Holes in product lineup.
As i see it, there are a few obvious holes in Apples current product lineup.
Colored iMacs - I know there has been a lot of talk in the past about this in various places. And I dont see Apple releasing a full range of colors, but definately black, and possibly a dark grey. And what about a TiMac?
30" iMac. - This is the one I really want. I still cant figure out why they haven't done it yet.
20" MacBook - I lug my iMac with me almost every where. Other companies are coming out with larger sized portables. There have been plenty of articles around these lately. Why is apple sitting back on this one?
CinemaDisplay With iSight. - wouldn't that be a nice touch
There are a couple of improvments for the iMac audio (Please let me know if they have been fixed. i have a pre iSight model)
A built in mic that is not between the built in speakers. This makes it about useless when trying to use voip applications.
A line in jack that is useful. - i.e. one that can use a standard mic. Mine requires a powered mic.
Thoughts and comments?
Colored iMacs - I know there has been a lot of talk in the past about this in various places. And I dont see Apple releasing a full range of colors, but definately black, and possibly a dark grey. And what about a TiMac?
30" iMac. - This is the one I really want. I still cant figure out why they haven't done it yet.
20" MacBook - I lug my iMac with me almost every where. Other companies are coming out with larger sized portables. There have been plenty of articles around these lately. Why is apple sitting back on this one?
CinemaDisplay With iSight. - wouldn't that be a nice touch
There are a couple of improvments for the iMac audio (Please let me know if they have been fixed. i have a pre iSight model)
A built in mic that is not between the built in speakers. This makes it about useless when trying to use voip applications.
A line in jack that is useful. - i.e. one that can use a standard mic. Mine requires a powered mic.
Thoughts and comments?
Comments
As i see it, there are a few obvious holes in Apples current product lineup.
Colored iMacs - I know there has been a lot of talk in the past about this in various places. And I dont see Apple releasing a full range of colors, but definately black, and possibly a dark grey. And what about a TiMac?
30" iMac. - This is the one I really want. I still cant figure out why they haven't done it yet.
20" MacBook - I lug my iMac with me almost every where. Other companies are coming out with larger sized portables. There have been plenty of articles around these lately. Why is apple sitting back on this one?
CinemaDisplay With iSight. - wouldn't that be a nice touch
There are a couple of improvments for the iMac audio (Please let me know if they have been fixed. i have a pre iSight model)
A built in mic that is not between the built in speakers. This makes it about useless when trying to use voip applications.
A line in jack that is useful. - i.e. one that can use a standard mic. Mine requires a powered mic.
Thoughts and comments?
20" MacBook is not going to happen.
I can't see a 30" iMac either, a 23" one, but not 30.
The holes i see, are a larger screen MacBook with prices reset to compete with the PC notebooks, and a mid-range tower package (with monitor and keyboard + mouse). Or instead of the latter, just a cheeper iMac.
I do however agree with you on the larger Macbook issue. I've noticed when looking at laptops that screeen size these days is hardly a determining factor towards the cost of a laptop. I've seen 17" HP machines that sell at Best Buy for $900. They may only have a cheaper AMD processor but it's not a $1600 difference in price like it is from the base macbook to the 17" macbook pro. And not all consumer want a little 13" screen.
I have seen some 17" HP models that include two hard drives. I think adding that ability to the 17" or even 15" Macbook Pro would be a good move and help separate a larger screen consumer Macbook from a larger screen Macbook Pro. That's definitely something a professional would find valuable.
In fact that are a lot of things like that Apple could add to the Pro version that would help separate them from the consumer version, without taking away basics like dedicated graphics from the consumer version.
30" iMac would have to cost $3000. And it'd get eaten alive by a Mac Pro, since you can't upgrade iMacs. An iMac is OK for a home user or edu use - where you don't upgrade the machine much, if any, but the price of a 30" iMac is out of consumer range. And a lot of people don't have 30" to put a computer. You can put most towers on the floor, so the most desktop space taken is by the monitor. That's a lot different computer set up than most non-pros are used to.
iSights in Cinema Displays are pretty worthless - you're paying for something that you won't use. Either you are a pro who wants the display or a home user who wants the webcam. Whatever Apple's planning with iSights is probably for consumers or travellers. Standalone iSight would be much better
A 30" imac is just too big. Remember the imac is supposed to be a consumer machine ( and I hope this doesn't come off sounding narrow minded) so most consumers don't need 30 inch displays on their desk.
The iMac may supposedly be a consumer machine. But for what I do (flash, web, photo retouching) a pro tower is extreme overkill. I cant justify the price for it. But i could justify, say, a $500 jump for a larger iMac. A 23" would be nice. so at around $2199 it would still fit in nicely under the MacPro.
Isn't it time for a jump in size anyway? 19" and 23" - they can leave the 17" for the eMac.
