Apple hardware sector slows as several Macs await refreshes

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
On the heels of expected product line refreshes from Apple Computer, a recent analysis of the company's retail channels revealed a slow-down in the hardware sector, with several products showing signs they'll soon be replaced with newer models.



iMacs and eMacs



According to the data, which is based on flow thru and orders to Apple, both the iMac G5 and eMac G4 are showing a trend that is seen when a product is about to be replaced or refreshed.



As previously reported, Apple is expected to bump its iMac offerings to from 1.6GHz and 1.8GHz with 256MB of RAM to 1.8GHz and 2.0GHz. All models are expected to boast 512MB of RAM. Meanwhile, new eMacs are also due, with expectations pointing to only marginal increases in specs. The eMac enclosure will reportedly remain the same.



Power Macs and iBooks



Also following a similar trend to the iMac and eMac are Apple's iBook G4 and Power Mac G5 product lines. In the case of Power Macs, data shows supply to be well ahead of demand, while iBooks have reached a supply/demand equilibrium.



Sources last month said iBook updates were near complete, but like the eMacs they'll only see slight improvements in specs. iBooks are expected to gain improved video cards, 512MB of standard RAM and a 1.33GHz processor on the low-end of the product line. iBooks will likely top out at either 1.42GHz or 1.5GHz, sources said, with manufacturing being handled by Asustek.



Likewise, a ThinkSecret report puts Power Mac revisions at 2.0GHz, 2.3GHz, and 2.7GHz with 512MB of standard RAM and either a 128MB ATI Radeon 9600 or 256MB ATI Radeon 9650 video card. Sources said Apple recently performed a test production run of new Power Macs at Foxconn's manufacturing facilities in China.



Displays



Interestingly, the data analysis obtained by AppleInsider shows that Apple's Cinema Display product line is also following a trend that is usually seen prior to updates. However, there has yet to be any reliable information to suggest new display models are on the way, and insiders speculate that consumers may be holding out on display purchases until new Power Macs are introduced.



Mac mini



Sources tell AppleInsider that Apple is planning to introduce new Macs next Tuesday the 26th of April. At some point, sources say the Mac mini will also see a revision that includes 512MB of RAM. Unlike the aforementioned Apple desktop Macs, the Mac mini continues to see significant demand, though even it has slowed recently.



Flagship iPods



Shedding light on Apple's music-related hardware offerings, data shows both of Apple's iPod photo models to be in ample supply, with supply of the 20GB monochrome display iPod nearly inline with demand. The U2 Special Edition iPod remains on backorder, though wait times are declining.



iPod mini



Focusing on Apple's new 6GB iPod mini, data shows demand for the players to be staggered but approaching a balance. Of the four models Apple offers, only the silver model is considered to be in short supply. The pink model is the second favorite amongst consumers, while blue and green units trail, currently at a supply/demand balance.



iPod shuffle



Of course then there is Apple's flash-based iPod shuffle, which to the surprise of insiders is expected to meet a complete supply/demand balance within the next several days -- data indicates that inventory of both the 512MB and 1GB models will be available to retailers and resellers on a "need it now" basis.



What remains largely uncertain is whether Apple will announce all of its CPU-based product revisions on a single day, or if it will spread the announcements slightly. There are also rumors that iBooks could see some form of price cuts in May, but its unclear if this pertains to new or dated models.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 52
    maccrazymaccrazy Posts: 2,658member
    Could it be slowing because of the expected Tiger release? It would put people off surely.
  • Reply 2 of 52
    ibook911ibook911 Posts: 607member
    Well, I would order immediately order a Mac Mini, if it had 512MB standard. I'm not saying I won't be one now, as a second mac eventually, but 512 would make it nice. However, with it being the very bottom of the Mac line, I just don't see them making the Mac Mini 512 in the near future, but I hope I'm wrong.
  • Reply 3 of 52
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    I knew Apple would have beer off not producing PowerMacs too far ahead of sales. This one was not going to sell. It looked like a stop gap to me. Everyone new that new technology was around the corner.
  • Reply 4 of 52
    xflarexflare Posts: 199member
    The iBooks sound nice .. assuming it turns out to be true of course lol
  • Reply 5 of 52
    Quote:

    and NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra video cards with 64MB of Video RAM.



    This is starting to look like the worst update cycle, ever.
  • Reply 6 of 52
    ibook911ibook911 Posts: 607member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by T'hain Esh Kelch

    This is starting to look like the worst update cycle, ever.



