WWDC and iMac Speculation...
OK, in the past few months, we've seen lots of product updates. In no particular order, we have seen:
Steve Jobs, or someone else high up, said that product speed bumps and updates would generally not be announced in Macworld keynotes, and this probably includes the WWDC to the same extent.
So, the iMac has been stagnating in the dark for many a month.
Now I conclude:
I believe, that if nothing happens from now to WWDC regarding the iMac, something rather big is going to happed to it:
If this is the case, we would see G4 ?> G5 and 1.25 GHz ?> 1.6 GHz in one step. Nice!
Anyway, it's probably unlikely, but that's my $0.02.
Some of you may have seen the following rendition:
Anyway, enough of that... m.
- eMac updated. Interesting to note that the eMac was the first to utilise the 8x SuperDrive.
- PowerBook models updated.
- iBook models updated.
- Power Mac G5 models updated only a couple of days ago.
Steve Jobs, or someone else high up, said that product speed bumps and updates would generally not be announced in Macworld keynotes, and this probably includes the WWDC to the same extent.
So, the iMac has been stagnating in the dark for many a month.
Now I conclude:
I believe, that if nothing happens from now to WWDC regarding the iMac, something rather big is going to happed to it:
- A remote possibility of a G5 in it?
- A decapitated design, plus some smaller Apple LCD displays to complement it, that use DVI instead of that God forsaken ADC.
If this is the case, we would see G4 ?> G5 and 1.25 GHz ?> 1.6 GHz in one step. Nice!
Anyway, it's probably unlikely, but that's my $0.02.
Some of you may have seen the following rendition:
Anyway, enough of that... m.
Comments
In no particular order, we have seen:
eMac updated. Interesting to note that the eMac was the first to utilise the 8x SuperDrive.
PowerBook models updated.
iBook models updated.
Power Mac G5 models updated only a couple of days ago.
I would hope the order is right:
consumer
pro
consumer
pro
......= iMac
I'd rather buy a separate screen and computer, but I will go with the iMac if that's the only game in town.
However, there is no reason to expect that to come in WWDC. WWDC is, as its name implies, a developers' conference. You do not make hardware announcements at developer conferences. Last year was a fluke. I think the message Apple is trying to send to consumers, is that computers are now fast enough - CPUs are no longer big news. A 64 bit chip was big enough news to interest developers, but yet another speed bump is not. Also, putting a 1 year old chip in a less high-end machine is definitely not news for developers.
We can expect hardware news to come at different times, definitely not in WWDC. New enclosures might come in expos, like MWSF or even in Paris or Tokyo. New OS will come at WWDC. Faster chip will just be announced the way the new G5s were.
I actually believe that it has been completed and waiting for the new PMs - the iMac can't have better chips than a PM.
Now that the PMs are out AND all duals the iMac is set to be the single G5 platform, and to carry the G5 as speeds increase. This means a new generation iMac, engineered for the G5's of today, and speed increases for the next 3 or so years. That much engineering effort is going to result in a major re-styling job and I believe that will be one that will really excite us.
AIO or headless? The "i" in iMac has always stood for AIO and I do not see that changing. It's a top of the range consumer product and will continue to address that market. If there is a "headless" single G5 platform in the future my best guess is that it would be a PM-mini, with even the case a "shrunk" version of the current PMs. The key is that you will pay more for the mini & display than an iMac. Comparable 20" models would probably give the iMac a $200 (or more) price advantage over the mini. In other words, you would pay for the extra cost of the case & (limited) expansion potential in the mini.
Originally posted by kenaustus
AIO or headless? The "i" in iMac has always stood for AIO and I do not see that changing.
Actually, it stood for "Internet" but that's another kettle of fish....
iMac becomes a different computer for the rest of us.
Originally posted by synp
I'm all for it, as my next computer will definitely not be a powermac. My current and last computer were PMs, and I've had it. They're too big and noisy for my taste.
G5's: big? yes. loud? hell no.
Originally posted by iMAC G5dreamer
so guys do u think we'll have imacs g5 before the end of summer?it's kind of hard from my point of view,but i think it isnt impossible
Definately announced. Not sure about shipping.