I love my iMac, but there is just not enough desktop space. I know I can attach a second display, but there just isnt enough room on my desk for it. The small footprint it has is great.
it wouldn't be the media center PC, it would BE the whole media center!
add a tv tuner, include a VESA mount.. hang it up on the wall, put it where your tv was and BOOM!
you gotcha self a tv whicht also allows you to record, surf the web, use your email, view your presentations, view films/clips/pics, allows you to do video chat etc.
It runs OSX or WIndows or both.....
I think for that, a 3k pricetag wouldn't be too much to ask, I'm always amazed at how much money people spend on frigging flatscreen TVs....... and how easily they spend it.
basically, I'm planning to buy a 20" iMac for my studio control room, just for the aforementioned function...
media center...... look up reference material and stream it to the lounge's stereo, let the client do email while I'm working.
check a wee video on a break, follow the news...... whatever.
Apple could really step in and add a tv mode to Front Row so it can be controlled by the remote.
I know buying a tv tuner would prolly add an extensive third party remote, but the clean Apple approach would be hella nice...
any takers?
65"!!!!
the sky is the limit!
45"
65"!!!!
the sky is the limit!
For the laptop or iMac??? ... Hey why not BOTH!
Dave
I'd rather have a 10" MBP than a 20" model.
I agree with this. I was buying my first Mac and first laptop a few months ago and was trying to decide between the 15" or 17" MBP. Boy was I glad I went with the 15". But even still, I find it hard sometimes fitting it (and a sandwich) on a table somewhere.
But as for a desktop, I'll admit it, I'm a size queen. Bring on the 30"!
The iMac looks bad in anything other than white (unless MAYBE if they tried and aluminum one).
a 30" iMac is beyond huge. As stated before maybe a 23" would work, but the 20" iMac is rather large already, and consumers aren't buying 30" displays.
20" MBP? Absurd. The 17" is pushing it as far as size goes.
A 30" imac is just too big. Remember the imac is supposed to be a consumer machine ( and I hope this doesn't come off sounding narrow minded) so most consumers don't need 30 inch displays on their desk.
I do however agree with you on the larger Macbook issue. I've noticed when looking at laptops that screeen size these days is hardly a determining factor towards the cost of a laptop. I've seen 17" HP machines that sell at Best Buy for $900. They may only have a cheaper AMD processor but it's not a $1600 difference in price like it is from the base macbook to the 17" macbook pro. And not all consumer want a little 13" screen.
I have seen some 17" HP models that include two hard drives. I think adding that ability to the 17" or even 15" Macbook Pro would be a good move and help separate a larger screen consumer Macbook from a larger screen Macbook Pro. That's definitely something a professional would find valuable.
In fact that are a lot of things like that Apple could add to the Pro version that would help separate them from the consumer version, without taking away basics like dedicated graphics from the consumer version.
What I see is a distinction between the consumer line-up and the Pro line up. I don't see why Apple won't introduce a iMac Pro line-up that includes 23 and 30 inch iMac Pros. More hard drive space, more RAM, bigger screens, maybe 2 Core 2 Duo chips and faster graphics. This would address the professional market where the person just wants a big screen, keyboard and mouse and doesn't need slots. Not having slots saves power requirements. Maybe a 23 inch first and a 30 inch later. I would cerainly buy a 30 inch iMac. The prices of monitors has dropped a great deal.
Everyone thought that a 19 inch laptop was crazy, and now more companies are announcing them, so a 19 or 20 inch MacBook Pro might seem crazy, but some might actually go for it.
I would really like to see a rack mounted Mac Pro with some other features that current one doesn't have. The audio recording and video production people all have rack mounted systems and a rack mounted Mac Pro would certainly be nice thing to have, espcially if the drives were hot pluggable like on the xRAID.
I am still wondering if Apple is going to come out with a 2U XServe with maybe 8 dual core processors. For the grid customers, they want processors, so having a 2U unit with more than double the processors as a 1U rack server would be interesting. Just keep the hard drive option the same, but pump more than double the processors in a 2U rack? Hmmmmm....
20" MBP? Absurd. The 17" is pushing it as far as size goes.
Yep, a mini and an ACD might be more portable.
these aren't holes in the lineup you're seeing, they're fantasies. Aside from the integrated cam in the cinema displays, each option makes very little sense.
The iMac looks bad in anything other than white (unless MAYBE if they tried and aluminum one).
a 30" iMac is beyond huge. As stated before maybe a 23" would work, but the 20" iMac is rather large already, and consumers aren't buying 30" displays.
20" MBP? Absurd. The 17" is pushing it as far as size goes.
Acer are making 20" laptops. Although i can't say how well they are selling, I know they aren't the only ones doing it, Dell have one on the way too (i dont think they have released it yet).
