Rumors fuel hopes for unibody 17-inch MacBook Pro
Last-minute claims would have Apple launching an update to its largest MacBook Pro model as early as Macworld -- and potentially with a crucial change to the computer's battery.
Claiming to have Asian sources, 9 to 5 Mac alleges that a 17-inch MacBook Pro with the sturdier, unibody aluminum design is believed due at the trade event, whose show floor opens Tuesday.
While a major revision of Apple's flagship portable has long been expected, the late rumor asserts that the company won't use the same panel-covered battery layout as with the 13-inch MacBook and 15-inch MacBook Pro. Instead, the 17-inch notebook is said to have a "super slim" battery that can't be removed, not unlike the MacBook Air.
Although a likely concern for professionals who may want the option of swapping batteries, the system design would supposedly make up for its fixed nature through a battery that runs for "much longer" than the five hours of the current model, though it's not known whether silver-zinc batteries or other new energy technology would be used to accomplish this feat.
While the report has yet to be fully corroborated, Mac Rumors also says it has heard whispers of a similar plan. AppleInsider's own sources were the first to suggest the 17-inch MacBook Pro would be delayed but did warn that the gap between the release of this and the 15-inch version could span "several months" as Apple works out design kinks.
Regardless, the electronics maker's keynote at Macworld is increasingly expected to be heavy on computer updates and will likely include a new Mac mini.
Claiming to have Asian sources, 9 to 5 Mac alleges that a 17-inch MacBook Pro with the sturdier, unibody aluminum design is believed due at the trade event, whose show floor opens Tuesday.
While a major revision of Apple's flagship portable has long been expected, the late rumor asserts that the company won't use the same panel-covered battery layout as with the 13-inch MacBook and 15-inch MacBook Pro. Instead, the 17-inch notebook is said to have a "super slim" battery that can't be removed, not unlike the MacBook Air.
Although a likely concern for professionals who may want the option of swapping batteries, the system design would supposedly make up for its fixed nature through a battery that runs for "much longer" than the five hours of the current model, though it's not known whether silver-zinc batteries or other new energy technology would be used to accomplish this feat.
While the report has yet to be fully corroborated, Mac Rumors also says it has heard whispers of a similar plan. AppleInsider's own sources were the first to suggest the 17-inch MacBook Pro would be delayed but did warn that the gap between the release of this and the 15-inch version could span "several months" as Apple works out design kinks.
Regardless, the electronics maker's keynote at Macworld is increasingly expected to be heavy on computer updates and will likely include a new Mac mini.
Comments
Now all of you 17" MacBook Pro whiners can stop whining that there is no 17" MBP rumors. Now you can whine about the lack of a removable battery instead!
It will surprise me if it isn't removable. Not that I find it a big deal or anything, I've never in my life had more than one per laptop.
On the rare occasions that I've had the battery run out I've been near a power socket, so...
Back on topic, I would love to swap my current MBP 17" 2.6GHz C2D Santa Rosa (Late 2007) model for a new one with the shiny black-edged screen. I used one of the 15-inch beauties the other day at the Apple Store and they're very very nice. Love the new glass trackpad and the unibody enclosure. (Can't justify swapping this one though, not when I'm buying a house!)
It will surprise me if it isn't removable. Not that I find it a big deal or anything, I've never in my life had more than one per laptop.
I usually carry 2 spare batteries, for a total of three, for my travels. While a non-removable battery isn't a big deal, Apple or a 3rd-party would most likely have to make a MagSafe connected external battery pack to make me a customer.
While having a "much longer" battery would be beneficial, I don't see what changes Apple could make that would have required a non-user replaceable battery. When I consider the MBP MoBo size, optical drive and HDD, the 17" MBP has the most available space for a battery, so I don't understand why they would have to make a super thin battery that would presumably slide between the chassis and other components.
Any ideas?
I usually carry 2 spare batteries, for a total of three, for my travels. While a non-removable battery isn't a big deal, Apple or a 3rd-party would most likely have to make a MagSafe connected external battery pack to make me a customer.
