Apple product roadmap: iPods (Sep), Macbooks (Oct) and iMacs (Nov)

"With a multinational iPhone 3G launch now successfully under its belt, electronics maker Apple Inc. is preparing to close out the year with a final phase of product introductions that will stretch over the course of the next two months."



Read the full article here.

 

First two I expect, the iMac was a bit of a surprise, I felt it was good as is. And November is cutting it a bit late for the holiday season.

Interesting report nonetheless!

 

Oh and, just to spice things up, here's another great new Macbook Pro mock-up:

 

If that iTunes subscription rumor comes true, you can count me in for an iPod Touch.

 

That thing looks sharp, and not in a good way :laugh:

 

That Macbook Pro looks lame... Can anyone say "big Macbook Air"?

 

Big MacBook Air, small iMac . Its got iMac stylings too.

But this is consistent with the overall rumours that the new MBP gets MacBook Air styling.

 

Oh come on, tell me you wouldn't buy that if it was real!

 

Its a complete rip-off of the Macbook Air. If I wanted something that looked like the macbook Air, I would buy one. I really think the separate notebook lines need to be distinguishable from each other, like they are now...

But if the Macbook Pro was to look like that and had all the power I wanted, yeah I would get it, I wouldn't base my purchase on looks. I just feel it would be extremely lame if they made a Macbook Pro a blown up Macbook Air.

 

so macbook pro's in october? or is this fake too?

 

Yeah, I get what you're saying.

But if you look at it that way, every Apple laptop looks the same. Heck, every HP laptop looks the same.

I mean, you can spot one and go "yeah, it's a HP" or "yeah, that's a Mac".

But surely, if that black Macbook Pro gets the insides we're all looking for, I wouldn't care a bit if it looks like the Air.

Oh, and remember, there's no black Air

 

It is all just speculation. Nothing is for real, unless Apple announces something itself. But this is very likely I would say.

 

I hope they don't curve the corners, because it'll kill the ability to have ports. Not every port can be in a pop-out drawer. And curves kill component placement too since you can't place the HDD and ODD flush with the side. And I thought the black border thing with the glossy screen was a Sony thing that first appeared in their computer screens.

Anyways, I'm not sure how I want the new MBP to look since I'm pretty happy with the current design. I just don't want a bigger MBA. If they want to add in a bit of curve, it should be minimal and be used like it is in the iPhone 3G. I believe the iPhone 3G is actually slightly bigger than the original iPhone, but the curves make it seem smaller. A slightly larger and thicker MBP might actually be better from a thermal perspective, but a slight curve would mean it doesn't seem bigger.

 

Yeah, HPs are similar to one another, but their separate lines are still clearly distinguishable from each other from a distance, either by color, by shape, or finish. There needs to be a significant distinguishable feature of each line so that you can clearly tell what model it is, rather than coming up to read if its a Macbook Pro or Macbook Air. That is my take on it.

 

its just some one's rendition. There's pics of the supposed MBP chassis on the link posted on the first page.. if those pics are true, it'll still look similar to the boxy looking chassis of its predecessor. (no curves except for rounded corners, flat sides and bottom).

 

Pop out door for everything now . Pop out optical drive slot, pop out USB ports, pop out Firewire, DVI/HDMI, ExpressCard, etc.

 

I think my eyes would pop out too if that were the case.

I think the last time an Apple portable had port doors, besides the MBA, was the TiBook, so it's certainly been done before in Apple's high-end notebook line, if precedent has any bearing.

 

Jesus H Christ if the notebooks get updated in october I'll ****ing cut myself. Honest. Been waiting long enough, I so hope hope hope that they get updated in September.

 

I just want the macbook pros to come now, I've been seriously looking for a laptop since my join date. I'm getting tired of waiting!

 

This thread makes me want to cry . Now I might have to wait until October, and to make things worse some guy makes this nasty mock-up of the new MBP (I know its fake but you never know!)! I'll be stuck between choosing between an old MBP with a defective video card/less battery life or a ugly notebook.

Oh and the pop-out door thing looks nice but aren't they the first things that will brake off if I'm not gentle enough?

Yeah I hate the MBA the current design is better! Hope they don't change it too much.

 

Any rumors for the new Macbook styling?

 

I really wonder how that will work, its an interesting topic...the MacBook will probably turn aluminum to finally unite the lineup, but at the same time it can't look too similar to the MacBook Air or people will confuse the two. So, yeah, it'll be interesting how Apple plans to do it.

Then again, the iPod Touch confuses people with the iPhone too . So maybe Apple doesn't mind .

 

Pretty excited to see what they have in store for us in the coming months. I would love to be able to add a Macbook to my collection, so I have a smaller footprint to travel with and also for toying around with a new OS. I've also been keeping a close eye on the Sony Vaio Z, but the first batch appears to have pretty obnoxious fan issues according to the Sony forum...

