Apple poised for special event this September

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  • Reply 121 of 311
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by GregAlexander View Post


    If Apple doesn't release anything till september, won't it be hard for them to drop their gross margin from 35% (last quarter) to 31% (this quarter) and 30% next quarter? (they'll only have a couple of weeks left of the quarter!)



    Or is there something I'm missing?



    I've been trying to work this out as well.



    I can't figure it out. I was expecting the transition to have happened already!
  • Reply 122 of 311
    solsunsolsun Posts: 763member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr. H View Post


    Hey, you were the one who asked:



    "is this about colour?"



    In your first post.



    And you were the one who said:



    "I just don't get why people always say it has not been redesigned in ages."



    In your first post.



    All of the following exchanges were to try and answer the first question as:



    "no, it's not about colour"



    And answer your wonderment by explaining that people say it's the case design that hasn't changed for 5.5 years.



    And explain to you that the cosmetic differences you'd listed in your first post were delivered by the aluminium PowerBook G4 in 2003



    It was a rhetorical question..
  • Reply 123 of 311
    wobegonwobegon Posts: 764member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solsun View Post


    But I NEVER DISAGREED about that.. Why are you assuming I am?



    My point is that a redesign can be more than cosmetic. Lots of things have changed over the years that qualify a redesign. That's all.



    I think your use of the term design (and/or redesign) is what's throwing people.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solsun View Post


    When he says "same design," is he referring to the same color? Because the design of the MacBook Pro has completely changed since the PowerBook G4.



    Your original post has brought us to where we are now because that word is rather vague and obviously, most people interpreted design to mean it's overall enclosure, which hasn't changed in any major degree for nearly 5 years. Many things you listed in that original post were merely enhancements, like the slightly larger trackpad, the slightly better speakers, LED backlighting added to essentially the exact same display.



    Similarly, if you were actually talking about the original Titanium PowerBook G4s, you should have made that more apparent.
  • Reply 124 of 311
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr. H View Post


    I've been trying to work this out as well.

    I can't figure it out. I was expecting the transition to have happened already!



    The maths itself, assuming steady sales and using the exact decimal percentages, indicated the transition starting a week after the financial announcements. So... damn



    There are only a few explanations I can think of

    1) Apple over estimated the loss deliberately

    2) Apple stuffed up and is delayed in releasing their transition products

    3) Apple expected HUGE sales in the early weeks of the transitioned product(s).

    4) Apple is nervous after the iphone release and mobileme meltdown, and are re-evaluating how they release things

    5) Perhaps gross margin isn't what I understand it to be (eg: perhaps if they are making a stockpile of the new products it affects Gross margins already?).
  • Reply 125 of 311
    solsunsolsun Posts: 763member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wobegon View Post


    I think your use of the term design (and/or redesign) is what's throwing people.







    Your original post has brought us to where we are now because that word is rather vague and obviously, most people interpreted design to mean it's overall enclosure, which hasn't changed in any major degree for nearly 5 years. Many things you listed in that original post were merely enhancements, like the slightly larger trackpad, the slightly better speakers, LED backlighting added to essentially the exact same display.



    Similarly, if you were actually talking about the original Titanium PowerBook G4s, you should have made that more apparent.



    Well I did say the "Original PowerBook G4." However, it was obviously misunderstood.
  • Reply 126 of 311
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by GregAlexander View Post


    The maths itself, assuming steady sales and using the exact decimal percentages, indicated the transition starting a week after the financial announcements. So... damn



    There are only a few explanations I can think of

    1) Apple over estimated the loss deliberately

    2) Apple stuffed up and is delayed in releasing their transition products

    3) Apple expected HUGE sales in the early weeks of the transitioned product(s).

    4) Apple is nervous after the iphone release and mobileme meltdown, and are re-evaluating how they release things

    5) Perhaps gross margin isn't what I understand it to be (eg: perhaps if they are making a stockpile of the new products it affects Gross margins already?).



    I think we can rule out 5). I recall the reasoning you posted and it seemed correct to me.



    Your other explanations all sound plausible.



    I think in order of likelihood, it's either:
    • a combination of 1) and 3)

    • 2).

    • 4).

  • Reply 127 of 311
    People like Solsun are why AI needs an "ignore poster" option. Guess I'll just have to train myself to skip over his posts from now on.



    And yes, I too am confused as to why the product margins are supposed to decline dramatically this quarter despite no product announcements or price cuts until late September.



