I think 1.133 is definetly too much to expect. Dual processors are great and all, but I'm sure there are still programs out their that don't really take advantage of them. Then you'd have the iMac that, under certain conditions, was faster than the mid-range powermac!
<strong>Then you'd have the iMac that, under certain conditions, was faster than the mid-range powermac!</strong><hr></blockquote>
Good point, but who cares, PowerMac sales are in the toliet and looks like they will be for a while.
If the iMacs were more competative, maybe, just maybe Apple would sell tons more.
Naw, nevermind, forget it, Apple seems he** bent on limiting the iMac just so they can tout the underachieving PowerMacs are faster.
My disclaimer: I have no marketing background and ass-u-me Apple does, but would be interesting to see sales of a high end iMac with the 1.25GHz G4 w/ 1MB L3 cache on a 167MHz bus. It's easy playing with other peoples(Apple's & stockholders) money.
Oh, wait, I am a stockholder, Apple, I vote you upgrade the iMac immediately.
Flounder, there's always the chance that in additional to a speed bump, Apple might also upgrade the iMac display to 19 inches.
One of the ways that rumor sites pegged the new 17 inch iMac prior to it's launch was by watching the screen suppliers. And 19 inch iMacs have been mentioned.
Wouldn't it be cool if Apple had the 3 lines of iMac as - 15" - 17" - 19"? :cool:
Hey, we can dream, can't we?
-bullrat
============
Quanta Computer will ship new 17 and 19-inch iMacs beginning in 3Q
Thursday 21 June 2001: Industry sources said Quanta Computer will start producing the latest 17 and 19-inch iMacs in the third quarter, suggesting a strengthening partnership between the PC contract maker and Apple Computer.
The popular iMac has become a main revenue driver for Quanta as uncertainty still clouds the desktop PC industry and signs of a recovery appear weak. The company shipped 235,000 units to Apple in the first quarter, and despite TFT LCD supply crunches in April that halted production for a week, analysts predict second-quarter shipments could grow to 350,000 units.
Meanwhile, Quanta is under pressure as some Taiwanese electronics manufacturing service (EMS) companies are offering contract prices up to 30% lower than those of Quanta to woo iMac orders. However, industry observers say Quanta will likely be able to stay above the fray of price wars due to its strong ties with Apple.
Signaling that it remains a committed partner, Quanta has revamped its facilities to meet the complex assembly processes of the iMac, which has a dome-like base with a scalable arm attached to a 15-inch flat-panel monitor. Production lines for the iMac are charging ahead on three production shifts. If it were not for the shortage of key components, sources said Quanta could have supplied at least 200,000 iMacs a month.
Quanta is the only company assembling iMacs for Apple. Foxconn Electronics (the registered trade name of Hon Hai Precision Industry) supplies the machine's cables and assembles part of its steel arm. Catcher Technology and a supplier of Quanta supply zinc-alloy bases for the iMac.
Wouldn't it be cool if Apple had the 3 lines of iMac as - 15" - 17" - 19"? :cool:
============
Quanta Computer will ship new 17 and 19-inch iMacs beginning in 3Q
</strong><hr></blockquote>
I've brought this article up in several other threads and each time it was met with deafening silence. It may or may not be accurate but that aside, a "full" line-up of iMacs would be a win-win for Apple. It gives the consumer choice, and it gives Apple the opportunity to increase market share and profits.
Going to a wide-screen format helps make the machines more affordable due to the smaller total area of a 16:10 screen versus a 4:3, with the added advantage that it pushes Apples DV strategy to the masses.
Start with a 15" CD-RW for $1099 (I have argued that it would benefit Apple to give up their profits on this machine for the sake of market share but I am not going to rehash that issue) and step up through seven variations to the top of the line 19" widescreen for $1,999 (if, in fact, LCD prices have dropped as much as we are hearing).
Add a BTO graphics card on the 17" inch and 19" machines (4MX standard TI upgrade) and there is scarcely a consumer out there that you couldn't please.
One caveat. Power Mac next gen. upgrade probably needs to occur first in order to prevent cannibalization.
