Briefly: new Apple hardware shipments blip on radar

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Apple Computer may be ready to update its MacBook line of consumer notebooks with Intel Corp.'s Core 2 Duo processors as early as this week, tipsters tell AppleInsider.



Rumors relating to specific release dates for the enhanced 13-inch notebooks have swirled in recent weeks, fueled in part by European resellers who continue to report little success in obtaining new stock of existing Core Duo-based models.



Those rumors were stoked further last week when web surfers stumbled upon some unusual listings at Play.com, a European Apple reseller which abruptly began accepting pre-orders for several unannounced Core 2 Duo-based MacBook models through its online store.



Now tipsters tell AppleInsider that three new Apple hardware products are en-route the U.S. this week, carrying previously unoccupied manufacturers part numbers MA699LL/A, MA700LL/A and MA701LL/A.



Apple's existing line of MacBooks are similarly available in three standard retail configurations: two white-colored models (1.83GHz and 2.0GHz) and a single black model (also 2.0GHz). They range in price from (U.S.) $1099 to (U.S.) $1499.



While AppleInsider has been unable to positively confirm the latest product rumblings pertain specifically to MacBooks, the reports are similar to those that appeared in the days and hours leading up to Apple's announcement of Core 2 Duo-based MacBook Pro models late last month.



In September, AppleInsider reported that Mac maker had wrapped up development of revised MacBook and MacBook Pro models, each of which would sport Core 2 Duo chips from Intel. People familiar with the company's plans said both lines were tracking for a release prior to the holiday shopping season, which has historically seen its initial surge the day after Thanksgiving.



On Oct. 24, Apple introduced 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pro models with Core 2 Duo processors, leaving only its 13-inch MacBook offerings with Core Duo chips.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 91
    benroethigbenroethig Posts: 2,782member
    What doesn't make sense to me is why would they update the Macbook to C2D and not the Mini.
  • Reply 2 of 91
    nagrommenagromme Posts: 2,834member
    Eventually everything will be updated, and of course not all at the same moment.



    But if Intel prices Core cheaper than Core 2, then Core is the right choice for Apple's entry-level model. 64-bit or no, Core Solo and Core Duo are very fast processors, more than adequate for many people. A Core 2 Mini would cost more than a Core Mini, and that's a needless barrier to buying your first Mac.



    I'd rather see a cheaper Mini result when Intel drops the price on Core 1. (And the same for MacBooks, actually: a Core 1 MacBook would be cheaper than Core 2, and still highly capable, so I'd like to see Apple continue to offer that as the entry-level portable.)
  • Reply 3 of 91
    I would imagine at this point it's more a function of demand than anything else--Apple wants to be able to sell a boat-load of notebooks this quarter, which can only happen if Intel supplies the right amount of processors. Most people won't have heard, or even notice, the switch, so why sell a product that you don't have when you could be selling a bunch of what you do? Plus, phasing it in like this lets Apple work off excess CD inventory.
  • Reply 4 of 91
    hobbeshobbes Posts: 1,252member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by BenRoethig


    What doesn't make sense to me is why would they update the Macbook to C2D and not the Mini.



    'Cause the Mini is basically sub-$600 bait to make other Macs look like better deals.



    Apple sells about 5-8x the amount of MacBooks as does it Minis.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nagromme


    I'd rather see a cheaper Mini result when Intel drops the price on Core 1. (And the same for MacBooks, actually: a Core 1 MacBook would be cheaper than Core 2, and still highly capable, so I'd like to see Apple continue to offer that as the entry-level portable.)



    I would too, but I don't think it's going to happen.... because, curiously, Intel hasn't discounted the Core 1 chips Apple is using. They're not cheaper than the Core 2 ones.
  • Reply 5 of 91
    crap!

    damn! damn! damn!



    I said to myself: "No way in hell will Apple release a new model this close to the holiday shopping season."

    So I ordered a MacBook to replace my wife's dead iBook on Friday.

    It should be here on Wednesday.



    damn! damn! damn!
  • Reply 6 of 91
    If it is just a change in processor, I won't be that pissed.



    I just hope they don't change HD, RAM, blah, blah, blah...



    damn! damn! damn!
  • Reply 7 of 91
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Hobbes


    Apple sells about 5-8x the amount of MacBooks as does it Minis.



    I've never seen any such numbers, where did you come up with them?
  • Reply 8 of 91
    I'm crossing my fingers.
  • Reply 9 of 91
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Johnny Mozzarella


    crap!

    damn! damn! damn!



    I said to myself: "No way in hell will Apple release a new model this close to the holiday shopping season."

    So I ordered a MacBook to replace my wife's dead iBook on Friday.

    It should be here on Wednesday.



    damn! damn! damn!