    My only guess is a massive R&D expenditure for next quarter's announcements or the prepayment on a massive SSD order that had to be paid now.
  • Reply 128 of 311
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solsun View Post


    Well I did say the "Original PowerBook G4." However, it was obviously misunderstood.



    http://forums.appleinsider.com/showp...&postcount=116
  • Reply 129 of 311
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ensign Pulver View Post


    My only guess is a massive R&D expenditure for next quarter's announcements or the prepayment on a massive SSD order that had to be paid now.



    ooh, those are good explanations.



    I am expecting the transition to be iPod touch related, so the SSD purchase-order thing could be it.



    Edit:



    Having said that, does that affect gross margins? I don't think it does. I think both of those things affect operating margin, not gross margin. Bother.
  • Reply 130 of 311
    solsunsolsun Posts: 763member




    Yes, but those changes were not all at one time. They were gradual.
  • Reply 131 of 311
    wobegonwobegon Posts: 764member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr. H View Post


    So, how many people here are expecting the next MacBook Pro form-factor to resemble the MacBook Air's?



    I am and I can't wait!



    I concur, but what I'm curious about is how Air-like the new Pros will be? Are we talking a true scaled up version of the MacBook Air? That'd probably require the dropping of an internal disc drive. While I'd love to see that happen, a great many people wouldn't. If the edges are tapered (they've gotta be, come on!) will a "trap door" of ports like the Air's be mandatory? Seems likely.



    The computer everyone seems to be ignoring is the MacBook.



    While Apple has been transitioning to aluminum, they use that material to differentiate their premium and high-end Macs (iMac, Mac Pro, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro) from their budget/consumer oriented Macs (Mac Mini, MacBook). It's similar to their use of backlit keyboards on all premium notebooks.



    So, to avoid higher production costs and buyer confusion, they'll keep the same polycarbonate material (available in black and white as they are now), but taper the edges, possibly sliming it down a bit overall and/or making it lighter in weight. An LED backlit display is almost a given and an oversized MultiTouch trackpad is nearly as likely. I doubt SSDs, optional or otherwise.
  • Reply 132 of 311
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wobegon View Post


    I concur, but what I'm curious about is how Air-like will the new Pros become? Are we talking a true scaled up version of the MacBook Air? That'd probably require the dropping of an internal disc drive. While I'd love to see that happen, a great many people wouldn't. If the edges are tapered (they've gotta be, come on!) will a "trap door" of ports like the Air's be mandatory? Seems likely.



    I don't think the design will be tapered. Certainly the internal optical drive won't be dropped and once you start to think about ports, HDDs and optical drives you realise there's not much room for any tapering. Maybe there could be a little bit.



    I guess what I'm really expecting is the MacBook form-factor (in aluminium, of course) with the Air's black backlit keyboard.
  • Reply 133 of 311
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Don't expect any "miracle" products from Apple, just incrementally improved ones. The consumer market it too risky to play outside the established norms and we've seen Apple making very minor improvements for some time now.
  • Reply 134 of 311
    solsunsolsun Posts: 763member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr. H View Post


    ooh, those are good explanations.



    I am expecting the transition to be iPod touch related, so the SSD purchase-order thing could be it.




    It could also be transitioning the nano to a nano touch..



    Take the current nano phatty form factor, remove the click wheel on the bottom half and stretch the screen down.. It would be large enough for a touch device.



    But most importantly is the App store. Now that the App Store is up and running and is Apple's gateway to cementing their mobile platform as the future de facto standard by bringing all the 3rd party developers on board, it seems that they will want to get the app store accessible on as many of their mobile devices as possible. And the nano IS Apple's best selling mobile device.



    It is possible that a new touch nano could be released before the current quarter ends. And it would likely sell in enough quantities to affect margins for this quarter.
  • Reply 135 of 311
    wobegonwobegon Posts: 764member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr. H View Post


    I don't think the design will be tapered. Certainly the internal optical drive won't be dropped and once you start to think about ports, HDDs and optical drives you realise there's not much room for any tapering. Maybe there could be a little bit.



    I guess what I'm really expecting is the MacBook form-factor (in aluminium, of course) with the Air's black backlit keyboard.



    Ok, but the tapered edges of the MacBook Air are what make it stand out, not simply its thinness. If Apple had simply wanted to make a scaled down, rounded-rectangle 13" MacBook Pro, they would have taken the same old case that's been around for nearly five years and done just that. Also, I don't see any major case differences between the MacBook Pro and the MacBook, other than the latter being thicker overall, with a slot-loading disc drive on the side, an indented, unique keyboard and magnetic latch.