I would think with the number of iMacs that go into schools though that it would be detrimental for them not to be ready by mid-late summer at the latest. I know, I know....eMacs. I think if they built the right iMac, it could replace the iMac and eMac lines entirely. Time will tell.
Originally posted by Rhumgod
Definately announced. Not sure about shipping....
Apple does need a new iMac out by August. I'm not sure it will be a G5 though. It would also be unwise to announce G5 iMacs at WWDC, but not ship them for 2 more months. I do expect some announcements at WWDC, hopefully a few surprises as well. I think that just talking about Tiger is not enough for this venue, Apple has to have something else up there sleeve. A new iMac is a good bet, as is some software updates (Appleworks finally?). I wouldn't expect displays announced there unless Apple releases a consumer level computer that can take advantage of them. Possibly a new AirPort. One thing I can say is that for a year that they promised would have exciting announcements it has been a bit under-whelming so far.
Originally posted by @homenow
...as is some software updates (Appleworks finally?)
<sarcasm>Hahahahahahaha. (And so forth). </sarcasm>.
Having said that, an updated AppleWorks would be nice. It's getting old, very old.
Apple has all the tools in place for AppleWorks. All they need to do now is to "make" it. They have TextEdit, which is quite capable, but hardly a word processor, (it can be done); they have Keynote for presentations; they have iPhoto that has code that could be reused and adapted for a "painting" style program; they have some simple Cocoa frameworks ready to use that could make a nice "drawing" section; they've already implemented MS Office file converters, and HTML renderers, etc...
I personally can't see the problem... m.
The first part of the keynote, however, will be related to what has happened during the previous 12 months, with lots of stats showing how good things are - like 70% of the music download business.
At the end is where we wait and drool. A new generation G5 iMac with styling that will blow everyone's socks off would be good here and the phones would start ringing at the Apple Store before the keynote was finished. An iPod with a color screen is also a good thing as Steve likes to hand these out to the paying attendees. The 60 gig drive is not needed - Steve can hand out 40 gig drives . . .
I don't see the PB talked about much - maybe just to say that it will take a while longer, if that.
I also don't think that Steve would announce TWO new computers at the WWDC, but if he did my money would be on a PowerMac-mini. Think on that one for a while . . .
I don't know, I'm asking. I mean, I'm not going to be impressed one damn bit if a new iMac comes out and it's got a G5 and the cheapest model is $1599 or so.
I'd like to see it go the OTHER way (and for the eMac to continue skootching down, over time).
I don't know. I see and hear all those "G5 iMac!" talk, and I actually have to wonder "why?" sometimes? Yeah, I guess it would be "cool", and would definitely feel "future-proof" a bit.
But realistically...Apple doesn't even seem to have enough of the damn things to adequately supply/ship their pro towers. So if a G5 iMac DID get announced at WWDC, does anyone here actually think it'll ship in any sort of reliable, useful quantity before autumn?
How much higher can the G4 go? If they bumped it up, increased the bus and cache, used 7200rpm drives and combine all that with - hopefully - Tiger's new performance enhancements, etc.
Would that not make for a nice iMac, especially if a redesigned, easier-to-make unit could get the prices down to the lower-mid $1,000's?
Are those of you who crapped your pants - and threw a royal tantrum - last week over Apple not hitting the 3GHz mark going to automatically NOT get an iMac if it ISN'T a G5? Honestly? What if it was the much-desired "headless" iMac, albeit packing a G4? Would that be enough? Which, between the two (G5 and headless) would win in that particular battle? If you could only have one, which would you choose: AIO G5 or headless G4?
I won't buy another G4 from Apple. It isn't worth it.
I'd also like to see user replaceable video cards. If this means a mini-tower design then so be it.
Originally posted by PBG4 Dude
For me, the biggest bang for the buck moving to G5 = waaaay faster bus / memory access speeds. All other things being equal, moving from a 1.25GHz G4 w/166 (200?)MHz buss to a G5 1.6GHz w/800MHz buss is HUGE.
