provide a mobile computing solution within the footprint of an iPad but with the power of a full OS X Mac. If targets basically those who wants to see a full featured Mac in the shape of an iPad. Since there is a long way to go for a "tablet Mac", rMB is the only solution for now. And it is the only fanless computer we have. I understand your point but a fanless computer seems to me more important than driving an iPad Pro as an external monitor.
And don't worry, Apple won't / can't let Intel fail...
It won't be. At most this is going to be a quiet speed bump that is cosmetically similar to the original, without so much as a mention to the media.
The real upgrade comes after September of this year, assuming the next iPhone removes the 3.5mm headphone jack. Then we'll get a mid-cycle product refresh like the iPad 4 which replaced the 30-pin dock connector with a Lightning port. Only this time, the rMB will have the 3.5mm jack replaced by the Lightning 2 port.
The big change won't come until at least next Spring, if not later.
What is the point in replacing the 3.5 mm jack? They keep it on the new iPad Pro and the SE, they may keep in on the Macbook as well.
There's no room on the rMB to have both without a complete redesign, which is at least a year a way, but more like two, not to mention taking the rMB in a different direction than they are moving with it (i.e. smaller/lighter/thinner).
Besides, they are not going to drop it from any other device until they drop it from the iPhone. Following which they will add the Lightning 2 port to every product refresh that follows for any product that doesn't already have it. They may or may not leave the 3.5mm jack on any device that has room for it, but the rMB definitely does not have room for both, and Lightning is far more useful on the rMB, especially if the choice is not being able to natively accommodate their own Lightning earbuds they give away with the next iPhone.
Maybe the next Pro line will be so close to the Air line in size and weight that there no longer is a need for the Air line or moniker. We have to admit that it doesn't make sense to have a computer called "Air" that is not the lightest computer they make.
There are also too many other computers on the market lighter than the Air with similar specs. The Air was a trailblazer, but it isn't anymore. My guess is it is dead for good. They have too many models in the lineup now anyway.
The fact that the MacBook has no subtitle but represents Apple's state of the art packaging, makes one think a Pro unit would be an extension of that form (thin bezel, new keyboard, layered battery), but with i5/i7 processors (Iris integrated video only?). Of course, these processors will need more battery and cooling, but maybe the finished size will be close to today's Air 13, but have the performance that today's Pro 15 might have if upgraded to the latest processor tech.
I agree with other posters that a hardware refresh as a minimum is coming very soon. Maybe even Airs get it. They still sell well. Apple has done refreshes many times with little fanfare and WWDC is more a software gig than hardware.
How many windows boxes are supporting thunderbolt 3?
Lots of TB3 stuff being released at NAB. This venue just demonstrates the professional nature of TB. People looking for a $99 high performance SSD just don''t get it.
Well now that it is out what do people think of the upgrade. We are going to see a nice performance bump which the machine needs but beyond that little else was fixed.
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And don't worry, Apple won't / can't let Intel fail...
Besides, they are not going to drop it from any other device until they drop it from the iPhone. Following which they will add the Lightning 2 port to every product refresh that follows for any product that doesn't already have it. They may or may not leave the 3.5mm jack on any device that has room for it, but the rMB definitely does not have room for both, and Lightning is far more useful on the rMB, especially if the choice is not being able to natively accommodate their own Lightning earbuds they give away with the next iPhone.