With recent speed bump to the MBA, it was a unlikely rumor to begin with. I think maybe early next year around the March time frame alongside new MBPs.
I was expecting this, they probably have to wait for the Broadwell U parts, as the higher power drawing screen would be offset by the lower power draw CPU/GPU. And Core M at 5 watts isn't in the same class as 17 watt Broadwell will be.
More importantly they would need a far better GPU so as to avoid a significant performance regression pushing all of those pixels..
Given that this report could be garbage. Intel was supposedly putting a high priority on delivering table and notebook variants of Broadwell. That is shipping product before 2015. Not sure what happened there, Intel could slip yet again.
There still a surprising number of people that haven't quite moved to the "laptop" way of living yet, and think that a computer needs to be a big box (or not-so-big in this case) sitting on a desk. Lots of people buying their first Mac this way.
There might be a few like that but Laptops are hardly the best way to be productive at a desk. Beyond that monitor choice is very important.
Unless it doubles performance per core again (unlikely, single threaded gains are harder and harder to come by...They could do it by moving to 4 cores, but those would not help single and dual thread bound apps), I'd rather wait for Broadwell.
I suspect Apple has a lot of clock rate head room in these designs. I can see the iPad going to 2.1 GHz and that would be in tablet operating territory. Give Apple the ability to manage more heat and it is hard to tell just how fast a current A8(X) will be able to run. Apple may not be able to meet Intels instruction rate but performance won't be that bad. add more cores and you end up with a viable machine.
Beyond that four cores have a big impact on Mac OS in common usage patterns. Sure it doesn't help apps tightly bound to a single thread but that's seldom the case these days. Further you are hardly ever concerned with the performance of a single app in common Mac OS usage patterns, it is the overall performance that counts. I'm pretty much convinced that Apple could build an ARM based laptop, running Mac OS , that outperforms my 2008 MBP.
Now, a separate product from the Air using an A9 could be interesting, ie the much fabled iPad Pro with a keyboard a la Microsoft Surface. But as for the proper Macs, it's still worth sticking to Intel.
For the MBPs Intel might be worth it. For a machine targeted at the general laptop community and especially the sme market that the iPad reaches an ARM based Mac Book would be ideal.
And I think the GPU gulf would be even larger than the CPU one.
And...You think Apple would find getting more money bad? :P
The 13" Air and rMBP aren't even that different in price, 200 bones I think. A price drop to make them 100 apart would make the rMBP a no brainer every time. Then the 12", if it's significantly smaller (shave those bezels, Apple!) would serve a different market. Right now they're too similar, even down to performance.
I still like the idea of a three machine lineup. A 12" MBA, a 14" MBP and a 16" MBP. Nice and clean and the larger 16" machine should interest a wide array of users.
I wonder if Apple will start putting Beats speakers into the iMacs and MacBooks. While I hardly use the speakers on my iMac (it is on mute most of the time), I've read a few posts dissing the speakers.
To the Beats haters the iMac would be no worse than it already is in terms of speakers.
Of course, we could also speculate that if Beats didn't make it into the next generation of Macs, then Apple is going to revamp the headphones and speakers very, very soon...
What I'd love to see ?(?albeit unlikely?)? is the following IPad pro with 12.9 inch retina display
Then When Intel's new chips are available at year end.-a keyboard and battery and processor combo dock as a companion to the iPad. Ideally when iPad docs the unit becomes a MacBook air with osx?!? With Apple's continuity and handoff features the jump from ios to osx shouldn't be a drama. (Another software tweak could see ios apps running alongside osx- each on their native processor although that's probably in the toaster category. Possible but too confusing)
And hey the "dock" (essentially a mini with an ssd disk!) could drive an external screen when no iPad is present. Perhaps it could even stream to your tv via your Apple tv?! Now that's a concept I'd consider!