I won't buy another G4 from Apple. It isn't worth it.
I'd also like to see user replaceable video cards. If this means a mini-tower design then so be it.
actualy, minitower wouldnt be nessesary, there are 90 degree elbows for agp/pci that make the card paralell to the main board, they are common place in the mini itx community.
apple could probably easily make a 1.6 g5 combo/256/40gig/(insert last-gen agp card here)/ 10/100/1000 nic and 1 pci clot for ~$699 thhis would be killer in dorm rooms, great power, small design, low cost and would work with whatever display you have floating around.
Originally posted by PBG4 Dude
For me, the biggest bang for the buck moving to G5 = waaaay faster bus / memory access speeds. All other things being equal, moving from a 1.25GHz G4 w/166 (200?)MHz buss to a G5 1.6GHz w/800MHz buss is HUGE.
I won't buy another G4 from Apple. It isn't worth it.
I'd also like to see user replaceable video cards. If this means a mini-tower design then so be it.
I agree with these statments entirely.
Originally posted by PBG4 Dude
For me, the biggest bang for the buck moving to G5 = waaaay faster bus / memory access speeds. All other things being equal, moving from a 1.25GHz G4 w/166 (200?)MHz buss to a G5 1.6GHz w/800MHz buss is HUGE.
I won't buy another G4 from Apple. It isn't worth it.
I'd also like to see user replaceable video cards. If this means a mini-tower design then so be it.
Originally posted by Playmaker
I agree with these statments entirely.
DITTO!
Originally posted by kenaustus
The first part of the keynote, however, will be related to what has happened during the previous 12 months, with lots of stats showing how good things are - like 70% of the music download business.
Frankly I'm getting REALLY tired of hearing statistics on the music side of Apple. It has proven not to help marketshare one bit on the computing side. If it doesn't help why mention it? If Developers can't work with it... why mention it? I can see them announcing music news if there was an iPod SDK or something like that. But for that to happen that means they would have to open up their standards... which apple will not do unless jobs is dead.
Just my 3 cents.
Originally posted by emig647
Frankly I'm getting REALLY tired of hearing statistics on the music side of Apple. It has proven not to help marketshare one bit on the computing side. If it doesn't help why mention it? If Developers can't work with it... why mention it? I can see them announcing music news if there was an iPod SDK or something like that. But for that to happen that means they would have to open up their standards... which apple will not do unless jobs is dead.
Just my 3 cents.
For developers the answer to your question is quicktime, every copy of iTunes has to have Quicktime loaded to work. You can verify this by reading the fine print in the iTunes download page. Music news is another way Apple is saying that is working to increase the market for quicktime, and that is a reason to develope applications for quicktime. To a lesser extent Jobs has said that people that buy an iPod are more likely to buy a mac in the future than people that do not buy an iPod. It may be too early for us to see that fruit of labor.
Originally posted by pscates
I've kinda rethought my thinking (huh?) on a G5-based iMac. If getting a G5 in there means they go UP in price, is that a good thing? Are we all sure a G5 is necessary for consumer, day-to-day use?
It doesn't matter. Apple just can't be marketing a 1.5GHz G4 that's more than twice the cost of PCs at over 3GHz.
But realistically...Apple doesn't even seem to have enough of the damn things to adequately supply/ship their pro towers. So if a G5 iMac DID get announced at WWDC, does anyone here actually think it'll ship in any sort of reliable, useful quantity before autumn?
Well, we don't know that for sure. Why is there nothing between 2.0 and 2.5 in the towers? Perhaps 90 nm G5s that qualify at 2.2 or 2.4 are being saved for the iMacs (assuming that as I suspect the 1.8 and 2.0 towers are using 130nm chips).
How much higher can the G4 go? If they bumped it up, increased the bus and cache, used 7200rpm drives and combine all that with - hopefully - Tiger's new performance enhancements, etc.
Today, the G4 is stuck at 1.5 with a 167MHz bus. Maybe Freescale can do better in 6 months, but that's in 6 months, and even then it doesn't solve the marketing problem.