iMacs and flat panels first, PowerBooks and Macs later
Following all the news I can absorb, I believe that the new G5 iMacs will be announced in the next two weeks, along with new displays.
The top end of the iMacs will be no more than 2.0 (1.8 is my guess). PowerBook and PowerMac updates will come some time later.
They will come later for a good reason. The iMac with one G5 will be compared to the PowerMac's and as long as the PowerMacs and Books have not been updated to higher speeds, people will swarm to the new iMac.
After the hoopla over this has died down, one of the Power lines will be updated, I believe this will be the PowerMac. Then this line will be the Latest greatest thing. Yes after that hoopla, last but not least, will be the G5 PowerBook and sales will go nuts for that item.
The top end of the iMacs will be no more than 2.0 (1.8 is my guess). PowerBook and PowerMac updates will come some time later.
They will come later for a good reason. The iMac with one G5 will be compared to the PowerMac's and as long as the PowerMacs and Books have not been updated to higher speeds, people will swarm to the new iMac.
After the hoopla over this has died down, one of the Power lines will be updated, I believe this will be the PowerMac. Then this line will be the Latest greatest thing. Yes after that hoopla, last but not least, will be the G5 PowerBook and sales will go nuts for that item.
Comments
methinks Powerbook speedbump first, or PowerMac G5 improvement, or both.
Maybe all?
feh. rumormongering. I just want my 3rd rev. 12" PowerBook.
love y'all.
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MHO, anyway.
The organization I work for had our server room broken into last week and among other things our trusty old G4 PowerMac server was stolen. We had to replace it ASAP (I really wanted to wait for the upcoming Rev. B's, but we are down hard so have to get something in there NOW) so I ordered a new G5 dual 2.0 from the Apple Online Store last week. Machine arrived on Friday. Here's the tidbit - it shipped with a 233 Gb Maxtor hard drive. Everything on the site, and even the box label reports it *should* be a 160 Gb drive, but trust me, there's a 233 Gb drive in there.
So, looks like larger hard drives will be part of the Rev. B upgrade, though I doubt that comes as much of a surprise to anyone.
-Gator
The iMac line is hurting the most in sales right now and the most badly in need of updating.
Portables, OTOH, are selling quite well in comparison.
I also see the iMacs following that as soon as possible. Sales are down and it's time for a new iMac. I don't think that it will be released before the PM, but soon after.
I think a key issue is also IBM. They are an aggressive company and have probably put in some very nice incentives for Apple to move all ranges (including portables) to IBM chips.
Apple's volume discounts in that situation would be sufficient for them to avoid as many delays as possible. That means that the G5 PB will come as soon as they are satisfied with the product, but summer still looks lake that date. Any new PBs before the G5 will be a small (say Moto) update. The only one to be held back would be the iBook as it can't be more powerful than a G4 PB!
eMacs should be announced in time for school systems to buy them for fall.
It's gonna be one hell of a year for Apple.
Now it's true there are also iMac and eMac available refurbs. There is the rumor of the current models being EOL'd. But there seems to be no shortage of available machines.
I'd really like to believe a G5 iMac is coming out next week, but it's too much of a stretch. Apple driving the stock of the PowerMacs, their main bread-and-butter, down to near-zero, is not something they'd do just to make the quarter look better. They are flushing these machines because faster ones are coming, and soon. Apple cannot go for long without PowerMacs being available.
Originally posted by cubist
Plus you have all the PowerMacs being out of stock all over the place, sold as refurbs, and even prices dropping on the refurbs (e.g. the 1.8 single just dropped from $1699 to $1599).
Now it's true there are also iMac and eMac available refurbs. There is the rumor of the current models being EOL'd. But there seems to be no shortage of available machines.
I'd really like to believe a G5 iMac is coming out next week, but it's too much of a stretch. Apple driving the stock of the PowerMacs, their main bread-and-butter, down to near-zero, is not something they'd do just to make the quarter look better. They are flushing these machines because faster ones are coming, and soon. Apple cannot go for long without PowerMacs being available.
I do understand what you are saying. Maybe on April 1 we will get some bizzar release of multiple updates. I still think they need to seperate all the releases so there is a tight focus on one product and then on the next.
Originally posted by oldmacfan:
maybe on April 1 we will get some bizzar release of multiple updates.
That would be just like Steve. On April 1st Apple announces Powerbook G5's and then the next day on the front page a big banner with the words "April Fools" appears.
Originally posted by Crusader
That would be just like Steve. On April 1st Apple announces Powerbook G5's and then the next day on the front page a big banner with the words "April Fools" appears.
Or rather Apple would advertise releasing new computers all around celebrating the date Apple was incorporated. Wasn't Apple incorporated on April 1st??
Originally posted by rickag
Or rather Apple would advertise releasing new computers all around celebrating the date Apple was incorporated. Wasn't Apple incorporated on April 1st??
Yes
Have you guys seen the display at the Apple stores in which a closed 12" powerbook is placed upright on a stand with the DVD slot facing forward? It is connected to a 17" Studio Display. A wireless keyboard and mouse is used as input. Basically, the 12" powerbook is used as a micro-tower.
My thought was: Apple could make a new desktop computer by eliminating the powerbook's built-in screen, keyboard, trackpad, and battery. It can be priced reasonably (about $1100 w/keyboard mouse, no screen).
Everything except the case will be shared with the powerbook so R&D is already complete. I don't see any technical hurdles. Just a matter of demand. Would you buy it?
I don't think the portability factor is of any concern. I hear that a large portion of notebook buyer's use their computers as a desktop. Especially here in Japan (Apple second largest market), real estate is at a premium and many people will appreciate the small footprint.
But I understand the part about "not enough power, priced too high". Maybe when the G5 works it's way into Powerbooks, things will look better.