The MacBook Air 11" has been my favorite Apple computer for a while now but I was really bummed last year when the new update didn't have 1080p. I still bought it anyway but at this point I kind of just gave up on the whole notion, I will stick with this current version for awhile and won't buy another one, at least not for awhile or until Apple does something interesting with it. My Surface Pro 3 has replaced it for now as my new favorite, regardless of the negative comments around here about it, they just never actually used one as it's a fantastic machine, it has everything I like about the MacBook Air but better, especially in the display arena, I even have OSX installed and running on it so I'm not missing anything by using it. No for now on I will only buy mobile computing devices that are touched enabled, I love using it on my Lenovo x230T and my Surface Pro 3 which are both hybrids so it's only natural that I'd miss it when I use my MacBook Air and I want so badly for it to flip around so I can use it like a Lenovo Yoga. I don't really care if people think it's a gimmick, I absolutely love touch enabled devices, especially that I am now using software that can utilize it, I'm just getting with the times.
I suspect Apple has a lot of clock rate head room in these designs. I can see the iPad going to 2.1 GHz and that would be in tablet operating territory. Give Apple the ability to manage more heat and it is hard to tell just how fast a current A8(X) will be able to run. Apple may not be able to meet Intels instruction rate but performance won't be that bad. add more cores and you end up with a viable machine.
Beyond that four cores have a big impact on Mac OS in common usage patterns. Sure it doesn't help apps tightly bound to a single thread but that's seldom the case these days. Further you are hardly ever concerned with the performance of a single app in common Mac OS usage patterns, it is the overall performance that counts. I'm pretty much convinced that Apple could build an ARM based laptop, running Mac OS , that outperforms my 2008 MBP.
Unless it doubles performance per core again (unlikely, single threaded gains are harder and harder to come by...They could do it by moving to 4 cores, but those would not help single and dual thread bound apps), I'd rather wait for Broadwell. Now, a separate product from the Air using an A9 could be interesting, ie the much fabled iPad Pro with a keyboard a la Microsoft Surface. But as for the proper Macs, it's still worth sticking to Intel.
And I think the GPU gulf would be even larger than the CPU one.
...
Look at it this way, the A7 is as fast as my iMac from (almost) 2010.
I am still amazed by its speed and it is more than enough for a MacBook Air.
Apple will have a huge cost advantage of a factor 10 ($20 versus $200 or so) and wouldn't have to wait for Intel to get its act together.
It could also immediately release the product, for example using a dual A8+, it would be blazing fast and extremely cool.
Keep also in mind that Intel uses a much smaller feature size, so when Apple produces its A9 on 14nm it will probably be better than Intel 'whatever the product name', and be 10 times less expensive.
I wonder if Apple will start putting Beats speakers into the iMacs and MacBooks. While I hardly use the speakers on my iMac (it is on mute most of the time), I've read a few posts dissing the speakers.
To the Beats haters the iMac would be no worse than it already is in terms of speakers.
Of course, we could also speculate that if Beats didn't make it into the next generation of Macs, then Apple is going to revamp the headphones and speakers very, very soon...
I would assume they remove the speakers from the iMac. They're pretty poor quality if you want to enjoy music, and for beeps there's always the "Piezoelectric disk beeper"
The iMac screen itself could very well be the same as Dell has announced:
4K content is still years away not sure apple is going to jump that far ahead, they tend not to lead in these areas especially if people can not see the immediate benefit.
While I do agree that mainstream 4K content delivery seems to be some time away, this does not mean there isn't a need.
First, there is a chicken-and-egg scenario. In order for content to exist, it must be created. Video producers need to start working in 4K. If not now, within the next few years. 4K capability should be a requirement for most new systems purchased by video professionals.
Second, the problem with mainstream 4K video is of distribution - there is no broadcast standard, no physical media standard, and insufficient broadband capability. However, consumer 4K cameras are starting to appear. Owners of these cameras will want to watch and edit their personal video at full resolution.
3rd-party 4K monitors do exist; so there is nothing stopping the use of a Dell monitor with a Mac Pro, many purchasers go single-source. This is especially true in the corporate world where the purchaser is not the user. If 4K is a key requirement, Apple does not have a 4K display, but Dell does, then a Dell PC will be purchased to go with it.
