Component report pins MacBook overhaul for third quarter
The next update to Apple Inc.'s line of 13-inch MacBook consumer portables will arrive sometime during the third quarter of the year, Far Eastern component suppliers are reported to have revealed.
Without citing sources, the Chinese-language Commercial Times said Friday that Taiwan's AU Optronics and Chi Mei Optoelectronics will evenly split the LCD panel orders for the new notebooks, which will see a launch somewhere in the July to September timeframe.
These new MacBook, as AppleInsider exclusively reported last month, will see their first structural and aesthetic changes since being introduced as an Intel-based replacement for Apple's iBook line over two years ago.
More specifically, people familiar with the matter have said the notebooks will shed their plastic enclosures for ones constructed from more eco-friendly materials such as aircraft-grade aluminum and stainless steel.
When they arrive later this year, alongside similarly overhauled MacBook Pros, the notebooks should more closely resemble the overall appearance of Apple's aluminum iMacs and the MacBook Air, those same people have said.
The report by the Commercial Times offers the same timeframe for the new notebooks originally reported by AppleInsider, which is slightly later than the June timeframe reported by another technology publication.
Both the MacBook and MacBook Pro are expected to receive "Montevina"-based processors from the Intel's upcoming Centrino 2 platform, which require a new "Socket B" logic-board. The second-gen mobile Penryn chips boast a 1066MHz front-side bus and clock between 2.26GHz and 2.8GHz.
Without citing sources, the Chinese-language Commercial Times said Friday that Taiwan's AU Optronics and Chi Mei Optoelectronics will evenly split the LCD panel orders for the new notebooks, which will see a launch somewhere in the July to September timeframe.
These new MacBook, as AppleInsider exclusively reported last month, will see their first structural and aesthetic changes since being introduced as an Intel-based replacement for Apple's iBook line over two years ago.
More specifically, people familiar with the matter have said the notebooks will shed their plastic enclosures for ones constructed from more eco-friendly materials such as aircraft-grade aluminum and stainless steel.
When they arrive later this year, alongside similarly overhauled MacBook Pros, the notebooks should more closely resemble the overall appearance of Apple's aluminum iMacs and the MacBook Air, those same people have said.
The report by the Commercial Times offers the same timeframe for the new notebooks originally reported by AppleInsider, which is slightly later than the June timeframe reported by another technology publication.
Both the MacBook and MacBook Pro are expected to receive "Montevina"-based processors from the Intel's upcoming Centrino 2 platform, which require a new "Socket B" logic-board. The second-gen mobile Penryn chips boast a 1066MHz front-side bus and clock between 2.26GHz and 2.8GHz.
Comments
I hope they come out with a mid-range desktop too, such as a mid-tower.
Whats wrong with the Mac Mini?
One of these days, the necessary size for the MacPro tower might be reduced, but Apple will not split it's product line- they've spend the last 10 years defining it. You either need the storage and card slots that a MacPro tower affords for pro Apps... or you don't and you buy a iMac or MacMini.
I hope they come out with a mid-range desktop too, such as a mid-tower.
Yeah, that would definitely help more people "make the switch".
But it seems that Apple is going for an all grey product line. Where's the color. I miss the clam shell!
I hope they get the 'Gestures' track pad too.
Seems likely. Apple are going to increasingly use Multitouch as a differentiator that Windows can't (currently) compete with.
I don't see this happening any time in the next several years. The average consumer still uses an optical drive too often (or at least thinks he would need it too often...probably some of both) for Apple to cut it out. Why release the Macbook Air if you're going to take the drive out of the Macbook in a year?
Now, long-term I agree that the optical drive will be phased out as broadband becomes ubiquitous and much faster, which will lead to much smaller and lighter notebooks...but that's going to take awhile.
I think the tide may shift when Apple offers all their software, except maybe their pro apps, by download. If the only way to get it is on a disc, then dropping the optical from any existing product is premature. They need to push the studios to allow a lot more of their movies online too, at least for rent. The titles available for legal downloads only being offered in numbers that amount to 1% of the available DVD catalogs just doesn't bode well.
I like the Air, but that pesky optical drive is still too useful for me to drop or accept as a separate device.
This would further differentiate the MacBook line from the MacBook Pro line, as well as fit in with Apple's digital media strategy (they'd like everyone to buy stuff from the Apple Store). After all, the cost/benefit equation for the optical drive in a laptop for non-power users has shifted in the last few years. Most activity is online now (including software installation/updates), media can be consumed wirelessly, and portability is paramount. For most other cases, an external drive is a viable solution, or the shared drive software that they developed for the Air.
If you disagreed with any of the above and think that an optical drive is essential, look at it from Apple's perspective: you're a MacBook Pro customer! (And you just got a better graphics card!)
Dropping the optical drive on the MacBook would enable them to make the enclosure substantially smaller/lighter/stronger/cheaper, it's an all around win situation. Come to think of it, the Air fits the product matrix in place of the regular MacBook. All they need is a 13" MacBook Pro.
A mid-tower will not happen.
One of these days, the necessary size for the MacPro tower might be reduced, but Apple will not split it's product line- they've spend the last 10 years defining it. You either need the storage and card slots that a MacPro tower affords for pro Apps... or you don't and you buy a iMac or MacMini.