While having a "much longer" battery would be beneficial, I don't see what changes Apple could make that would have required a non-user replaceable battery. When I consider the MBP MoBo size, optical drive and HDD, the 17" MBP has the most available space for a battery, so I don't understand why they would have to make a super thin battery that would presumably slide between the chassis and other components.
Any ideas?
I would say maybe an ultra-thin notebook. Kind of like the MacBook Air...only with ports! Thus, needing to gain all the room they can and make a non-removable battery. Removable batteries can take up more space. If Apple can spread the battery across the entire product (like the MBA) they can get a larger battery in a small enclosure.
However...if it is an ultra-thin laptop you can pretty much kiss the idea of a quad-core 17" MBP goodbye. Maybe this is the real WOW factor from the other thread???
I don't see it as a bad thing either. I've owned a few Apple laptops and with the exception of my 500 MHz iBook, I have never removed the battery for a fresh one. To be honest, most of the time its plugged in while using it. The only reason I have one is because I travel between 2 school districts for work through out the week. Between the time when the 500 MHz iBook arrived and today, batterie technologies have improved greatly. Plus, if you take care of your battery it will last a long time.
I would say maybe an ultra-thin notebook. Kind of like the MacBook Air...only with ports!
This is where I see this rumour falling apart.
The 17" dimensions are mostly set in stone. We know the basic footprint of the next 17" MBP assuming they still use the same screen dimensions. So this means that the ultra thin battery would be a result of being between components (which would make the device thicker than it currently is) or by tapering the new MBP like the MBA (like you mention).
However, this pulls away from the current 15" MBP design unification which has been present with all the MBPs and introduces the issues that make the MBA a non-starter for many: inability to include an optical drive, inability to use a 2.5" HDD, inability to use more powerful CPUs and GPUs, and inability to add ports directly to the edge of the machine.
I think the 17" MBP would have to follow the 15" MBP design. Perhaps what is being reported is Apple branching the MBA into a larger machine, like a 15" MBA, but even that sounds highly suspect to me.
Film makers and video editors out in the field have to have multiple batteries because there's nowhere to recharge the laptop most of the time.
Perhaps this is where the longer battery life comes into play? Of course this only being a rumor, we don't know the specifics. So it could be 30 minutes longer, or 2hrs longer...who knows!
This is where I see this rumour falling apart.
The 17" dimensions are mostly set in stone. We know the basic footprint of the next 17" MBP assuming they still use the same screen dimensions. So this means that the ultra thin battery would be a result of being between components (which would make the device thicker than it currently is) or by tapering the new MBP like the MBA (like you mention).
However, this pulls away from the current 15" MBP design unification which has been present with all the MBPs and introduces the issues that make the MBA a non-starter for many: inability to include an optical drive, inability to use a 2.5" HDD, inability to use more powerful CPUs and GPUs, and inability to add ports directly to the edge of the machine.
I think the 17" MBP would have to follow the 15" MBP design. Perhaps what is being reported is Apple branching the MBA into a larger machine, like a 15" MBA, but even that sounds highly suspect to me.
I agree...I don't think Apple would put all this time, money and effort, not mention all the hype from the unibody for a specific unibody enclosure just for the 15" MBP. If the rumor is true...there has to be a reason why Apple would do this.
I was just throwing something on the table with the ultra-thin thing.
I think this is the part where rumors just start coming out of the wood work about everything and anything just to stir things up. It happens every year!
This is where I see this rumour falling apart....
Totally agree.
A non-removable battery only makes sense if the form factor is closer to the Air, which the rumour explicitly denies when it says that the new uni-body construction is being used. Makes no sense.
If the 17" is "MacBook Air-ified" I can see it selling well, but there are also large groups of people who buy the 17" (Hollywood), who actually need the horsepower. So this is either two products or a bold move either way if true.
Edit: It actually makes sense if the rumours about new battery technology are true. If they are using this, then a sealed chasis makes sense even if it's not like the Air. Still possibly a problem for Hollywood types though.
It would be another to send them out without any real material of interest to announce. So even if no one more thing moment, maybe a cornucopia of announcements that would've been big news back when Apple was a computer company (you do remember those bygone days, don't you?).
