Next Apple notebook refresh rumored for June
The next update to Apple's MacBook and MacBook Pro family of notebook computers could come as early as June, according to a series of reports.
DailyTech notes that Intel is planning to replace its existing Santa Rosa mobile platform with Montevina (Centrino 2) in June, marking the arrival of a second generation of Penryn processors boasting a 1066MHz front-side bus and clocking between 2.26GHz and 2.8GHz.
Noting that Apple on Tuesday launched revised MacBook and MacBook Pro notebooks that incorporate Intel?s first run of Penryn processors, the trade publication cited "insiders" who've confirmed that the company will refresh its notebook lines again in June.
This should come as no surprise, DailyTech added, given that all of Intel's Centrino partners have indicated they will announce notebooks based on the new Montevina Centrino 2 platform at that time.
The claim is bolstered by a report originally published by DigiTimes on Monday, which explained that Intel plans to rapidly phase out its Santa Rosa notebook platform next quarter in order to push adoption of Montevina.
According to the report, existing Santa Rosa-based processors will comprise 60 percent of the chipmaker's mobile shipments this quarter, but that ratio will fall to 35 percent next quarter before the platform is completely eliminated from Intel's repertoire in the fourth quarter.
At the same time, Montevina-based chips will account for around 18 percent of Intel's notebook shipments after it launches next quarter, with those shipments growing to 50 percent by the third quarter and 90 percent by year's end.
Intel's rapid mobile chip transitions are believed to be the primary driver behind Apple's seemingly pre-mature 13-inch MacBook updates on Tuesday, which came less than four months after the Mac maker bumped the consumer notebooks to Santa Rosa specifications.
DailyTech notes that Intel is planning to replace its existing Santa Rosa mobile platform with Montevina (Centrino 2) in June, marking the arrival of a second generation of Penryn processors boasting a 1066MHz front-side bus and clocking between 2.26GHz and 2.8GHz.
Noting that Apple on Tuesday launched revised MacBook and MacBook Pro notebooks that incorporate Intel?s first run of Penryn processors, the trade publication cited "insiders" who've confirmed that the company will refresh its notebook lines again in June.
This should come as no surprise, DailyTech added, given that all of Intel's Centrino partners have indicated they will announce notebooks based on the new Montevina Centrino 2 platform at that time.
The claim is bolstered by a report originally published by DigiTimes on Monday, which explained that Intel plans to rapidly phase out its Santa Rosa notebook platform next quarter in order to push adoption of Montevina.
According to the report, existing Santa Rosa-based processors will comprise 60 percent of the chipmaker's mobile shipments this quarter, but that ratio will fall to 35 percent next quarter before the platform is completely eliminated from Intel's repertoire in the fourth quarter.
At the same time, Montevina-based chips will account for around 18 percent of Intel's notebook shipments after it launches next quarter, with those shipments growing to 50 percent by the third quarter and 90 percent by year's end.
Intel's rapid mobile chip transitions are believed to be the primary driver behind Apple's seemingly pre-mature 13-inch MacBook updates on Tuesday, which came less than four months after the Mac maker bumped the consumer notebooks to Santa Rosa specifications.
Comments
I was just starting to convince my wife its time to go ahead and buy the current refresh, but this next bump has me intrigued.
Wow! This is starting to make my head spin. Who out there wants to sell me on why I should wait for Montevina aside from the FSB and uptick in clock speed?
I was just starting to convince my wife its time to go ahead and buy the current refresh, but this next bump has me intrigued.
Because any June release for notebooks will most likely include full case redesigns including multitouch for the mackbook.
.....and hopefully improved battery life.
Wow! This is starting to make my head spin. Who out there wants to sell me on why I should wait for Montevina aside from the FSB and uptick in clock speed?
I was just starting to convince my wife its time to go ahead and buy the current refresh, but this next bump has me intrigued.
I'm also torn, I need a new notebook now, but i'd much rather tough it out if there's a case re-design, speed bump and whatnot in less than 5 months..
