G5 -- The Good News or Bad?
Which do you believe, the good or bad news? First the bad news. The IBM G5 really is a year to a year and a half away. IBM will announce a tentative schedule on October 15, so samples may be any time from January to June. In the mean time, Apple will keep getting more from the G4, and possibly ship quad processors. Hence the large power supply and extra cooling of the new case. Once sample G5s are shipping, Mac users will keep a sharp eye on events, and be able to fairly well guess when a new G5 PowerMac will appear. PowerMac sales will hit rock bottom for three to six months before the expected ship date. The G5 will be a fantastic Macintosh, but morale will be down before it finally arrives.
The good news may be that a G5 is very close to shipping, right now. Apple already has the new case for it, so it will be easy to begin production of a top end G5 PowerMac on short notice. In the mean time, Apple is clearing out stock of G4 processors quickly by selling all duals. When the G5 begins to ship, the dual G4 will still keep selling at the lower end, for those who do not need the G5's performance, and price. The top end G5s will sell extremely well, however. Before long, lower clock rate G5s will replace the G4s at the low end. The top end G5 PowerMac may be announced on October 15, as IBM announces that G5s are shipping already. If not then, not long afterward. IBM may put off a schedule for the G5 on October 15, until both IBM and Apple are ready to announce.
So, will it be the good news or the bad? Or is there some in between news I haven't thought about?
[ 08-20-2002: Message edited by: snoopy ]
[ 08-20-2002: Message edited by: snoopy ]</p>
The good news may be that a G5 is very close to shipping, right now. Apple already has the new case for it, so it will be easy to begin production of a top end G5 PowerMac on short notice. In the mean time, Apple is clearing out stock of G4 processors quickly by selling all duals. When the G5 begins to ship, the dual G4 will still keep selling at the lower end, for those who do not need the G5's performance, and price. The top end G5s will sell extremely well, however. Before long, lower clock rate G5s will replace the G4s at the low end. The top end G5 PowerMac may be announced on October 15, as IBM announces that G5s are shipping already. If not then, not long afterward. IBM may put off a schedule for the G5 on October 15, until both IBM and Apple are ready to announce.
So, will it be the good news or the bad? Or is there some in between news I haven't thought about?
[ 08-20-2002: Message edited by: snoopy ]
[ 08-20-2002: Message edited by: snoopy ]</p>
Comments
Oh, I believe the good news.
+++
IBM is going to demonstrate the G5 in Oct, and they will be in an Apple product within 4-6 months from now.
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Could it be that Apple hasn't pressed for the completion of the G5 or the ramp-up of product because they really would like to release the G5 when the economy is on a upturn? I'm not saying Apple is holding back a 'ready-to-go' G5 from IBM. I'm sure they are not... IBM is putting the finishing touches on the process. But I wouldn't be surprised if Apple has been more patient than they usally would be seeing how the economy is flat and not as many units would fly out the door compared to how many would under better economic conditions.
We're in Moto-land until then.....
(OTOH, they did open that fab in NY for something.....It's not like they had excess demand for their current procs.)
Jet
<strong>I'd say late 2003, more like 2004 at the earliest. The thing in October is just a presentation, not a demonstration. For all we know, they might be presenting a design , with no actual silicon, even as a prototype.
We're in Moto-land until then.....
(OTOH, they did open that fab in NY for something.....It's not like they had excess demand for their current procs.)
Jet</strong><hr></blockquote>
Nope. The IBM G5 is going to be here sooner than you think.
No more Gx
Time for Power4 desktop baby.
Very exciting possibility.
that would put new machines on our desk by may (possibly)
IMO apple has been working with ibm hand in had for longer than people think. i mean really do you think all the apple execs and engineers woke up 4 months ago and said:
"drat. we have a bus and megahertz problem." better get started _today_
no. more than likely apple realized 1.5 years ago that moto was going to me nomo and they started work on a better solution
remember the job posting for a chip designer at apple. part apple / part ibm power4 derived goodness?
these things take time....
Oh well.
"A Very Large Organization" is buying a bunch of Macs soon and is concerned about lack of MHz...
<strong>2 GHz by Feb.
"A Very Large Organization" is buying a bunch of Macs soon and is concerned about lack of MHz...</strong><hr></blockquote>
How Now BrownCow? Care to be more specific? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
hope so. sounds scrupmtious.
[ 08-20-2002: Message edited by: keyboardf12 ]</p>
<strong>2 GHz by Feb.
"A Very Large Organization" is buying a bunch of Macs soon and is concerned about lack of MHz...</strong><hr></blockquote>
Well that would be news, if true.
But why Feb.? Two weeks after MWSF?
Yeah, and let's hope he did a good job on the system controller for the new mobo's. eh?
<strong>
Well that would be news, if true.
But why Feb.? Two weeks after MWSF?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Maybe they'll be announced at MWSF and start shipping two weeks later? At least I hope so.
<strong> ... The thing in October is just a presentation, not a demonstration. For all we know, they might be presenting a design ...
</strong><hr></blockquote>
That's the point. We do not know. They could also have several go arounds on sample chips already. There are no rules when a company shall present a design at these forums. Because of the impact this chip will have on Apple sales, I tend to believe they would hold off information as long as they can. This is not just another Sahara type upgrade.
<strong>
Could it be that Apple hasn't pressed for the completion of the G5 or the ramp-up of product because they really would like to release the G5 when the economy is on a upturn? </strong><hr></blockquote>
I would just like to say, that Apple will NOT release products when they feel the economy is in an upturn. That just doesn't make good business sense. What they will do and ARE doing is pumping out good products that keep getting great press so when people can afford to buy a new comp, they'll remember the name Apple since that was one of two companies during the down turn that they kept hearing great things about. Marketshare is only won with mindshare, and by continuing to produce great products, Apple is certainly getting a lot of attention.
<strong>
I would just like to say, that Apple will NOT release products when they feel the economy is in an upturn. That just doesn't make good business sense. What they will do and ARE doing is pumping out good products that keep getting great press so when people can afford to buy a new comp, they'll remember the name Apple since that was one of two companies during the down turn that they kept hearing great things about. Marketshare is only won with mindshare, and by continuing to produce great products, Apple is certainly getting a lot of attention.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Fair enough. Though there are measured times to release new products. It doesn't always make sense to release them asap. Christmas is a good example. People want to feel like they are buying the very latest greatest stuff. If you blow your wad on a breakthrough product 6 months early people might not be as spontaneous to buy it when X-mas rolls around. I was thinking the same might be true for having money in one's pocket.
The "I've got to have it" wears off over time. They release the G5's when nobody can afford it but everyones "got to have it"... they sell less than if they release when everyone can afford it and the "I've got to have it" is still fresh in the air.
But like you said, if Apple can keep the momentum going.... my point is mute because the "I've got to have it factor" will constantly be updated.
<strong>Gee, and I clicked on this thread actually expecting some news.
Oh well.</strong><hr></blockquote>
News is G5 will be discussed in Oct with it in Mac products within 6 months from now (maybe 4). I was told to wait 4-5 months before I bought a desktop. I won't wait that long because I'm going to buy my wife an iMac17", but then I just might try to buy the G5 for myself in 8 months (2nd update of G5... though 2nd update in 8 months is speculation).
by a trusted source? i bought a pbDVI this summer. probably will buy the next version after the next rev...
<strong>
"A Very Large Organization" is buying a bunch of Macs soon and is concerned about lack of MHz...</strong><hr></blockquote>
I wonder if its name rhymes with "Bixar."