I read this article over at Think Secret, and while I think it may be bad news for seeing the 970 soon, I'm still optimistic.
Read the article again- This tweak will prepare existing models coming off the assembly line to work with Panther. So anything from that day on with work perfectly with Panther. This has nothing to do with the 970 which is months away. This is so that everyone who buys a G4 now with work well with Panther.
You misinterpreted the article. My concern is those who currently have a machine, is this tweak going to be a firmware update or something for them?
Remember, this is only a rumor site. Nothing is official just because they post it. Too many G4's and G3's are out there for Apple not to support them.
I suspect that this is just a firmware revision and nothing more. It also means they are still building the G4 machines which implies at least another month or two worth of sales. Hmmm... August/September is still a reasonable timeframe, imagine that?
I suspect that this is just a firmware revision and nothing more. It also means they are still building the G4 machines which implies at least another month or two worth of sales. Hmmm... August/September is still a reasonable timeframe, imagine that?
most people don't read appleinsider and some people are in business and know time is money.
when they need a new machine they buy new machines. can't have an artist you just hired sitting around on his thumbs for 3 months "waiting' for a new machine can we?
If the rumor about 970 shipments is right, and Apple contracts manufacturing in lots of 20,000, then one or two production runs could get Apple through June. (Each lot is about a week of PM sales at last quarter's rate.) The tweak probably doesn't require any retooling of the lines, so the cost of this rev is probably very low.
If true, this points to delays shipping the 970. Even if the first lot of 60,000 PowerMac motherboards is currently being made, how quickly would Apple burn through that? That's a month or so of current PowerMac sales, but somehow I don't think the 970 will sell like the current crop.
Given that Panther will probably go final in August or September, it wouldn't surprise me too much if the 970 machines weren't all shipping before then. Or, if they didn't even start shipping before then, if they require Panther.
I suspect that this is just a firmware revision and nothing more. It also means they are still building the G4 machines which implies at least another month or two worth of sales. Hmmm... August/September is still a reasonable timeframe, imagine that?
Well, it's odd. Why do even a firmware update to a line that's almost 6 mos old and in need of a bump? Why not wait until the next speed bump in July or so?
Unless, of course, you're not planning to bump it because you're going to ship new product instead. But if you want to have a new OS to go with the new products (which you intend to also run on legacy machines), then you need to develop a firmware update to make your legacy machines compatible with the new OS. In which case, you might as well roll out the update to manufacturing as soon as it's completed (now) and release a software update (for previously manufactured MDD machines) with the new OS when it ships.
Could this update be the firmware update to support Mac OS X booting only that was extended until June 2003?
Nope, all currently shipping Pro models will not boot into Mac OS with the exception of two models they currently carry just for this purpose. (See the Online Store.) All they have to do is drop those models, they don't need any other firmware updates to go "only Mac OS X".
Nope, all currently shipping Pro models will not boot into Mac OS with the exception of two models they currently carry just for this purpose. (See the Online Store.) All they have to do is drop those models, they don't need any other firmware updates to go "only Mac OS X".
My bad, the extension was for the iMac and eMac in Education.
Remember the PDFs of P58 on Macbidouille of the MDD PowerMacs? The text at the top stated, "next generation G5 ready". Maybe this tweak is for the 970 after all???
While production runs (mobos) are contracted in lots of 20,000, the actual assembly process of finished machines is not necessarily. A change in assembly process (minor component change) or even a firmware upgrade could be implemented at many points prior to delivery to the sales channel but after the motherboard production.
This does not mean that Panther will not run on older machines or that it will run badly. It only means that it will run better with the update. If as programmer suggested, it is a firmware update. That update could be implemented immediatly on any computer not yet in the sales channel, even those already assembled, thereby bringing them up-to-date without siginificant cost.
All this means is that Apple is trying to do right, by keeping their current production up-to-date as possible for their customers. Such changes are fairly common in the industry. If it weren't for the potential release of the 970 and Panther, it would probably go completely unnoticed.
That does make sense. Given the terrible sales of G4 towers they may not be able to clear their inventory by the time the 970s are ready.
Extrapolating from last quarter's sales, and assuming a 6 week channel inventory, Apple could have two whole production runs (of 20,000 each, if that rumor's right) sitting in the channel, and if they stopped production 1 month before introducing the next generation they could still get rid of the bulk of them. Last quarter they sold over 1800 PowerMacs per day (and that's with the slump!).
If Apple isn't going to be able to ship all models of the 970 at WWDC - and I'll be surprised if they can - they still need to keep the MDDs coming off the assembly lines for a while yet. They aren't selling fast for PowerMacs, but they're still moving.
Yet another 970 thread based on unsubstantial information. There article mentions no major changes to the hardware. I don't know how you leap from that to Delays in 970s
Comments
So Apple's going to tweak and re-release machines that were discontinued almost a year ago? or is Think Secret not aware of the exstence of MDD G4's?