Harmon-Kardon Sound sticks and Subwoofer with superdrive models.</strong><hr></blockquote>
1ghz would probably be the next revision in aobut 6 months with geforce4mx and maybe geforce5mx after geforce 5 is annouced sometime at the begging of next year
<strong>A refresh of the iMacs just before the holiday season (perhaps mid-November) would be perfect. It certainly would spur sales as people will indeed be buying many computers then and the consumer Macs especially need to look very attractive. It just makes good business sense. Hopefully the iBook will be brought up to 700/800 by then as well.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I disagree. They will probably sell plent of them how they are now. And from all indications, they have planty of the current models on hand, so why not use the Christmas buying season to clear out their invetory? It makes more sense to me to do that than to introduce new models and have to find something to do with all of the old ones.
I spent the the Jaguar launch weekend traveling to practically every Mac reseller in SoCal, looking for two 17" iMacs for a client and a family member. Here's what I learned.
The 17" iMac is in incredible demand. The Woodland Hills CompUSA sold its entire allotment in three hours on Saturday. The Burbank CompUSA has 16 on back order. Apple Retail Stores in Glendale and Northridge had no stock and didn't know when they'd get more. Every single person (especially switchers) who sees the 17" iMac is knocked out. From what I could see no one is seriously considering the 15" models anymore. Why buy any of the 15's when you can step up to the 17" for only a little more or get a combo or Superdrive eMac with a larger, higher rez screen for less?
Apparently there are a lot of 15" iMacs in the channel, and it's going to to take weeks and weeks for supply of 17" models to stabilize. Yes, Steve needs to do something to sweeten the pot for Xmas, but introducing new models ain't it. My humble prediction:
The eMacs and 17" iMac will be left untouched through the end of the year. Oct./Nov. will see price cuts and/or rebates on the 15" models as production is quietly halted as per the Digitimes article.
MWSF will see a major revamp of the consumer desktop lines due to falling LCD and Superdrive component costs and to coincide with the 1 year anniversary of the flat-panel iMac. 1 GHZ chips will be featured prominently as even Steve realizes selling ANY computer with a sub-Ghz chip in the year 2003 is marketplace suicide.
Combo eMac
800 Mhz/256/40/GF2MX 32
$999
Superdrive eMac
1 GHz/256/60/GF4MX 32
$1399
Combo 17" iMac
1 GHz/256/80/GF4MX 32
$1499
Superdrive 17" iMac
1 GHz/256/100/GF4MX 64
$1799
CRT iMac - discontinued
15" LCD iMac - discontinued
19" iMac - ain't gonna happen
Two 17" CRT eMacs, two 17" flat-panel iMacs and a consumer desktop line that finally makes sense at every price point. Very aggressive pricing I admit, but man would this lineup sell like hot cakes.
Some will complain about the base price of a flat-panel iMac rising and the abandonment of the sub $800 price point all together, but if Apple unapologetically embraces the eMac as the only low end solution on the Mac platform it all makes a lot of sense. Steve could make a very compelling keynote argument that the consumer desktops described above (especially the $999 eMac) are the best values in the entire computer industry. "We could make a Mac for less, but it wouldn't fully support our vision of the digital lifestyle. There is no $700 Mac for the exact same reason there is no $15,000 Mercedes."
As much as Apple needs to bump the bus speeds on the consumer products I don't see it happening anytime soon. Apple doesn't seem to be doing what everyone thinks they should be doing these days. I doubt we will ever see an L3 cache on a consumer machine either.
What Apple should do:
iMac 15"
900MHz
CDRW
iMac 17"
900 MHz
combo
iMac 17"
1 GHz
Super
What probably Apple will do (with some variation):
iMac 15"
800 MHz
CDRW
iMac 15"
800 MHz
Combo
iMac 17"
900 MHz
Combo
iMac 17"
900 MHz
Super
Apple needs a GHz Consumer Machine BEFORE the holiday season. Now that Apple is in the retail business they need to learn the importance of "holiday shopping", and the need for a nice re-fresh around Thanksgiving on consumer products.
As much as Apple needs to bump the bus speeds on the consumer products I don't see it happening anytime soon. Apple doesn't seem to be doing what everyone thinks they should be doing these days. I doubt we will ever see an L3 cache on a consumer machine either. <hr></blockquote>
I don't think that's nescesarrily true. Until the two weeks ago, the low end Power Mac basically matched the specs of the high end iMac. Now, i don't think apple is going to be doing dual processors, but I think the fact that the low end tower has l3 cache now will allow them to add 1Mb of l3 cache to the iMac.