You can't expect morons to understand that 4k content is years away can you? You assume these morons have more than one brain cell! big mistake. They also don't understand there is no justification for buying 4k screens unless viewing a 70+ inch screen anyhow But you know they drink the cool-aid from the TV manufacturers and actually believe the hype. MORONS
To your point Apple never pandered to the Morons, they not making product for someone who is check list buying so they can say they got the next great things. You're correct most people can never perceive quality difference between what we have today and a 4K display. There are other things that can be before making the jump to 4K is ever needed, but those things do not require convincing people to buy a new TV.
Look at it this way, the A7 is as fast as my iMac from (almost) 2010.
I am still amazed by its speed and it is more than enough for a MacBook Air.
Well A8 now would need some enhancements but I'm pretty much convinced that a decent laptop as portable or more so than the AIR can be made. That machine would have decent performance too.
Apple will have a huge cost advantage of a factor 10 ($20 versus $200 or so) and wouldn't have to wait for Intel to get its act together.
Actually I suspect that they could save even more money. A8 is extremely integrated as far as SoC go. With a bit of beefing up there would be very little in the way of support chips required.
It could also immediately release the product, for example using a dual A8+, it would be blazing fast and extremely cool.
They could do that or beef up A8 with more cores, a larger cache and so forth. Remember this die is still tiny and can be expanded a bit and remain economical. If you look at the photos of the die, the actual ARM cores are very small and probably account for no more than 500 milli watts each running at speed.
So Apple has options here.
Keep also in mind that Intel uses a much smaller feature size, so when Apple produces its A9 on 14nm it will probably be better than Intel 'whatever the product name', and be 10 times less expensive.
There is already talk in the industry that Apple has achieved transistor densities higher than what Intel is doing at 14nm. If true this is rather impressive.
When it comes to A8, A8X or whatever, the really interesting thing to me is how fast can this SoC actually run when thermals don't matter. Currently they run at 1.4 GHz or there abouts, add 700 MHz to hat and you are at 2.1. Considering the number of 64 bit ARM designs running faster than that or in that neighborhood I see potential for a really nice chip for a low cost laptop.
Before anybody gets overly excited about that idea, no this wouldn't be a replacement for a MBP. It might replace a MBA for many though and cost far less.
I would think that any new Apple portable would be retina of some sort. They have to keep an eye on the competition.
I'm addicted to the Apple keyboard and track pad combo. Touch might have some benefit in a laptop but it isn't a show stopper for me.
Tell that to the people responsible for not updating the MacBook Air 11" yet. I never liked the term Retina as it's just a marketing term, just tell me what the resolution is out right. The iPhone 6 has a 1080p display panel, what's so bad about just saying that. Retina makes it sound like there's some other technology in play. I know Apple isn't big about listing specs but the display resolution, like the CPU and memory are important to know.
I would think that any new Apple portable would be retina of some sort. They have to keep an eye on the competition.
I'm addicted to the Apple keyboard and track pad combo. Touch might have some benefit in a laptop but it isn't a show stopper for me.
Tell that to the people responsible for not updating the MacBook Air 11" yet. I never liked the term Retina as it's just a marketing term, just tell me what the resolution is out right. The iPhone 6 has a 1080p display panel, what's so bad about just saying that. Retina makes it sound like there's some other technology in play. I know Apple isn't big about listing specs but the display resolution, like the CPU and memory are important to know.
Words are more women-friendly than numbers (present company excepted).
Comments
With recent speed bump to the MBA, it was a unlikely rumor to begin with. I think maybe early next year around the March time frame alongside new MBPs.
More importantly they would need a far better GPU so as to avoid a significant performance regression pushing all of those pixels..
Given that this report could be garbage. Intel was supposedly putting a high priority on delivering table and notebook variants of Broadwell. That is shipping product before 2015. Not sure what happened there, Intel could slip yet again.
There might be a few like that but Laptops are hardly the best way to be productive at a desk. Beyond that monitor choice is very important.