I totally agree with this. Think about the potential benefits of a mid-tower vs. an iMac: customizable display and greater potential for storage and upgrades. I might be missing something, but what percentage of the average computer user really needs these but not the additional perks of the Mac Pro (better everything, extensive customization and upgrade possibilities, more cores, etc.)? I would guess that it's a rather low %. For most consumers that need a desktop, the iMac is a powerful, appealing, and simple all-in-one solution, and the power users that need more would stick with a Mac Pro anyways, methinks.
I could see them rolling out the wireless optical drive software solution that they introduced with the MacBook Air (that is, ship a laptop with no optical drive to shave off weight + cost, and then offer the optical drive as an external option for those who want it).
This would further differentiate the MacBook line from the MacBook Pro line, as well as fit in with Apple's digital media strategy (they'd like everyone to buy stuff from the Apple Store). After all, the cost/benefit equation for the optical drive in a laptop for non-power users has shifted in the last few years. Most activity is online now (including software installation/updates), media can be consumed wirelessly, and portability is paramount. For most other cases, an external drive is a viable solution, or the shared drive software that they developed for the Air.
If you disagreed with any of the above and think that an optical drive is essential, look at it from Apple's perspective: you're a MacBook Pro customer! (And you just got a better graphics card!)
Dropping the optical drive on the MacBook would enable them to make the enclosure substantially smaller/lighter/stronger/cheaper, it's an all around win situation. Come to think of it, the Air fits the product matrix in place of the regular MacBook. All they need is a 13" MacBook Pro.
I don't see this happening any time in the next several years. The average consumer still uses an optical drive too often (or at least thinks he would need it too often...probably some of both) for Apple to cut it out. Why release the Macbook Air if you're going to take the drive out of the Macbook in a year?
Now, long-term I agree that the optical drive will be phased out as broadband becomes ubiquitous and much faster, which will lead to much smaller and lighter notebooks...but that's going to take awhile.
I hope they come out with a mid-range desktop too, such as a mid-tower.
Get a cube.
I totally agree with this. Think about the potential benefits of a mid-tower vs. an iMac: customizable display and greater potential for storage and upgrades. I might be missing something, but what percentage of the average computer user really needs these but not the additional perks of the Mac Pro (better everything, extensive customization and upgrade possibilities, more cores, etc.)? I would guess that it's a rather low %. For most consumers that need a desktop, the iMac is a powerful, appealing, and simple all-in-one solution, and the power users that need more would stick with a Mac Pro anyways, methinks.
Apple will do this if their market research tells them to. Plain and simple. PC users in particular, and a fair share of Mac users have always complained about the lack of upgradability. But the kind of people who upgrade their computers are also the ones that hang out in places like this (forums) and complain. Not AppleInsider forum users, you understand ;-). But, seriously, how many of the millions of Apple and PC users upgrade their computers beyond RAM and possibly a hard disk though I am sure 99% of HD replacements are not done by end users. So for the vast majority of users the iMac is the perfect solution. For the Pro, the MacPro is also perfect. Apple is not a niche computer maker.
I'd like to see the MacBooks in aluminum and the MacBook Pros in some sort of black titanium/carbon enclosures.
If they don't somehow differentiate the MBP enclosure, then the only differences other than raw power/speed would be size and graphics. Seems like it needs a little more separation from the Macbook line...otherwise, I agree with others on this forum that they should have 13", 15", and 17" form factors for the Macbook and call the high end specs of each the "Pro." Otherwise, calling a notebook Pro because it's bigger and has dedicated graphics doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Of course, "they should" doesn't mean "they will..."
I hope they come out with a mid-range desktop too, such as a mid-tower.
Yup. Check my sig.
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I don't see this happening any time in the next several years. The average consumer still uses an optical drive too often (or at least thinks he would need it too often...probably some of both) for Apple to cut it out. Why release the Macbook Air if you're going to take the drive out of the Macbook in a year?
Because when the Air came out, everyone said "ZOMG!" and there was a "cool" factor about it. Now that everyone who ponied up for the first version has got one, everyone else can have one too!
Now, long-term I agree that the optical drive will be phased out as broadband becomes ubiquitous and much faster, which will lead to much smaller and lighter notebooks...but that's going to take awhile.
I would argue that moment has come. Apple was the first to introduce USB, Wifi, and drop the floppy drive.
Because when the Air came out, everyone said "ZOMG!" and there was a "cool" factor about it. Now that everyone who ponied up for the first version has got one, everyone else can have one too!
I would argue that moment has come. Apple was the first to introduce USB, Wifi, and drop the floppy drive.
Until software is more widely available for download and movies are available at faster speeds, I just don't see it. As it stands, to install most software, you would need either a second computer (which most users don't have) or an external optical drive (which is annoying). Again, I think it's coming, but not for a few years. No way Apple releases the Air and then a Macbook - optical drive a year later. That would massively cannibalize Air sales and Apple isn't stupid enough to do that.
A mid-tower will not happen.
One of these days, the necessary size for the MacPro tower might be reduced, but Apple will not split it's product line- they've spend the last 10 years defining it. You either need the storage and card slots that a MacPro tower affords for pro Apps... or you don't and you buy a iMac or MacMini.
.....or you stick with a PC because Apple won't address the Grand Canyon sized hole in its desktop lineup. Apple has always offered a true single processor tower and now that hardly anyone really need dual processors (even a lot of high end apps can't handle more than four cores), that's the only option. And no, the single Xeon Mac Pro configuration doesn't count- it's really just a crippled dual processor setup (all the added costs but no benfits aside from having the option of adding a second chip down the line).