[ 08-27-2002: Message edited by: Flounder ]
Plus, a 133 bus and 1Mb l3 could help shut up the Gateway adds (although i haven't seen it yet)
i believe the only PowerMac with L3 cache is the 1.25Ghz model.
We might see a top of the line iMac with the 1Ghz/167mhz bus processor w/out L3 cache, that would be quite a decent machine. Not sure what kind of RAM it would use though. I wonder how long it will take Apple to move it's consumer line to DDR, I would think the Powermacs are diffferentiated enough now that they're all duals. Should be interesting.
<strong>i believe the only PowerMac with L3 cache is the 1.25Ghz model.
We might see a top of the line iMac with the 1Ghz/167mhz bus processor w/out L3 cache, that would be quite a decent machine. Not sure what kind of RAM it would use though. I wonder how long it will take Apple to move it's consumer line to DDR, I would think the Powermacs are diffferentiated enough now that they're all duals. Should be interesting.
To all the 19" nay-sayers: guess what percentage of Dell and Compaq owners (aka consumers) have 19" screens for their desktops. Apple has the beautiful displays, they need to offer them, even if expected sales wouldn't be that of the less expensive models; it would serve to show that Apple knows what consumers want, that Apple has options for every consumer, and it would make the lesser iMacs look like an even better value. Plus there is no reason that they can't do this, now.
iMac Q4 (before Xmas): price drops, MHz bump, 19" (SE?) version introduced. All Combos or SuperDrives.
They'll go like hotcakes, without alienating either the eMac cheapskates, or the Pro "power user" windbags.
Comments
__________________________
dear apple, if you want me to switch, gimme ghz for the imac!
(and more bus speed, 64 mb video, ...)
<strong>Then you'd have the iMac that, under certain conditions, was faster than the mid-range powermac!</strong><hr></blockquote>
Good point, but who cares, PowerMac sales are in the toliet and looks like they will be for a while.
If the iMacs were more competative, maybe, just maybe Apple would sell tons more.
Naw, nevermind, forget it, Apple seems he** bent on limiting the iMac just so they can tout the underachieving PowerMacs are faster.
My disclaimer: I have no marketing background and ass-u-me Apple does, but would be interesting to see sales of a high end iMac with the 1.25GHz G4 w/ 1MB L3 cache on a 167MHz bus. It's easy playing with other peoples(Apple's & stockholders) money.
Oh, wait, I am a stockholder, Apple, I vote you upgrade the iMac immediately.
superb!! <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" />
It sums up alot of what's wrong with 'rigid' apple...
Lemon Bon Bon
One of the ways that rumor sites pegged the new 17 inch iMac prior to it's launch was by watching the screen suppliers. And 19 inch iMacs have been mentioned.
Wouldn't it be cool if Apple had the 3 lines of iMac as - 15" - 17" - 19"? :cool:
Hey, we can dream, can't we?
-bullrat
============
Quanta Computer will ship new 17 and 19-inch iMacs beginning in 3Q
Thursday 21 June 2001: Industry sources said Quanta Computer will start producing the latest 17 and 19-inch iMacs in the third quarter, suggesting a strengthening partnership between the PC contract maker and Apple Computer.
The popular iMac has become a main revenue driver for Quanta as uncertainty still clouds the desktop PC industry and signs of a recovery appear weak. The company shipped 235,000 units to Apple in the first quarter, and despite TFT LCD supply crunches in April that halted production for a week, analysts predict second-quarter shipments could grow to 350,000 units.
Meanwhile, Quanta is under pressure as some Taiwanese electronics manufacturing service (EMS) companies are offering contract prices up to 30% lower than those of Quanta to woo iMac orders. However, industry observers say Quanta will likely be able to stay above the fray of price wars due to its strong ties with Apple.
Signaling that it remains a committed partner, Quanta has revamped its facilities to meet the complex assembly processes of the iMac, which has a dome-like base with a scalable arm attached to a 15-inch flat-panel monitor. Production lines for the iMac are charging ahead on three production shifts. If it were not for the shortage of key components, sources said Quanta could have supplied at least 200,000 iMacs a month.
Quanta is the only company assembling iMacs for Apple. Foxconn Electronics (the registered trade name of Hon Hai Precision Industry) supplies the machine's cables and assembles part of its steel arm. Catcher Technology and a supplier of Quanta supply zinc-alloy bases for the iMac.