Beyond that four cores have a big impact on Mac OS in common usage patterns. Sure it doesn't help apps tightly bound to a single thread but that's seldom the case these days. Further you are hardly ever concerned with the performance of a single app in common Mac OS usage patterns, it is the overall performance that counts. I'm pretty much convinced that Apple could build an ARM based laptop, running Mac OS , that outperforms my 2008 MBP. For the MBPs Intel might be worth it. For a machine targeted at the general laptop community and especially the sme market that the iPad reaches an ARM based Mac Book would be ideal.
I still like the idea of a three machine lineup. A 12" MBA, a 14" MBP and a 16" MBP. Nice and clean and the larger 16" machine should interest a wide array of users.
I wonder if Apple will start putting Beats speakers into the iMacs and MacBooks. While I hardly use the speakers on my iMac (it is on mute most of the time), I've read a few posts dissing the speakers.
To the Beats haters the iMac would be no worse than it already is in terms of speakers.
Of course, we could also speculate that if Beats didn't make it into the next generation of Macs, then Apple is going to revamp the headphones and speakers very, very soon...
All the speculation about an iPad pro....
What I'd love to see ?(?albeit unlikely?)? is the following IPad pro with 12.9 inch retina display
Then When Intel's new chips are available at year end.-a keyboard and battery and processor combo dock as a companion to the iPad. Ideally when iPad docs the unit becomes a MacBook air with osx?!? With Apple's continuity and handoff features the jump from ios to osx shouldn't be a drama. (Another software tweak could see ios apps running alongside osx- each on their native processor although that's probably in the toaster category. Possible but too confusing)
And hey the "dock" (essentially a mini with an ssd disk!) could drive an external screen when no iPad is present. Perhaps it could even stream to your tv via your Apple tv?! Now that's a concept I'd consider!
The MacBook Air 11" has been my favorite Apple computer for a while now but I was really bummed last year when the new update didn't have 1080p. I still bought it anyway but at this point I kind of just gave up on the whole notion, I will stick with this current version for awhile and won't buy another one, at least not for awhile or until Apple does something interesting with it. My Surface Pro 3 has replaced it for now as my new favorite, regardless of the negative comments around here about it, they just never actually used one as it's a fantastic machine, it has everything I like about the MacBook Air but better, especially in the display arena, I even have OSX installed and running on it so I'm not missing anything by using it. No for now on I will only buy mobile computing devices that are touched enabled, I love using it on my Lenovo x230T and my Surface Pro 3 which are both hybrids so it's only natural that I'd miss it when I use my MacBook Air and I want so badly for it to flip around so I can use it like a Lenovo Yoga. I don't really care if people think it's a gimmick, I absolutely love touch enabled devices, especially that I am now using software that can utilize it, I'm just getting with the times.
I suspect Apple has a lot of clock rate head room in these designs. I can see the iPad going to 2.1 GHz and that would be in tablet operating territory. Give Apple the ability to manage more heat and it is hard to tell just how fast a current A8(X) will be able to run. Apple may not be able to meet Intels instruction rate but performance won't be that bad. add more cores and you end up with a viable machine.
Beyond that four cores have a big impact on Mac OS in common usage patterns. Sure it doesn't help apps tightly bound to a single thread but that's seldom the case these days. Further you are hardly ever concerned with the performance of a single app in common Mac OS usage patterns, it is the overall performance that counts. I'm pretty much convinced that Apple could build an ARM based laptop, running Mac OS , that outperforms my 2008 MBP.
Add 1080p and touch and I'm in.
Unless it doubles performance per core again (unlikely, single threaded gains are harder and harder to come by...They could do it by moving to 4 cores, but those would not help single and dual thread bound apps), I'd rather wait for Broadwell. Now, a separate product from the Air using an A9 could be interesting, ie the much fabled iPad Pro with a keyboard a la Microsoft Surface. But as for the proper Macs, it's still worth sticking to Intel.
And I think the GPU gulf would be even larger than the CPU one.
...
Look at it this way, the A7 is as fast as my iMac from (almost) 2010.