    I think the VIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra cards are going to be in macs until 2010, at the earliest.
  • Reply 7 of 52
    tazznbtazznb Posts: 54member
    You guys are getting carried away over nothing...! As long as we can always be assured that the iPod line will always be refreshed, and up-to-date....
  • Reply 8 of 52
    nathan22tnathan22t Posts: 317member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ibook911

    I think the VIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra cards are going to be in macs until 2010, at the earliest.



    this is really funny cause its true
  • Reply 9 of 52
    dave jdave j Posts: 84member
    Yippee! New earbuds coming out.
  • Reply 10 of 52
    quagmirequagmire Posts: 558member
    Hmm. AI says 5200 in iMac and TS says 9600 in iMac. Who is right?
  • Reply 11 of 52
    bdkennedy1bdkennedy1 Posts: 1,459member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ibook911

    Well, I would order immediately order a Mac Mini, if it had 512MB standard. I'm not saying I won't be one now, as a second mac eventually, but 512 would make it nice. However, with it being the very bottom of the Mac line, I just don't see them making the Mac Mini 512 in the near future, but I hope I'm wrong.



    The reason they're bumping the RAM is because of Dashboard. Widgets take up RAM and are constantly running, and since Dashboard is a major feature, everyone's going to use it. If consumers have machines with 256mb RAM and upgrade to Tiger, it's not going to be a pleasant experience. The Translation widget and Weather widget take up 128mb of RAM just by themselves.
  • Reply 12 of 52
    rokrok Posts: 3,519member
    has apple opened up that one ram slot on the ibook to increase its max ram potential? if not, i'd bet dollars to donuts that's part of the "upgrade" too, and they'll tout "higher maximum ram" as a new feature, when really they'll just have removed one of the unnecessary restrictions from the past. that and maybe spanning video (still possible with a hack). that might offset any disgruntled consumers who wanted a larger jump in processor speeds int he ibook line.
  • Reply 13 of 52
    fahlmanfahlman Posts: 740member
    At work today I was told there was money in the budget for me to order a new PowerMac and that I should order before the week was over. Gotta stall, gotta stall...
  • Reply 14 of 52
    gene cleangene clean Posts: 3,481member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bdkennedy1

    The reason they're bumping the RAM is because of Dashboard. Widgets take up RAM and are constantly running, and since Dashboard is a major feature, everyone's going to use it. If consumers have machines with 256mb RAM and upgrade to Tiger, it's not going to be a pleasant experience. The Translation widget and Weather widget take up 128mb of RAM just by themselves.





    Can you somehow Quit Dashboard in Tiger? I don't need Dashboard running constantly because I don't need a translation tool constantly, so a 128 mb of RAM could be freed.



    Thanks for your answer.
  • Reply 15 of 52
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    I sure as h3ll hope so.
  • Reply 16 of 52
    idaveidave Posts: 1,283member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by fahlman

    At work today I was told there was money in the budget for me to order a new PowerMac and that I should order before the week was over. Gotta stall, gotta stall...



    Order one in the morning and be thrilled. I would.
  • Reply 17 of 52
    bdkennedy1bdkennedy1 Posts: 1,459member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Gene Clean

    Can you somehow Quit Dashboard in Tiger? I don't need Dashboard running constantly because I don't need a translation tool constantly, so a 128 mb of RAM could be freed.



    Thanks for your answer.




    You can't quit Dashboard. It's always running like the Finder. When you install Panther none of the widgets are enabled, so you can keep them turned off if you don't use some.
  • Reply 18 of 52
    sandausandau Posts: 1,230member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bdkennedy1

    The reason they're bumping the RAM is because of Dashboard. Widgets take up RAM and are constantly running, and since Dashboard is a major feature, everyone's going to use it. If consumers have machines with 256mb RAM and upgrade to Tiger, it's not going to be a pleasant experience. The Translation widget and Weather widget take up 128mb of RAM just by themselves.



    uhh, i just checked activity monitor and its only showing 4 to 8mb per dashboard daemon (and if you have duplicates such as world clock, they don't count as extras). These are simple javascripts and they don't run constantly as a matter of fact they don't refresh until you pull up Dashboard...and then sometimes it takes a couple seconds. Heck my stock ticker sometimes reverts apple to $24 for some weird reason, must be a default. And since the they are all web enabled, they don't work if you aren't online. Major feature? Not in my book. Cool item..yeah. Nice to have the weather and junk available but its really just Konfabulator, those poor souls.
  • Reply 19 of 52
    fahlmanfahlman Posts: 740member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by iDave

    Order one in the morning and be thrilled. I would.



    I was going to order a Dual 2.0 which currently sells for $2,500. If PowerMacs are refreshed as reported by TS then the Dual 2.0 will slide in to the price point of the current Dual 1.8, or $2,000. For $500 I can wait.
  • Reply 20 of 52
    these hardwares updates make me extremely depressed... what the hell are they doing in the hardware labs???? hardware should precede software, and right now apple just introduced all these great POWER applications and soon tiger when there isnt any sufficient power in current hardware to use these applications to their fullest extent... i mean what the hell....honestly...and no im not some switcher...ive touched a PC twice in my entire life... i just cant stand this insanity...give us power...give us graphics...give us something except for 200 Mhz, minimal gpu changes, and 512 ram every six months...
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