    You should be in for a surprise then
  • Reply 10 of 91
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by BenRoethig


    What doesn't make sense to me is why would they update the Macbook to C2D and not the Mini.



    According to my theory, Apple wants to upgrade the entire range to 802.11n to support the new iTV offering. This means they have bigger plans for the mini than merely upgrading the core. Plus there may still be shorages of C2D.
  • Reply 11 of 91
    idaveidave Posts: 1,283member
    How does the Core 2 affect battery life compared to Core 1? My only real complaint about my MacBook is that battery life is pretty lame.
  • Reply 12 of 91
    Apple normally releases new products on a Tuesday. The C2D MacBook Pros were released two weeks ago. Last Tuesday was Halloween, so it would be unlikely for Apple to release new products on that day. I'm pretty sure that they will release the C2D MacBooks tomorrow.
  • Reply 13 of 91
    aiolosaiolos Posts: 228member
    well congrats to all the macbook peeps who waited



    hope they give ya'all some sweet ram upgrades like they did fo' the MBP's.



    I do believe this report is fairly accurate btw cause this is the same as monday oct 23, when they mentioned the new manufacture numbers.



    interesting to see what'll be different besides the processor, if anything.



    A dedicated GPU......... .........nah
  • Reply 14 of 91
    dh87dh87 Posts: 73member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by countach


    According to my theory, Apple wants to upgrade the entire range to 802.11n to support the new iTV offering. This means they have bigger plans for the mini than merely upgrading the core. Plus there may still be shorages of C2D.



    I think that this hypothesis about 802.11n is right. I also imagine that the Apple's announced release date for the iTV is the latest it could be released, not the earliest.
  • Reply 15 of 91
    Dang I just bought my macbook 5 day ago. And it' my first mac ever. I'm still within my return period though (14 day return policy), Will Apple give me a hard time if I walk into the Apple store at the mall and ask to exchange it for a new model?

    Will they dock me the 10% restocking fee for doing it? If they do that's like $110. Not sure if that's worth a processor upgrade. Or will they just exchange it, if at all?
  • Reply 16 of 91
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by RedDel


    Dang I just bought my macbook 5 day ago. And it' my first mac ever. I'm still within my return period though (14 day return policy), Will Apple give me a hard time if I walk into the Apple store at the mall and ask to exchange it for a new model?

    Will they dock me the 10% restocking fee for doing it? If they do that's like $110. Not sure if that's worth a processor upgrade. Or will they just exchange it, if at all?



    If you bought it without customizing, Apple will take it back for a 10 percent restocking fee if you bring all the original packaging and documentation. If you customized anything (even RAM) they may not take it back at all, but it's worth a try (their return policy says they won't, but I've heard of them doing it for some upgrades). The new MacBook will probably include a draft n wireless card as well, if nothing else. They may also get rid of the hole in the bezel for the indicator light, as they did with the MBP C2D's.
  • Reply 17 of 91
    Yeah I bought it stock, The $1099 model, but you think they'll charge me the restocking fee?



    I could always tell them, and actually this isn't a lie, that I've been having problems with the machine not starting up and I keep having to reset the power management. Which is getting really annoying.



    I thought I remember reading on these forums somewhere that Apple had some sort of future proof purchase policy or something, that if you bought a new machine a certain number of days before they release a new model you could return it for the new model?
  • Reply 18 of 91
    idaveidave Posts: 1,283member
    I think the policy you're referring to is if a new model is released at a lower price than what you paid, within 10 days, you get a refund of the difference. I don't believe there's any policy for exchanges other than you can return recently purchased items within a certain time period and pay a restocking fee. (That's where Apple gets all the refurbs they sell online.)
  • Reply 19 of 91
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    I'd love to see new MacBooks and even more hope that they go through a significant update. First I want a wide screen version of at least 15". The new machines should be able to accommodate at least 2gig of RAM. If we are really lucky the machines will also have a card slot of some type. Personally I'd love to see them give up on the internal optical drive and make the unit thicker and tougher. Maybe even put the OS into Flash.



    Of course that is all dreaming, we are likely to just get a chip swap to Core 2. That wouldn't be bad of course, I'm just hoping for a slightly more advance revision.



    As to the OS in flash, I'm motivated by the development of the One Laptop per Child project. Not that I think the goals of the project are all that noble but the idea behind their laptop is compelling. In this case we are talking about pervasive use of networking.



    Thanks

    Dave
  • Reply 20 of 91
    Well then hopefully it gets some dedicated graphics or some more ram, because $110 for for just a processor upgrade probably isn't worth it.

    Man I'm upset about this since I just bought it. Now I'll have to pay $110 more to get what I could have got for the same price if I would have waited a few days more. My first mac and already I get burned by Apple.
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