When will new PowerBooks/iBooks be released?

lucaluca
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
It looks as if new PowerBooks are due to come out in the next couple of months, and iBooks seem to be shortly following. When do you think the new PowerBook and iBook will come out? I'm not that concerned about what they'll be like (most likely just a speed bump + improved graphics), I'm just wondering when they may be coming out. Maybe the PowerBook at Seybold?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 3
    the vapourthe vapour Posts: 23member
    I guess the usual answer is about six months so we could be looking at about October. Does anyone now if Apple has ever done a much faster upgrade on the ibooks? Also what are the chances of them bumping the video card to 32mb in the next rev instead of staying at 16mb?
  • Reply 2 of 3
    jet powersjet powers Posts: 288member
    Powerbook's upgrade history:



    11/97 - PB G3



    6 months



    05/98 - PB G3 Series



    3 months



    08/98 - PB G3 Series upgrade



    9 months



    05/99 - Lombard



    9 months



    02/00 - Pismo



    11 months



    01/01 - PB G4



    9 months



    10/01 - PB G4 upgrade



    6 months



    04/02 - PB G4 DVI



    mean: 8.1 months

    median: 9 months

    mode: 9 months



    Conclusion: Dec 2002



    ----------------------------------------



    iBook's upgrade history:



    07/99 - iBook



    7 months



    02/00 - iBook SE



    7 months



    09/00 - iBook upgrade (Firewire)



    8 months



    05/01 - iBook Dual USB



    5 months



    10/01 - iBook Fall 2001



    7 months



    05/02 - iBook Summer 2002



    mean: 7.2 months

    median: 7 months

    mode: 7 months



    Conclusion: Dec 2002



    ----------------------------------------



    Just a bit of (pointless) math. Take it with a Great Salt Lake pinch of salt.



    ting5
  • Reply 3 of 3
    lucaluca Posts: 3,833member
    Here's what I know about iBook revisions. They were introduced in 9/99, @ 300 MHz, 4 MB VRAM. The 300 MHz model got extra RAM and a larger HD in 2/00, along with the addition of a 366 MHz Graphite "SE" model with otherwise the same specs. In 9/00, the base model got a speed bump to 366 MHz, a FireWire port, a video out port, and an upgraded Rage Mobility graphics chip with 8 MB of VRAM. At the same time, the SE version got all those upgrades as well and was bumped to 466 MHz. Also, the SE version now included a DVD-ROM drive. There were the usual HD and RAM boosts as well. This second generation was also the first to use the 750cx processor instead of the 750. In 5/01, the new iBooks were released, all at 500 MHz, all with the same 8 MB Rage Mobility, but with a choice of optical drive - CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, CD-RW, or Combo. In 10/01, the line was simplified to 500/CD, 500/DVD and 600/Combo. In 1/02, we saw of course the 14" iBook, as well as the elimination of the 500/DVD model. Finally, in 5/02, there was the speed bump and graphics bump to 600/CD and 700/Combo with 16 MB VRAM.



    The longest time between iBook updates was 8 months, between the 366/466 line and the dual USB line. The shortest update was three months if you count the introduction of the 14" iBook and the price drop on the 500/CD model, but if you don't count that then there were two cases of it being updated in 5 months, the 300 to 366 SE from 9/99 to 2/00, and the all-500 MHz line to 500 and 600 from 5/01 to 10/01.



    So it looks like we'll get an update in October. I don't think there's much chance of a graphics update unless they updated the card without increasing the VRAM. Currently, the PowerBook, iMac, eMac and low end PowerMac all use 32 MB chips, while the two better PowerMacs and the iBooks cover the ends with 64 and 16 MB respectively. I don't think we'll see a VRAM increase to 32 MB unless the rest of the computers get 64 MB and the PowerMac gets 128 MB. And given that the iMac just got a graphics increase on the top end, it doesn't look like that'll happen for a few months.
Sign In or Register to comment.