By consumers, do you mean non-pros? I know a photographer that has an iMac in his studio and a tower (with 30" display) at home. He moves the iMac around, but prefers working off the larger screen. He would jump at the chance to have the "iMac Pro." So why worry about consumers? I know that they are becoming the larger part of apples market these days, but sod them. we were here first, we need to be kept happy
I for one am not of the thinking that technology needs to be small. If I were to switch to a portable, i wouldn't want to give up anything. Screen size is top of my priority list. Its enough of a sacrifice trying to use those damn keyboards, with the 'fn' button. And why haven't apple moved over to 2 button laptops? The mighty mouse is standard now.
Acer are making 20" laptops. Although i can't say how well they are selling, I know they aren't the only ones doing it, Dell have one on the way too (i dont think they have released it yet).
By consumers, do you mean non-pros? I know a photographer that has an iMac in his studio and a tower (with 30" display) at home. He moves the iMac around, but prefers working off the larger screen. He would jump at the chance to have the "iMac Pro." So why worry about consumers? I know that they are becoming the larger part of apples market these days, but sod them. we were here first, we need to be kept happy
I for one am not of the thinking that technology needs to be small. If I were to switch to a portable, i wouldn't want to give up anything. Screen size is top of my priority list. Its enough of a sacrifice trying to use those damn keyboards, with the 'fn' button. And why haven't apple moved over to 2 button laptops? The mighty mouse is standard now.
It how the product is marketed. I mean, for those using Aperture, they would probably use a MacBook Pro 17 for traveling, but when they get back to their office, either they'll have a 30 inch display or maybe they could have a 2 Core 2 Duo 30 inch iMac Pro. I think Professional Photographers might go for that.
The Pro maket meaning professionals that are making money by using their mac using pro apps. The consumer market is simply those that have a computer for home that don't use Pro apps or have a business or side business using Pro apps.
I mean, seriously, if one wants an Xserve for home, they can just go on the Apple Store and buy one. It is all how everything is marketed and who buys the product. But Apple also has the outbound Sales force that would focus their time talking/selling to businesses and they would simply have the Pro line to sell, just like the outbound Education reps would be selling the MacBooks, iMac Education systems to K-12 and higher Education market.
It's addressing a market with a particular product and selling it. They need to find out if their is a large enough market, technical abilities and being able to mfg. it for a certain price point is whether Apple is going to decide on addressing a current market or creating a new one.
Several years ago, 15 monitors were the standard, then 17, and now 20 inch is becoming the standard and 30 inch is increasing as the price drops and more people see the benefit of a 30 inch as well as the technology being dispursed into the laptops, etc.
I just see a trend in how Apple is marketing the varous products and it seems like a Pro line is being created to go after the Pro market. Pros certainly have different demands than the average consumer.
It also seems logical that for the bigger Apple stores that they have more focus on Professional apps and they have seminars and training for Pro apps to address that market. Why not have iMac Pros with more horsepower, bigger screen size, more RAM, bigger hard drive(s), there is certianly plenty of real estate on a 23 or 30 inch LDC display. All they have to do is make the ACD a an inch thicker.
Frankly, I would just love for the macbooks and 15 inch macbook pros to include a third usb2 port.
Yeah, i know. I hope the new MacBook Pros have user installable hard drives, so we can upgrade them easy, just like the MacBook have. That is a nice feature.
I would really like to see the BT Mighty Mouse be rechargable and give it a slightly larger ball.
Acer are making 20" laptops. Although i can't say how well they are selling, I know they aren't the only ones doing it, Dell have one on the way too (i dont think they have released it yet).
Hey, Acer's doing it, so why not us?
Because Apple doesn't play that game.
No other computer manufacturer understands the user better than Apple. That's why I chuckle every time someone thinks they've notice some gaping hole in Apple's lineup. There is almost no market for a 20" "laptop," and there probably wont ever be. It's far too large to be reasonably portable for 99% of notebook consumers. So why should Apple get into a cockfight with Acer, HP, Toshiba et al over a 1% wedge? It's a waste of R&D, it's a waste of time, and it's a waste of good people and resources.
I an a hobbyist with reasonable amount of disposable cash. I use apperture with my canon 20D - I am not a pro.
I would like to use a 30" ACD with a medium ppowered machine - the MP is more than I need to spend, too big really & would be under-utilised.
The iMac 20" isn't powerful enough really & can't use a 30" screen.
This is a wish for me - it is not essential, but then most of my spending isn't - I can make do with a cheaper car but enjoy the one I have & gives me pleasure.
Apple do not currently cater that well for me. A 30" iMac would be great for me, as would a mini-tower. Currently there are a large number of people around with reasonable ammounts to spend who the MP doesn't appeal to....
These are missed sales, as I won't buy an iMac as it currently stands.....