[ 08-18-2002: Message edited by: bullrat ]</p>
It'll end sept. 30.
Is it just Back-to-school sale?
Or...?
<strong>
Wouldn't it be cool if Apple had the 3 lines of iMac as - 15" - 17" - 19"? :cool:
============
Quanta Computer will ship new 17 and 19-inch iMacs beginning in 3Q
</strong><hr></blockquote>
I've brought this article up in several other threads and each time it was met with deafening silence. It may or may not be accurate but that aside, a "full" line-up of iMacs would be a win-win for Apple. It gives the consumer choice, and it gives Apple the opportunity to increase market share and profits.
Going to a wide-screen format helps make the machines more affordable due to the smaller total area of a 16:10 screen versus a 4:3, with the added advantage that it pushes Apples DV strategy to the masses.
Start with a 15" CD-RW for $1099 (I have argued that it would benefit Apple to give up their profits on this machine for the sake of market share but I am not going to rehash that issue) and step up through seven variations to the top of the line 19" widescreen for $1,999 (if, in fact, LCD prices have dropped as much as we are hearing).
Add a BTO graphics card on the 17" inch and 19" machines (4MX standard TI upgrade) and there is scarcely a consumer out there that you couldn't please.
One caveat. Power Mac next gen. upgrade probably needs to occur first in order to prevent cannibalization.
A modest dream but it's mine.
1.0Ghz, 933, 867
133Mhz Bus
4x AGP
same video and graphics stuff
Would settle for:
933Mhz,867
133Mhz bus
2x APG
same video and graphics stuff
Apple Pro Speakers included with CD-RW and Combo
Harmon-Kardon Sound sticks and Subwoofer with superdrive models.
<strong>would like to see:
1.0Ghz, 933, 867
133Mhz Bus
4x AGP
same video and graphics stuff
Would settle for:
933Mhz,867
133Mhz bus
2x APG
same video and graphics stuff
Apple Pro Speakers included with CD-RW and Combo
Harmon-Kardon Sound sticks and Subwoofer with superdrive models.</strong><hr></blockquote>
My thoughts exactly
<strong>would like to see:
1.0Ghz, 933, 867
133Mhz Bus
4x AGP
same video and graphics stuff
Would settle for:
933Mhz,867
133Mhz bus
2x APG
same video and graphics stuff
Apple Pro Speakers included with CD-RW and Combo
Harmon-Kardon Sound sticks and Subwoofer with superdrive models.</strong><hr></blockquote>
1ghz would probably be the next revision in aobut 6 months with geforce4mx and maybe geforce5mx after geforce 5 is annouced sometime at the begging of next year
[ 08-25-2002: Message edited by: O and A ]</p>
<strong>A refresh of the iMacs just before the holiday season (perhaps mid-November) would be perfect. It certainly would spur sales as people will indeed be buying many computers then and the consumer Macs especially need to look very attractive. It just makes good business sense. Hopefully the iBook will be brought up to 700/800 by then as well.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I disagree. They will probably sell plent of them how they are now. And from all indications, they have planty of the current models on hand, so why not use the Christmas buying season to clear out their invetory? It makes more sense to me to do that than to introduce new models and have to find something to do with all of the old ones.
The 17" iMac is in incredible demand. The Woodland Hills CompUSA sold its entire allotment in three hours on Saturday. The Burbank CompUSA has 16 on back order. Apple Retail Stores in Glendale and Northridge had no stock and didn't know when they'd get more. Every single person (especially switchers) who sees the 17" iMac is knocked out. From what I could see no one is seriously considering the 15" models anymore. Why buy any of the 15's when you can step up to the 17" for only a little more or get a combo or Superdrive eMac with a larger, higher rez screen for less?
Apparently there are a lot of 15" iMacs in the channel, and it's going to to take weeks and weeks for supply of 17" models to stabilize. Yes, Steve needs to do something to sweeten the pot for Xmas, but introducing new models ain't it. My humble prediction:
The eMacs and 17" iMac will be left untouched through the end of the year. Oct./Nov. will see price cuts and/or rebates on the 15" models as production is quietly halted as per the Digitimes article.
MWSF will see a major revamp of the consumer desktop lines due to falling LCD and Superdrive component costs and to coincide with the 1 year anniversary of the flat-panel iMac. 1 GHZ chips will be featured prominently as even Steve realizes selling ANY computer with a sub-Ghz chip in the year 2003 is marketplace suicide.