Because any June release for notebooks will most likely include full case redesigns including multitouch for the mackbook.
.....and hopefully improved battery life.
Dream on!
Santa Rosa/Penryn is an exception as voltage was apparently altered at the last minute.
Dream on!
Not even dreaming. Its the most likely scenario taking into account that just released spec bump. And thatS all it was...a spec bump. All they did was upgrade the processors and added multitouch to the macbook pro as a software update because its the same touchpad. I don't think after 4 years thats the big update they were planning for their macbooks. I think they will release the new versions in June. And those new designs should include solutions to increased battery drain from what.....the processors and possibly the multitouch?
Not sure about that but we will see.
next on the soon to be updated list:
leopard 10.3, could be next month, who knows...
imac, hey it's been awhile, right?
macpro, these are older than the notebooks so we should expect another update in late spring.
and because many will probably wait until 10.4 to upgrade, let's start a rumor about that one too!
good grief!
And if there's a new case and logic board involved, then you can bet people will want to wait until the "second generation" of that new platform, because, you know, the first rendition of anything should be avoided.
Keep that up and you'll never have a new computer.
You can wait until the next update for the rest of your life, if you want, or you could just buy a machine now and get to actually use it.
There's always a new machine less than a year away. Keep that in mind.
Not even dreaming. Its the most likely scenario taking into account that just released spec bump. And that all it was a spec bump. All they did was upgrade the processors and added multitouch to the macbook pro as a software update because its the same touchpad. I don't think after 4 years thats the big update they were planning for their macbooks. I think they will release the new versions in June. And those new designs should include solutions to increased battery drain from what.....the processors and possibly the multitouch?
Not sure about that but we will see.
As a side note, the battery life on the new notebooks should be the same, if not better, than the previous models. Apple has simply gone from reporting an estimated battery life based on max power saving features to reporting a battery life with the Wifi turned on, etc. They're giving a more realistic figure in their report. For end users, they will definitely get similar, if not better, battery performance in these new Penryn machines over Santa Rosa.
I'm just kinda tired of seeing people jump all over the "worse" battery life when it has really not gotten worse at all. It's gained if anything, and we're just getting more realistic estimates from Apple now.
It would be awesome if Apple got BluRay in there for June.
Why do you want BluRay on your laptop? Will you be able to see that much difference in video playback on a 15 inch screen? Ir is it that you frequently find youself needing to burn 40 GB of data to a disk when you are at Starbucks?
Sorry for being flip, but I don't see the point of salivating over this.
Not even dreaming. Its the most likely scenario taking into account that just released spec bump. And that all it was a spec bump. All they did was upgrade the processors and added multitouch to the macbook pro as a software update because its the same touchpad. I don't think after 4 years thats the big update they were planning for their macbooks. I think they will release the new versions in June. And those new designs should include solutions to increased battery drain from what.....the processors and possibly the multitouch?
Not sure about that but we will see.
It's not the same touchpad. It looks the same, but the chips underneath are drastically different. Don't get that idea started; the next thing you know, people will be accusing Apple of being "the next Microsoft" because they won't offer a "simple software update" to give old Powerbook G3 users the same multitouch features the newest machines have.
And battery life has already been improved in the new notebooks. It doesn't look that way, because Apple has changed the way they calculate battery life to be more realistic, but the machines released yesterday will last longer on a charge in the real world than their predecessors. Especially the 17" with the hi-res screen, which is now LED like the 15" screens are. Penryn processors run cooler and more efficiently. That's the new MO for Apple in its notebook line. Performance per watt, not ultimate clock speed.
Why do you want BluRay on your laptop? Will you be able to see that much difference in video playback on a 15 inch screen? Ir is it that you frequently find youself needing to burn 40 GB of data to a disk when you are at Starbucks?
Sorry for being flip, but I don't see the point of salivating over this.
It's one of those features that sounds great on paper but doesn't amount to much in the real world. Like Safari on the Apple TV, or Flash on the iPhone. Everyone wants it, but if they had it, the experience wouldn't match the expectation.