    I agree about the Air's black backlit keyboard (and I see the magnetic latch, LED backlit screen, and oversized Multi-Touch) coming to the Pro. Care to clarify what makes the MacBook's form-factor all that special? We are talking about what's going to happen to the 15" and 17" MacBook Pros, right?
  • Reply 136 of 311
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wobegon View Post


    Also, I don't see any major case differences between the MacBook Pro and the MacBook, other than the latter being thicker overall, with a slot-loading disc drive on the side, an indented, unique keyboard and magnetic latch.



    Ah, but it's all in those little details. The forming of the aluminium, that little indentation you get around the periphery of the keyboard, the keyboard itself, the latching mechanism, the fact you can get to the HDD easily in the MacBook, etc. Those little details all add up to a "sharper", sleeker form-factor for the MacBook (imagining it "aluminiumised") relative to the current MacBook Pro.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wobegon View Post


    We are talking about what's going to happen to the 15" and 17" MacBook Pros, right?



    The original article does also mention the MacBook. It seems likely given all the rumours that the MacBook is going to go aluminium.
  • Reply 137 of 311
    wobegonwobegon Posts: 764member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr. H View Post


    Ah, but it's all in those little details. The forming of the aluminium, that little indentation you get around the periphery of the keyboard, the keyboard itself, the latching mechanism, the fact you can get to the HDD easily in the MacBook, etc. Those little details all add up to a "sharper", sleeker form-factor for the MacBook (imagining it "aluminiumised") relative to the current MacBook Pro.



    Yeah...I agreed with your assertions about the keyboard 100%. I should have stated that the indention around the keyboard AND the MacBook/Air-like keyboard would NOT be mutually exclusive. In other words, if we're getting that kind of keyboard (which I seriously believe we are) then that keyboard will also be indented just like the MacBook and Air's keyboards are. In an earlier post, I too recognized the likely inclusion of the MacBook/Air's magnetic latch.



    Also when you say "the forming of the aluminum," you meant polycarbonate, right? You were describing what makes the current MacBook's case special in this instance, but accidentally mixed in your own prediction about a 13" aluminum MacBook that doesn't exist.



    Of course, making these rather superficial changes to the current 15" and 17" MacBook Pro cases and calling it a day is unlikely, but before I touch on my reasonings further down, I'll first repost my predictions for Apple's black and white MacBook, which I think you missed:



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wobegon View Post


    The computer everyone seems to be ignoring is the MacBook.



    While Apple has been transitioning to aluminum, they use that material to differentiate their premium and high-end Macs (iMac, Mac Pro, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro) from their budget/consumer oriented Macs (Mac Mini, MacBook). It's similar to their use of backlit keyboards on all premium notebooks.



    So, to avoid higher production costs and buyer confusion, they'll keep the same polycarbonate material (available in black and white as they are now), but taper the edges, possibly sliming it down a bit overall and/or making it lighter in weight. An LED backlit display is almost a given and an oversized MultiTouch trackpad is nearly as likely. I doubt SSDs, optional or otherwise.



    Now then...

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr. H View Post


    The original article does also mention the MacBook. It seems likely given all the rumours that the MacBook is going to go aluminium.



    What rumors? The Aluminum MacBook rumor has been around for a LONG time, but no proof has surfaced recently (nor have I heard any good reasoning behind such a thing).



    On the other hand, I certainly have seen the spy shots (below) of what are likely the redesigned MacBook Pros, which feature tapered edges and a removable battery that spans the length of the case, which will (purportedly) give easy access to the hard drive bay similar to what the current black and white MacBooks offer.



  • Reply 138 of 311
    dhagan4755dhagan4755 Posts: 2,152member
    I hope that this new MacBook Pro design with its tapered edges allows the display to tilt back further than the current models.
  • Reply 139 of 311
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Haggar View Post


    Since there seems to be a debate over the internal optical drive, why not just make it removable and let users put whatever they want inside: optical drive, second battery, or second hard drive.



    If Apple is really going to get rid of the optical drive in the MacBook they should replace it with an extra port for a graphics card. I would use that extra graphics card a lot more that an optical drive.



    Chances of this happening are probably about 0% but it was a nice thought.
  • Reply 140 of 311
    thepixeldocthepixeldoc Posts: 2,257member
    My personal take on the design question.



    The MacBook and MBP are the equivalent of the Porsche Carrera (in all respects!). You reach a design harmony, and through the years, just tweak it here and there to update the tech inside, and the fashion lines outside (lights, tail, wheel flairs, etc). Perfect design always passes the test of time. A MB or MBP today, that was bought 3, 4, or 5 years ago, or appears in an older film or TV show, still looks sleak and modern... just like a Carrera.
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