Where is left for the iBook to go

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
If you look at things, the iBook has nowhere to go, given the territory occupied by the new 12" powerbook. It has stolen the small size, price point (nearly) and the L3 chache-less processor. I can't see the iBook do anything apart from languish like the G3 iMac does currently.



What are your ideas?



David
«13

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 48
    chuckerchucker Posts: 5,089member
    My idea is that the iBook still has the best price vs quality ratio and that it's an almost perfect product.
  • Reply 2 of 48
    rolandgrolandg Posts: 632member
    [quote]Originally posted by iMacfan:

    <strong>If you look at things, the iBook has nowhere to go, given the territory occupied by the new 12" powerbook. It has stolen the small size, price point (nearly) and the L3 chache-less processor. I can't see the iBook do anything apart from languish like the G3 iMac does currently.



    What are your ideas?



    David</strong><hr></blockquote>



    MHz-wise you are right - the iBooks' processor will not be faster than the small PowerBooks'.



    But you could still make an iBook that resembles the small PowerBook pretty much. But all of the components will be one generatin behind: slower graphics, slower RAM, slower HDD, slower optical-drive, no slot-loading drive, no metall enclosure, still "bulkier", still a bit heavier, but also cheaper.
  • Reply 3 of 48
    nebagakidnebagakid Posts: 2,692member
    they will lower the prices to invaed the iBook until they can wipe it out....no? <img src="graemlins/cancer.gif" border="0" alt="[cancer]" /> <img src="graemlins/cancer.gif" border="0" alt="[cancer]" /> <img src="graemlins/cancer.gif" border="0" alt="[cancer]" />



    or, just KEEP lowering PRICES!
  • Reply 4 of 48
    Just turn it into a convertable tablet apple!
  • Reply 5 of 48
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    Student desktop replacement.



    All 14" models (slightly smaller/lighter than the current 14)



    All G3's.



    No spanning support.



    Faster Combo drives, bigger HDD's.



    Same prices for the first 3 months of rev, followed by 100USD price drops across the board.



    So that the board looks like this



    999-1299-1499



    then 3 months after the switch to all 14" books



    899-1199-1399



    The bottom end model being a leftover circuitboard of previous gen. The top 2 models getting bluetooth and airport ex, NO firewrie800 untill all models have gotten it.
  • Reply 6 of 48
    mcqmcq Posts: 1,543member
    Never, that would suck. The 12" iBook is great... to go to an all 14" iBook lineup would ruin what many people get the iBook for, an affordable and small portable.
  • Reply 7 of 48
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    No, people get it for a cheap laptop. They want more for their money, they aren't road warriors, most would take the larger screen if it didn't cost more. Subnote buyers will get the little Al.
  • Reply 8 of 48
    newnew Posts: 3,244member
    [quote]Originally posted by The Lockmaster:

    <strong>Just turn it into a convertable tablet apple!</strong><hr></blockquote>

    This would be a the natural evolution of the ibook. I hear laptops with tablet abilities are hitting their sales target already.
  • Reply 9 of 48
    norfanorfa Posts: 171member
    I beg to differ. The reason I still have my iBook is the size. I use my iBook in a lot of different location, and with Gpsy, I use it for navigation in my car. If I move up it will be to the 12" powerbook. The small size is the reason most of the people I know atill have their iBooks. I could have traded up to powerbook just befroe Christms, and said no, just because I didn't want the additional size. I'd say cancel the 14" iBook. It is in competition with every other cheap laptop on the market.
  • Reply 10 of 48
    fran441fran441 Posts: 3,715member
    I think Apple will do this:



    700 MHz G3

    128 MB RAM

    20 GB HD

    ATi Radeon 7500 32 MB

    Combo Drive

    56k Modem

    10/100 Ethernet

    Firewire 400

    AirPort ready

    12.1" Screen

    Mac OS 9 Support

    $799



    800 MHz G3

    256 MB RAM

    30 GB HD

    ATi Radeon 32 MB Graphics card

    Combo Drive

    56k Modem

    10/100 Ethernet

    Firewire 400

    Airport Extreme Ready

    12.1" Screen

    $999



    900 MHz G3

    256 MB RAM

    40 GB HD

    ATi Radeon 7500 32 MB

    Combo Drive

    56k Modem

    10/100 Ethernet

    Firewire 400

    Firewire 800

    Airport Extreme Ready

    14.1" Screen

    $1299



    Build to order:

    900 MHz G3

    256 MB RAM

    40 GB HD

    ATi Radeon 7500 or NVIDIA GeForce4 420 Go 32 MB

    SuperDrive

    56k Modem

    10/100 Ethernet

    Firewire 400

    Firewire 800

    Airport Extreme Ready

    14.1" Screen

    $1499



    That way you have a cheap, decent Mac OS 9 laptop at a low price point, 2 laptops priced to move at under $1000, and the first iBook with a SuperDrive (at a decent price, no less).



