tht

entropys said:

Switching iPhone to USBc will boost adoption over USBA more generally too. As it is there are still the majority of peripherals with USBA. Heck you still get microusb.

anyway, I suspect one major reason iPhones have stayed lightning so long (apart from mfi revenue) is Apple probably planned to go portless instead and the tech hasn’t worked out well enough for them.

PS: crowley, the EU is a lesson in how not to do it. Don’t defend the sad senescence of old Europe pretending it still has something)g over the colonies.

With camera MP race continuing unabated, and with 8K video becoming normal, Apple basically has no choice but to go with TB4 eventually or later version, even if they are going with USBC 10/20 Gbit/s next year. If the camera continues to sell the phone, I just don't see how they cannot offer a high speed interface so that getting hundred GB to TB sized video off the device.

Lightning has gone as far as it can go with 4K video. It really is not a good experience to get an 8K video off the device. Then, if AR/3D/multi-cam shooting is going to be thing, that only puts more pressure on having a high speed interface to get data off the device.

Maybe the chin has something to do with servicing the machine? Who knows.

Those ages likely mean the time is nearing for a new iMac industrial design. Maybe the iMac Pro, the retiring of the Time Capsule and the stagnancy of the Mac mini is heralding Apple is dropping spinning disk drives all together now, and the 2018 iMac and Mac mini (if updated) will only have SSDs, like the iMac Pro and in the laptops. No HDD means than can make it thinner. Hopefully larger displays come with both models.

Never thought it would take 3 years from May 2018 to get to a new iMac industrial design. Thought it would be 1 year, 2 years tops, and, thought they would keep a large display model.

The iMac 24 returned the AIO back to its roots all the way back to 1998. Occupies price tiers between $1000 to $2000, colors, consumer features and prices. Strictly consumer. It's still missing an M1 Pro option, just like the Mac mini. Hopefully there will be a 24" 4.5K external display from Apple soon too, and the M2 iMac models can drive 2 external displays.

And, we can conclude the chin is all about branding. No technical reasons.

I'm afraid their window for market entry is closing. It still sounds like they are 3 to 4 years away and that will be too late in 2025 imo. As a EV maker, one with ambitions to dent the market starting 2025, they would need to:

1. Develop a supply chain for solid state batteries, with enough mass production for a 300 mile range $50k base model. From component supply to assembled structural battery package.
2. Build out a supercharging station network along major highways every 100 miles.
3. Develop service stations and service ecosystem
4. Ensure carbon neutral processes and energy supply from components, materials, and recycling

Don't get this waiting at all, especially for computer driving. They need to get something on the market and iterate, and needed to do it in 2020 let alone now. The don't need to have self driving. There are many hard things to get built up to even have something on the market.

Xed said:

amarkap said:

charlesn said:

Stumptowner said:

I would be interested in what Apple feels is the current and future audience for the MBAirs.  Is it evolving?  

A true heir to the Air's intention would be an M-series MacBook 12", with the same number of ports as the current M-Air. At a weight of just two pounds, and a slightly smaller form factor, I think it was the best general-use laptop that Apple ever created, and now it could finally have the horsepower and ports it was lacking. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen, and what we'll get is a great general use laptop that carries on the magic and intention of the Air in name only. 

I'm not sure what a good use case would be for the 12" laptop other than being cute and, of course, being able to slip into and out of a mailing envelop.  I don't think anyone misses the 12" but I suppose there are a few fans such as yourself.  I have the 2020 Macbook Air and it is quite honestly the most gorgeous piece of hardware I have ever owned.  It is the perfect size.  I'm not a fan of macOS because I'm a Windows guy...but still I can't stop using it and it is my daily "going-to-bed-with" driver (ha ha...I watch Netflix and Disney Plus on it mostly before going to sleep).  Again, not too big or too small...just perfect in size and weight. 

Anyway, for you and other MacBook 12" fans I will hope Apple will add that form factor to their line up...who knows it may be saved for a future "Just One more Thing" reveal.

I loved my 12" PowerBook Pro, but that was back when the 4:3 aspect ratio was in use. That was over 70 sq inches of display area. To move to 12.1" with a 16:10 display would be knocking 7% off the display area, which is significant.

I think modern office automation apps, web browsers and multitasking workflows have made 12" laptops untenable. Eg, MS Outlook makes full use of my MBP15, and I wish it is bigger sometimes. Can't imagine what it would be like on a 12" display. There are niche users, like niche users for an iPhone mini, but a 12" display size can not serve as a mass market entrant in Apple's lineup.

I had an iBook 12.1" dual USB. It was a great laptop. Played many many hours of Age of Empires on it, used web browsers of the day, but today, it just wouldn't work out. Just have a hard time thinking that it would make a good laptop for today's mass market software. If anything, Apple has to try to get to 14" display sizes for their low end entrant. Rumors are saying 13.6", likely with a notch, so that's good news imo.

It's not the thinness, it's the lightness. Having it be 0.5" thick isn't as important as having it be 2 lbs. Having it thin is the number 1 way to keep the weight down, but if it was 0.6" thick and 2 lb with a 13.6" display, I think that is a big win.

netrox said:

What are those things popping out on the sides of the Porsche monitor?

Those a retractable or stowable hooks for gaming headphones. It's one of the more obvious features that tell people that this is a monitor for gamers and has very little if any overlap with buyers for the Apple Studio display.