I am still amazed by its speed and it is more than enough for a MacBook Air.
Apple will have a huge cost advantage of a factor 10 ($20 versus $200 or so) and wouldn't have to wait for Intel to get its act together.
It could also immediately release the product, for example using a dual A8+, it would be blazing fast and extremely cool.
Keep also in mind that Intel uses a much smaller feature size, so when Apple produces its A9 on 14nm it will probably be better than Intel 'whatever the product name', and be 10 times less expensive.
Ideally when iPad docs the unit becomes a MacBook air with osx?!?
But there’s no point to that. Buy a laptop.
I would assume they remove the speakers from the iMac. They're pretty poor quality if you want to enjoy music, and for beeps there's always the "Piezoelectric disk beeper"
The iMac screen itself could very well be the same as Dell has announced:
Dell Previews 27-inch ‘5K’ UltraSharp Monitor: 5120x2880
I wouldn't mind seeing an iMac without the chin. Not sure how they'd redesign the speaker placement but a chinless iMac would be awesome.
Without it, no chin music.
4K content is still years away not sure apple is going to jump that far ahead, they tend not to lead in these areas especially if people can not see the immediate benefit.
While I do agree that mainstream 4K content delivery seems to be some time away, this does not mean there isn't a need.
First, there is a chicken-and-egg scenario. In order for content to exist, it must be created. Video producers need to start working in 4K. If not now, within the next few years. 4K capability should be a requirement for most new systems purchased by video professionals.
Second, the problem with mainstream 4K video is of distribution - there is no broadcast standard, no physical media standard, and insufficient broadband capability. However, consumer 4K cameras are starting to appear. Owners of these cameras will want to watch and edit their personal video at full resolution.
3rd-party 4K monitors do exist; so there is nothing stopping the use of a Dell monitor with a Mac Pro, many purchasers go single-source. This is especially true in the corporate world where the purchaser is not the user. If 4K is a key requirement, Apple does not have a 4K display, but Dell does, then a Dell PC will be purchased to go with it.
No, it wouldn't.
What do you think he'd do, march over to Intel and solve their technical issues for them? Please...
Think he would have settled for the Broadwell Y? Please...
I see you're new. Welcome to the forum...oh and if you're here long enough you would know that phrase is a running joke.
You can't expect morons to understand that 4k content is years away can you? You assume these morons have more than one brain cell! big mistake. They also don't understand there is no justification for buying 4k screens unless viewing a 70+ inch screen anyhow But you know they drink the cool-aid from the TV manufacturers and actually believe the hype. MORONS
To your point Apple never pandered to the Morons, they not making product for someone who is check list buying so they can say they got the next great things. You're correct most people can never perceive quality difference between what we have today and a 4K display. There are other things that can be before making the jump to 4K is ever needed, but those things do not require convincing people to buy a new TV.
I would think that any new Apple portable would be retina of some sort. They have to keep an eye on the competition.
I'm addicted to the Apple keyboard and track pad combo. Touch might have some benefit in a laptop but it isn't a show stopper for me.
So Apple has options here. There is already talk in the industry that Apple has achieved transistor densities higher than what Intel is doing at 14nm. If true this is rather impressive.
When it comes to A8, A8X or whatever, the really interesting thing to me is how fast can this SoC actually run when thermals don't matter. Currently they run at 1.4 GHz or there abouts, add 700 MHz to hat and you are at 2.1. Considering the number of 64 bit ARM designs running faster than that or in that neighborhood I see potential for a really nice chip for a low cost laptop.
Before anybody gets overly excited about that idea, no this wouldn't be a replacement for a MBP. It might replace a MBA for many though and cost far less.
Tell that to the people responsible for not updating the MacBook Air 11" yet. I never liked the term Retina as it's just a marketing term, just tell me what the resolution is out right. The iPhone 6 has a 1080p display panel, what's so bad about just saying that. Retina makes it sound like there's some other technology in play. I know Apple isn't big about listing specs but the display resolution, like the CPU and memory are important to know.
Words are more women-friendly than numbers (present company excepted).