Apple to release 15.4" MacBook?

[lamina]

Link

If they did do this, there would be an even narrower gap between the MacBook and the MacBook Pro.

 

[dav]

No way. Not after they just made a clear distinction in their laptop (errr notebook) line.

 

[Eraserhead]

It's a good idea, you price it low with a slower processor than the current MB's (say 1.67-1.83 Core Duo with 1GB RAM, 60GB HD at $899, moving the current MB's to 80GB HD, 1GB RAM, Merom), it would be more for college students and would compete with lower priced Dell's it'd be a good idea for Apple to add, this would only leave a sub-notebook missing from their laptop lineup.

 

[kretzy]

I'll be very surprised if they do. It would be very difficult to differentiate between the two.

 

[emotion]

Hmmm I'd say this is unlikely. And Digitimes have a habit of getting things wrong. Maybe they're confusing the new C2D based (maybe) MBP with a Macbook 15.4"?

 

[dmw007]

I'll be very surprised if they do. It would be very difficult to differentiate between the two.

Same here, I find it would just lead to too much confusion between the MacBook and the MacBook Pro. I don't expect to see a 15.4" MacBook released.

 

[surroundfan]

They will in due course. Sooner or later, as the MacBook Pro gets older and demand falls off, and MacBook prices drop, they will need to find a way to discount the MBP to boost volume without actually offering discounts. By stripping out discrete graphics and the aluminium case, and perhaps upspeccing some other aspects of the MacBook Pro (e.g. 512MB on MacBook, 1GB on MBP), they will create enough product differentiation...

(I will also predict a 13.3" MBP to fill the gap currently occupied by the BlackBook as prices drop...)

EDIT - https://www.macrumors.com/pages/2005/04/20050408071848.shtml was one of Digitimes old rumors. Wrong OEM, wrong screen size, but otherwise on the money...

Rumors of the same vintage also said that a 15.4" widescreen iBook would come in '2006'...

 

[ifjake]

I could see this happening once the MacBook Pro gets the Core 2 processor with the MacBook line sticking with versions of the current chip.

 

[AlBDamned]

a 39% year on year increase in laptop sales is pretty phenomenal.

 

[dmw007]

a 39% year on year increase in laptop sales is pretty phenomenal.

It most certainly is!

 

[netdog]

Right now the MB is selling like hotcakes. There is no need to introduce a larger one now. A 15.4 MB would also be pretty heavy, and would also take away from MBPs which are rumoured to be getting an redesign (and are due for one).

 

[the rock]

Right now the MB is selling like hotcakes. There is no need to introduce a larger one now. A 15.4 MB would also be pretty heavy, and would also take away from MBPs which are rumoured to be getting an redesign (and are due for one).

So, what is your problem with the current MBP design? I think it is absolutely stunning, and way better than any other competitor. BTW, most, if not all parts, of the MBP is redesigned compared to the PB.

 

[Chundles]

Wait, Digitimes said that? OK, let me go analyse the text with my expert skills...

Yep, my diagnosis is correct:

 

[emotion]

So, what is your problem with the current MBP design? I think it is absolutely stunning, and way better than any other competitor. BTW, most, if not all parts, of the MBP is redesigned compared to the PB.

I agree that it's quite a nice design but the overall spirit of the design is the same as the Powerbook it replaced.

Apple is known for it's stunning industrial design. For those with an interest in such things it's nice to speculate what Apple/Ive will come up with next to top that design.

The MBP/Powerbook overall design is far from perfect so a change might be due.

 

[emotion]

EDIT - https://www.macrumors.com/pages/2005/04/20050408071848.shtml was one of Digitimes old rumors. Wrong OEM, wrong screen size, but otherwise on the money...

I'd say that was a lucky guess. The iBook was overdue a redesign and laptops are generally going the way of widescreen. The details in that article are so vague as to be useless anyway.

 

[CEAbiscuit]

It would be great to at least get a magnetic latch on the MBP like the one onthe MB. I think it's due for a redisign... dare I say a two button trackpad?

 

[Abstract]

No way! The current system on the MB is much better than a 2 button trackpad. I wouldn't want 2 buttons on my MB ever. Never ever ever.

 

[Voidness]

It would be great to at least get a magnetic latch on the MBP like the one onthe MB. I think it's due for a redisign... dare I say a two button trackpad?

Apple already solved the problem of right-clicking on trackpads. Just tap the trackpad using 2 fingers on a MBP or MB and it right-clicks (15.4" MBP got this feature with the 10.4.7 update, MB and 17" MBP shipped with this feature).

 

[skillz1318]

i don't want 2 buttons either but i think its only a matter of time before apple does it....i know it keeps a lot of people from buying mac laptops

 

[bousozoku]

Sources contacted by Lin also noted that Apple may expand its MacBook family by introducing a 15.4-inch widescreen lineup, although the market has expected Apple to launch 12.1- and 14.1-inch MacBooks to replace similar-sized iBook laptops.

Who is "the market" here? I don't think anyone expected them to continue the 12.1 and 14.1 inch sizes.

Actually, if you look at the Apple online store and see how they talk about the MacBook family, they already have a 15.4 inch model--a MacBook Pro.

 

[hvfsl]

Apple already solved the problem of right-clicking on trackpads. Just tap the trackpad using 2 fingers on a MBP or MB and it right-clicks (15.4" MBP got this feature with the 10.4.7 update, MB and 17" MBP shipped with this feature).

Or if you have an older Apple laptop, you can use iScroll2 to enable this feature.
http://www-users.kawo2.rwth-aachen.de/~razzfazz/

 

[DevilsRejection]

The inventor of the mouse himeself ackowledges when he invented it he wished he could have put more buttons on it. Apple needs to understand this already an quite the whole simple thing.

 

[Macmaniac]

This story reminds me of this website
http://www.misterbg.org/AppleProductCycle/

 

[emotion]

The inventor of the mouse himeself ackowledges when he invented it he wished he could have put more buttons on it. Apple needs to understand this already an quite the whole simple thing.

Apple does understand it....OSX understands what to do with multibutton mice when plugged in.

I get along just fine with one button on my laptops (ctrl-click is pretty easy to do).

 

[generik]

I find myself trying to right click on the trackpad when I had my PBG4 too.. but then again I do like the simplicity of that big one button in place of where PC laptops have tons of tiny little buttons!