I expect that the MacBook will be dragged into the Multitouch world at this time as well.
If Intel is really pushing to change over chipsets, then the Mac Mini will either be updated or finally die - just when interest is growing in the form factor. Apple is mad sometimes.
I'm just kinda tired of seeing people jump all over the "worse" battery life when it has really not gotten worse at all. It's gained if anything, and we're just getting more realistic estimates from Apple now.
Gizmodo released multiple articles on the new MB/MBP battery life yesterday. The first stated that battery life as decreased on Apple notebooks. After readers pointed out their error they contacted Apple and wrote a 2nd article stating that battery life is indeed longer. The third article has comparative testing showing 30 minutes to 1 hour gains depending on the model.
Why do you want BluRay on your laptop? Will you be able to see that much difference in video playback on a 15 inch screen? Ir is it that you frequently find youself needing to burn 40 GB of data to a disk when you are at Starbucks?
Sorry for being flip, but I don't see the point of salivating over this.
Well put. Kinda like people who want HD on iPhones.
Why do you want BluRay on your laptop? Will you be able to see that much difference in video playback on a 15 inch screen? Ir is it that you frequently find youself needing to burn 40 GB of data to a disk when you are at Starbucks?
Sorry for being flip, but I don't see the point of salivating over this.
While the examples you cited might not demand a BR drive, I could see the need at some point because a Macbook Pro is likely to be someones sole machine. Based on that, a BR drive should be at least an option at some point for people who would like their machine fully featured. While it's not a high priority on my list currently, I can't dispute some people's desire for inclusion of Blu Ray.
It would be awesome if Apple got BluRay in there for June.
Not likely. Blu-ray would go in the Macbook Pro first and then one or two iterations later into the Macbook. Similar to how they've released previous tech. Multitouch will make it into the Macbook probably next year. They have to separate the to lines somehow and they do it with luxury features. The Macbooks have yet to get the backlit keyboards which would be nice for those long late flights.
when does it stop??!?!!?
With Intel ?
NEVER. This is not IBM.
Uhhh I still remember all the howling when the PowerPC -> Intel switch was made. Soulless, WinTel, Evil empire and so on were the words used. I think by now we have had more upgrades then under the entire PPC era (ok slightly exagerating). But the progress is re-lent-less. Which is good - unless you happen to postpone your buy until the next big bump, before a period of relative calm
With Intel you might have to wait forever then. Having said that I rather prefer this then the 3GHz PPC
Why do you want BluRay on your laptop? Will you be able to see that much difference in video playback on a 15 inch screen? Ir is it that you frequently find youself needing to burn 40 GB of data to a disk when you are at Starbucks?
Sorry for being flip, but I don't see the point of salivating over this.
It may be true that you may not see any visual difference on a MB or MBP, but I have my MB connected to the 23" Cinema Display whenever I'm at home. I have so much more room to use Spaces and watch films. It is great! If I were to compare playing a regular DVD vs just seeing the HD quicktime movie trailers, there is such sharpness and more detail even at the 720p level. I have also seen the technical comparisons that have been shown and I am looking forward to the real thing.
With all that I have reading regarding this, I don't believe they will be in the June MBPs (although I would buy one then) until after Blue-Ray is available in the MP. The pros using the G5 will have the advantage of burning 50 GB of dual layer disks for their film, sound, or photography projects. This is quite and advantage of the standard DVD.
One more thing... Even with all the movie rental increases through iTunes and Apple TV, the extras you get on a regular DVD outweigh renting a movie through downloads. I would still rather go through Netflix or just buy the DVD if I knew I was going to watch it more that once. Then when Blue-Ray comes out there will be the extra channels for interactivity which even more are being standardized now. So, I imagine Apple has some work ahead of them getting the DVD player and Quicktime software and the OS up to speed with all of those changes. I am hoping that will be included in 10.5.3.
I am in no rush and can wait and will buy a MP and MBP when they are available with Blue-Ray.