Combo eMac
800 Mhz/256/40/GF2MX 32
$999
Superdrive eMac
1 GHz/256/60/GF4MX 32
$1399
Combo 17" iMac
1 GHz/256/80/GF4MX 32
$1499
Superdrive 17" iMac
1 GHz/256/100/GF4MX 64
$1799
CRT iMac - discontinued
15" LCD iMac - discontinued
19" iMac - ain't gonna happen
Two 17" CRT eMacs, two 17" flat-panel iMacs and a consumer desktop line that finally makes sense at every price point. Very aggressive pricing I admit, but man would this lineup sell like hot cakes.
Some will complain about the base price of a flat-panel iMac rising and the abandonment of the sub $800 price point all together, but if Apple unapologetically embraces the eMac as the only low end solution on the Mac platform it all makes a lot of sense. Steve could make a very compelling keynote argument that the consumer desktops described above (especially the $999 eMac) are the best values in the entire computer industry. "We could make a Mac for less, but it wouldn't fully support our vision of the digital lifestyle. There is no $700 Mac for the exact same reason there is no $15,000 Mercedes."
[ 08-25-2002: Message edited by: Ensign Pulver ]
[ 08-25-2002: Message edited by: Ensign Pulver ]</p>
iBook:
12" CD
12" Combo
14" CD
14" Combo
iMac:
15" Combo $1,299
15" Superdrive $1,599
17" Combo $1,799
17" Superdrive $1,999
More realistically, they will get boosted to 867 MHz and 933 MHz. Don't everyone crap their pants at once now.
What Apple should do:
iMac 15"
900MHz
CDRW
iMac 17"
900 MHz
combo
iMac 17"
1 GHz
Super
What probably Apple will do (with some variation):
iMac 15"
800 MHz
CDRW
iMac 15"
800 MHz
Combo
iMac 17"
900 MHz
Combo
iMac 17"
900 MHz
Super
Apple needs a GHz Consumer Machine BEFORE the holiday season. Now that Apple is in the retail business they need to learn the importance of "holiday shopping", and the need for a nice re-fresh around Thanksgiving on consumer products.
[ 08-26-2002: Message edited by: Bodhi ]</p>
As much as Apple needs to bump the bus speeds on the consumer products I don't see it happening anytime soon. Apple doesn't seem to be doing what everyone thinks they should be doing these days. I doubt we will ever see an L3 cache on a consumer machine either. <hr></blockquote>
I don't think that's nescesarrily true. Until the two weeks ago, the low end Power Mac basically matched the specs of the high end iMac. Now, i don't think apple is going to be doing dual processors, but I think the fact that the low end tower has l3 cache now will allow them to add 1Mb of l3 cache to the iMac.
[ 08-27-2002: Message edited by: Flounder ]
Plus, a 133 bus and 1Mb l3 could help shut up the Gateway adds (although i haven't seen it yet)
[ 08-27-2002: Message edited by: Flounder ]</p>
We might see a top of the line iMac with the 1Ghz/167mhz bus processor w/out L3 cache, that would be quite a decent machine. Not sure what kind of RAM it would use though. I wonder how long it will take Apple to move it's consumer line to DDR, I would think the Powermacs are diffferentiated enough now that they're all duals. Should be interesting.
[ 08-29-2002: Message edited by: hotboxd ]</p>
<strong>i believe the only PowerMac with L3 cache is the 1.25Ghz model.
We might see a top of the line iMac with the 1Ghz/167mhz bus processor w/out L3 cache, that would be quite a decent machine. Not sure what kind of RAM it would use though. I wonder how long it will take Apple to move it's consumer line to DDR, I would think the Powermacs are diffferentiated enough now that they're all duals. Should be interesting.
[ 08-29-2002: Message edited by: hotboxd ]</strong><hr></blockquote>
The dual 857Mhz and 1Ghz both have 1MB L3 per processor for a total of 2.
The dual 1.25 have 2MB per processor for a total of 4.
iMac Q4 (before Xmas): price drops, MHz bump, 19" (SE?) version introduced. All Combos or SuperDrives.
They'll go like hotcakes, without alienating either the eMac cheapskates, or the Pro "power user" windbags.
[ 08-31-2002: Message edited by: bradbower ]</p>