I think investors and the biz press would be satisfied with a cascade of refreshes and redos. A complete revamp of the big boy laptop would be a good start. Pair that with new iMacs (mostly a refresh?), new MacMinis (major 'vamp in specs and purposing), new large screen monitors (refresh and new connectors), and lots of buzz-making over Snow Leopard -- which may be a more significant long-term strategicupgrade than Leopard and Tiger combined if they've really redone the plumbing rather than throwing more eye (or "i") candy at us.
I think consumers would reflect that satisfaction when they enter their friendly local Apple Stores as well and start enjoying Macs that to a greater extent than ever "just work." And businesses when they see TOC impacted by technologies like Open CL, Grand Central, etc.
Part of the mini-cornucopia could include memory and/or other small upgrades to Touches and Phones. People have mentioned a new shuffle, but what could be added except RAM at the price point and functionality -- some fussy teeny visual navigation?
And, won't happen, but I'd love to see a reversal and see a 13.3" notebook with the tiny addition of, yes, a frigging Firewire port. Let 'em call it a pro model and bump it up or whatever -- but this is their most premature abandonment of a tech they humped long and hard for which is nowhere near the end of its useful life.
So Phil and co. won't be sent out totally unarmed. And I think after all the small but good announcements there will also be plenty of candidates for another small one more thing.
Everyone says it won't be in the 6-10" range (see how I didn't say "netbook"?) so, OK. What about the so-called iP Nano, the "iPhone for the rest of us"? Well first, it would have to be an entirely new device since the Nano, Classic and Shuffle platforms are based on the old iPod OS, and how small a device can you efficiently touch text and accurately dial on? Never say never.
But something on the home front seems possible.
That is, as for the mini and Apple TV, the questions include whether they'll converge, merge or diverge. Apple 'b lovin' the iTunes Store, but is a hookup of convenience with another playah' like NetFlix or Tivo entirely out of the question? Especially if creates an "aura of inevitability" that Apple's coming to a living room near you? And because NetFlix hardware solutions are already popping up, while TIVO software's becoming a standard on settop boxes from many providers.
My point is there's plenty of room for plenty of mid-size and all welcome additions adding up to a successful '09 A, Inc. kickoff in the '09 keynote IDG kissoff.
(And is buying a company like NetFlix entirely out of the question? Apple now has demonstrated chops in both running brick and mortar ops and online content delivery.)
If this is in fact true it would be excellent for Apple. It would eliminate the safety and quality issues that Lithium batteries have. Also since it appears that this is a production ramp for Apple they will likely have an exclusive deal for some time.
The big question of course is: is zPower the one. There are a lot of battery tech coming out of the labs right now. ZPower is the only one to make an announcement though. If things work out well I could see a rapid switch over at Apple.
Dave
2) Is their evidence that Ag betteries should not be user replacable? I have read nothing on the tech that would suggest that the battery should not or could be used like current Li batteries.
3) Assuming #2 is not true, can we expect the 15" MBP, Apple's 2nx most popular notebook and most popular Pro machine, to get this new tech, as well?
If the rumor is true and we are guessing at the right battery tech then I think Apple will put the new tech batteries in all 17" MBPs. It would be a huge marketing advantage.
The other thing here is that built in can mean all sorts of things. Apple could efectively change the design of the machine so that an access cover gives quick and easy access to the innereds. Ideally one cover would expose the battery, RAM and disk drive.
Tomorrow looks more interesting than many initially thought. This could be the sort of change the whole industry follows.
Dave
Film makers and video editors out in the field have to have multiple batteries because there's nowhere to recharge the laptop most of the time.
If this is their target group, maybe there will be a non-glossy version?
It will surprise me if it isn't removable. Not that I find it a big deal or anything, I've never in my life had more than one per laptop.
The same here.
a 3rd-party would most likely have to make a MagSafe connected external battery pack to make me a customer.
This kind of pack would be a good solution indeed.
Maybe non-removable battery means factory replacement only, controlled recycling and a green label for Apple.