Personally, I'm a big fan of the current white Macbook over the MBP look. I hope they can come up with something a little slimmer that resembles the current Macbook. Is there any chance of a dedicated GPU in the Macbook, or a 13.3" MBP?

 

There were those rumours of a 15.4" MacBook a while back. Maybe they should move the MacBook over to a 14.1" form factor and leave the MBA as the small laptop. With the amount of bezel in the MacBook they could move to 14.1" without increasing the overall size too much if they slim down the bezel. It'll also give them more thermal room if they ever want to put in a dedicated GPU.

 

I guess white apple products are becoming extinct/endangered?

 

Its the "past generation" Apple look, like how white succeeded coloured plastics .

 

If the MacBook isn't comming in September i'm buying a Lenovo T400. I'm done with the waiting.

 

If that was the new Macbook Pro and had a removable battery with 3 x USB and a firewire or 2 nothing would stop me from getting that thing. A black aluminium (is that even possible) would be absoilutely incredible. If it had the specs it would make it the perfect 15.4" laptop for me. Make an 11" version that looked like that with WWAN and I'll max out every credit card I can find to get it, no question.

Hoping the iMac get upgraded HDD capaacity as standard (1TB+) and a GX2 GPU. It's going to hit the credit card either way but for over 1500 euro it needs an upgrade to help me minimize the guilt.

Hey Cdnalsi, where did you get that mockup shot from? Can you post a link please, I need to drool more.

 

Any chances MBP getting hybrid graphics? HD3200 + Mobility 4850! lol or more realistically X4500 + ????

 

That mock up has to be 100% fake since we all know the casing of the new MBP should look like this:

Basically, the thin edges would kill the PRO functions really quick. Anyway, I am confident Apple knows it's business and will come out with a REAL NICE MBP.

 

Also, Apple better start using the integrated fingerprint reader. For a full system security, as the latest technology can secure the whole laptop, from the startup. Encrypting the hdd with a password. Stuff like that.

 

Well, that's an interesting request...I think most of us have realized that by now, Apple will sacrifice some minor features for design and aesthetics . Most likely, fingerprint scanners that are currently found on notebooks, I would say really don't look nice, they're this sudden "drench" on an otherwise flat surface that is the palmrest. So I don't think Apple will implement it unless it can look nice.

 

Maybe they'll do it, if it's somehow implemented on the spot you put your fingers to open the lid or something.

For it to be really seamless and not stick out as an actual fingerprint reader.

Or have it under the trackpad somehow That would be awesome!

 

I like the trackpad idea! There are some rumours that the trackpad is turning glass, which I noted back when that rumour came around that its unlikely the trackpad is turning glass just because, and there's probably a screen under it. So it makes sense if the trackpad also became a fingerprint scanner!

 

Well there's other ways to verify users besides fingerprint.

http://promos.asus.com/US/Features/SmartLogon/index.html

Personally, I think they should just use face recognition from the iSight. ASUS has down this with their webcams so I'm sure Apple could come up with something similar. Admittedly lighting and angles might be an issue but software should overcome most of it and it's an excuse to finally get Apple to upgrade to an iSight HD.

 

Apple will implement an Eye scanner, duh

 

I definitely see some sort of security recognition because of the increased use of MBP and MBA as business devices. I just believe Apple won't be conventional in stuffing a fingerprint scanner on the palmrest, so it'll be exciting to see!

 

hope it comes out soon

 

If the touchpad is gonna turn glass I reckon their could be some form of Touch/iPhone implementation to access the appstore and iTunes. Effectively it would be an inbuilt/non-removable iPod Touch with direct iTunes interaction. If Apple had the subscription service running with iTunes I can't imagine any new Macbook Pro owner not signing up if you had that gizmo on your laptop. And all the appstore apps you could ever want all at your fingertips, literally. Maybe its a pipe dream but gimme the fake macbook pro mockup above and that gadget and nobody will see me for months, unless its to show off.

 

I'll just gonna wiat til the MBP comes out and read the reviews...Iv'e been searching for a notebook since 2005. What's a few more months.....

Lynn

 

OK another question! Does apple update their website right after the event? So maybe 1 hr after the event is over the website would be updated and you could order the new notebook? (assuming it comes out on Sept. 9)

 

Well, maybe not one hour, but yeah, most of the time, products will be ready to be purchased the day its announced!

 

So there is a (small?) chance that I would be able to catch the free iPod+printer deal since it ends on the 15th?

 

Well, if there are new iPods/Macs on the 9th, I believe that Apple will make a note that neither qualify for the free iPod promotion...so I'd say don't expect it!

 

will the ipod touchs see any new changes? becuase im thinking of picking one up when they get refreshed.

 

Darn got all excited too...

 

The general consensus is that there won't be any radical changes, maybe minor design changes like the iPhone 3G had, and maybe a price drop/more storage for same price.