    I think Apple will put Firewire 800 on the 14.1" model since I don't consider that a laptop that will compete with the 12.1" model



    The incentive to 'upgrade' to the 12" PowerBook G4 would still be a G4 processor, internal bluetooth, more video out options, and portability.



    This would definitely add to the 'year of the portables' that Apple wants to push.
  • Reply 11 of 48
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    The size benefit was a fluke of component costs. Some people recognized this and jumped on it, but that ain't why they made a 12, they made it to be cheap. Today a 14 can be just as cheap as a 12. Only the people on these boards would choose a 12, the vast majority of students would choose a 14 if they could get it at the same price. The 14" iBook is not in any way an inferior product than the 12, it's merely priced too high. At the same price, a 14 would outsell the 12.



    A 14" is not just what everyone else makes, it's what everyone else buys! When you look around a college campus what do you see, 14 and 15 desktop replacement books.



    Even a great many of people here who claim to love the 12" size so much would have bought a 14 if it didn't cost more. There's a beautiful 12" powerbook out now and many of the same 12" iBook owners are claiming it doesn't offer enough over their iBooks, but what they really mean is it costs too much, and that's exactly the same situation with the 14" iBook. Not only would more mac users buy it (at the 999 and 1299 price points) more switchers would too.
  • Reply 12 of 48
    lucaluca Posts: 3,833member
    There should be a new forum, temporarily, called "Matsu's Opinion" and Matsu could post his opinion there without anyone being allowed to respond. That way he wouldn't have to keep repeating himself.



    How many times have you said this about the 14" iBook, Matsu? I seem to recall at least two or three times other than this one. I'm not sure if I totally agree, but it seems reasonable.



    Personally, if the 14" iBook cost the exact same as the 12", and it weighed the same, then I might have considered getting one instead of my 12". But this 12" has a smaller footprint too, making it easier to slip in my backpack... maybe if the 14" iBook went down in thickness too. I mean, the 15" PowerBook is thinner than the 12" one.
  • Reply 13 of 48
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    People need to be exposeed to the right opinion so they can learn it and not be surprised when I'm right, which over the course of the last 2 years has been quite often.
  • Reply 14 of 48
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    PS, I also enjoy it because it seems to annoy people -- always a worthy endeavor.



    [ 01-29-2003: Message edited by: Matsu ]</p>
  • Reply 15 of 48
    bungebunge Posts: 7,329member
    [quote]Originally posted by Luca Rescigno:

    <strong>There should be a new forum, temporarily, called "Matsu's Opinion" and Matsu could post his opinion there without anyone being allowed to respond. </strong><hr></blockquote>



    <a href="http://www.matsuknows.com"; target="_blank">www.matsuknows.com</a> is available (hey, the joke worked in a different forum....)
  • Reply 16 of 48
    fran441fran441 Posts: 3,715member
    I actually think the specs I posted above are realistic. Apple might not have the same low end model but I think it could be done.
  • Reply 17 of 48
    stunnedstunned Posts: 1,096member
    Apple can use the iBooks for the education market. In fact if I am not mistaken, Apple has entered into deals with schools to distribute iBooks to students. This is a good idea as distributing PBs is rather expensive. iBooks will continue to play an important role in Apple's strategy.
  • Reply 18 of 48
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    [quote]Originally posted by bunge:

    <strong>



    <a href="http://www.matsuknows.com"; target="_blank">www.matsuknows.com</a> is available (hey, the joke worked in a different forum....)</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Not really.
  • Reply 19 of 48
    amorphamorph Posts: 7,112member
    [quote]Originally posted by Fran441:

    <strong>I actually think the specs I posted above are realistic. Apple might not have the same low end model but I think it could be done.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    I don't think we'll ever see a machine with a SuperDrive and a G3. iDVD leans too heavily on AltiVec.
  • Reply 20 of 48
    aquaticaquatic Posts: 5,602member
    It would be stupid if they didn't make the iBook faster than the 12" PBG4. If they have faster G3's / G3 busses then USE them!! People aren't going to buy a PB instead of an iBook just for speed, they're just too dang expensive. I never got this whole idea of not letting consumer machines "steal" sales from Pro machines. It's still a SALE? right? Even if it's lower margin won't that be made up by increased volume?
Sign In or Register to comment.