Originally posted by DHagan4755
I read this article over at Think Secret, and while I think it may be bad news for seeing the 970 soon, I'm still optimistic.
Read the article again- This tweak will prepare existing models coming off the assembly line to work with Panther. So anything from that day on with work perfectly with Panther. This has nothing to do with the 970 which is months away. This is so that everyone who buys a G4 now with work well with Panther.
You misinterpreted the article. My concern is those who currently have a machine, is this tweak going to be a firmware update or something for them?
"Internal technical tweaks" sound different to firmware updates...
Originally posted by Programmer
I suspect that this is just a firmware revision and nothing more. It also means they are still building the G4 machines which implies at least another month or two worth of sales. Hmmm... August/September is still a reasonable timeframe, imagine that?
Rubbing it in, are we
I really wonder the sales figure of the tower in April and this month....
most people don't read appleinsider and some people are in business and know time is money.
when they need a new machine they buy new machines. can't have an artist you just hired sitting around on his thumbs for 3 months "waiting' for a new machine can we?
If true, this points to delays shipping the 970. Even if the first lot of 60,000 PowerMac motherboards is currently being made, how quickly would Apple burn through that? That's a month or so of current PowerMac sales, but somehow I don't think the 970 will sell like the current crop.
Given that Panther will probably go final in August or September, it wouldn't surprise me too much if the 970 machines weren't all shipping before then. Or, if they didn't even start shipping before then, if they require Panther.
Originally posted by Programmer
I suspect that this is just a firmware revision and nothing more. It also means they are still building the G4 machines which implies at least another month or two worth of sales. Hmmm... August/September is still a reasonable timeframe, imagine that?
Well, it's odd. Why do even a firmware update to a line that's almost 6 mos old and in need of a bump? Why not wait until the next speed bump in July or so?
Unless, of course, you're not planning to bump it because you're going to ship new product instead. But if you want to have a new OS to go with the new products (which you intend to also run on legacy machines), then you need to develop a firmware update to make your legacy machines compatible with the new OS. In which case, you might as well roll out the update to manufacturing as soon as it's completed (now) and release a software update (for previously manufactured MDD machines) with the new OS when it ships.
that would be strange. but ok is marketed right IMO
Originally posted by Rhumgod
Could this update be the firmware update to support Mac OS X booting only that was extended until June 2003?
Nope, all currently shipping Pro models will not boot into Mac OS with the exception of two models they currently carry just for this purpose. (See the Online Store.) All they have to do is drop those models, they don't need any other firmware updates to go "only Mac OS X".
Originally posted by Tomb of the Unknown
Nope, all currently shipping Pro models will not boot into Mac OS with the exception of two models they currently carry just for this purpose. (See the Online Store.) All they have to do is drop those models, they don't need any other firmware updates to go "only Mac OS X".
My bad, the extension was for the iMac and eMac in Education.
Remember the PDFs of P58 on Macbidouille of the MDD PowerMacs? The text at the top stated, "next generation G5 ready". Maybe this tweak is for the 970 after all???
Originally posted by keyboardf12
or apple decides to keep the G4 as its entry level powermac and sells it for single 1099$ duall 1299$ 970 1699$?
That does make sense. Given the terrible sales of G4 towers they may not be able to clear their inventory by the time the 970s are ready.
While production runs (mobos) are contracted in lots of 20,000, the actual assembly process of finished machines is not necessarily. A change in assembly process (minor component change) or even a firmware upgrade could be implemented at many points prior to delivery to the sales channel but after the motherboard production.
This does not mean that Panther will not run on older machines or that it will run badly. It only means that it will run better with the update. If as programmer suggested, it is a firmware update. That update could be implemented immediatly on any computer not yet in the sales channel, even those already assembled, thereby bringing them up-to-date without siginificant cost.
All this means is that Apple is trying to do right, by keeping their current production up-to-date as possible for their customers. Such changes are fairly common in the industry. If it weren't for the potential release of the 970 and Panther, it would probably go completely unnoticed.
Originally posted by 3.1416
That does make sense. Given the terrible sales of G4 towers they may not be able to clear their inventory by the time the 970s are ready.
Extrapolating from last quarter's sales, and assuming a 6 week channel inventory, Apple could have two whole production runs (of 20,000 each, if that rumor's right) sitting in the channel, and if they stopped production 1 month before introducing the next generation they could still get rid of the bulk of them. Last quarter they sold over 1800 PowerMacs per day (and that's with the slump!).
If Apple isn't going to be able to ship all models of the 970 at WWDC - and I'll be surprised if they can - they still need to keep the MDDs coming off the assembly lines for a while yet. They aren't selling fast for PowerMacs, but they're still moving.
Once again "Frothing at the mouth speculation"