I predict the next MBP refresh will make the 13.3 MBA a hard sell

[Scottsdale]

It all comes down to preferences. Most of us MBA users don't need the power of an MBP, and it requires one to carry around a much heavier Mac to do the exact same things... but those with a Core i-whatever MBP can brag how much more powerful their MBP is. Well, life's too short to be bragging about how much more powerful one Mac is over another. If the Mac does everything one wants, that's just as well. And when the Mac is ultraportable, thin and sexy, it's even better.

 

[sugarray3000]

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Noone mention the lack of the backlite kb and light sensor on the mba? That isent a big deal for You ?

 

[netdog]

I predict that the 13" MBA has made the 13" MacBook Pro a hard sell.

 

[gianly1985]

the 13'' MBP is the most successful Macbook according to Apple why would they discontinue it? get real.

Please, enough with this argument:

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/11335695/

It boggles my mind.

 

[Fraaaa]

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Noone mention the lack of the backlite kb and light sensor on the mba? That isent a big deal for You ?

I had a white MacBook for 2 years. I'd live with out it.

 

[Fraaaa]

Steve has no problem giving the world the finger

PS, I hope Lion comes on USBs too

Either that or via App Store.

USB is more practical tho.

 

[gianly1985]

The OSX thumbdrive and MacAppStore are a huge middle finger to optical drives.
People who still need an ODD will just use a USB unit

One minor geeky problem is that IIRC Macs cannot boot anything DOS-bootable (like Intel SSD firmware upgrade utility, and other maintenance stuff like secure-erase tools) off USB drives (both flash or optical)...

 

[bossxii]

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Noone mention the lack of the backlite kb and light sensor on the mba? That isent a big deal for You ?

No

 

[NintendoFan]

I don't see it going anywhere in the near future. I think we'll see a Sandy Bridge 13" MBP. However, I see the Airs and the Pros merging in the next couple of years, as the optical drive and standard hard drive form factor disappear.

 

[GreatestDane]

If I was Steve Jobs I would get rid of the white MacBook (as it really has no point) I would make the 13in MBP a MacBook (as it really isn't pro. Pro people go for a larger screen). And I would keep the 15 and 17in MBP's and the MBA line.

 

[gri]

If I was Steve Jobs I would get rid of the white MacBook (as it really has no point) I would make the 13in MBP a MacBook (as it really isn't pro. Pro people go for a larger screen). And I would keep the 15 and 17in MBP's and the MBA line.

I think the white MB will be gone, the 13 MBA and the MBP might merge once the new chips are out since as far as I know C2D. So we may get a higher end MBA mergerd with the successor of the MBP (13)...

From Wikipedia:
With the launch of 32 nm processors in the upcoming months, Intel has scheduled to discontinue some Atom, Celeron, Pentium, Core 2, and even Core i7 models. The Core 2 Quad Q8200, Q8200S, Q9400, and Q9400S are scheduled to be discontinued in 2010.[9] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Core_2)

 

[gianly1985]

There's always got to be a white plastic model for young people and teens.

You cannot wear Hello Kitty socks and carry around a serious-looking black-gray-ish aluminum MacbookPro/MacbookAir.

 

[hachre]

I suspect the next MBP will NOT have a 13" option.

I agree.

 

[jmazzamj]

They could lower the current plastic MB to $799 and the "Pro" model to $999 (even keeping current hardware for both) and give us a REAL MBP 13" with iCore and discrete video card for $1199.

I also hope they get rid of the optical drive, I have never used it in my MBP.

I'm going to buy my sister a 13" MBA, I will however buy her an external SuperDrive, she's moving to Australia for 6 months and perhaps there she will need it.

 

[fyrefly]

The other thing that getting rid of the Optical Drive in the 13" MBP would do is free up a bunch more space, for a larger logic board to support Core iX processor and discrete (Nvidia?) Graphics solution.

The current 13" MBP logic board has no room for a discrete graphics card, and Apple obviously thinks the Arrandale iX integrated graphics solutions are not good enough on their own.

 

[iDave]

The other thing that getting rid of the Optical Drive in the 13" MBP would do is free up a bunch more space, for a larger logic board to support Core iX processor and discrete (Nvidia?) Graphics solution.

Knowing Apple, they'd eat up the extra space to make it thinner, not necessarily better.

 

[Wattser93]

The 13" MBP is done. It's replaced by a fantastic machine. What more do people want?

User replaceable memory (8gb), user replaceable hard drive (OWC SSD > Toshiba SSD), SATA, backlit keyboard. ethernet.
That's why I bought a 13" MBP. Some people want the power of a MBP in the 13" form factor. Unfortunately, with the current MBA form factor as the "future of Macbooks", I'll get stuck going with a 15" in a couple years to keep the features I enjoy out of my MBP 13".

 

[WardC]

I have already chimed in on this on several threads. My prediction is that Apple will rebrand the "MacBook Air" as the new "MacBook" line eventually and do away with the 13" White MacBook completely. They will keep the MacBook Pro but adopt NAND Flash Storage and a smaller, slimmer profile across the entire line. Apple will eventually do away with the optical drive on the MacBook Pro completely. The MacBook Pro line will feature higher maximum RAM capacity (possibly up to 16GB at some point, but at least 8GB), and upgradable internal storage features. The Pro line will continue to offer FireWire, Gigabit Ethernet, Backlit Keyboard, and have better video card options with a next generation nVidia with 1GB of VRAM on the maximum configuration. Apple will continue to offer 15" and 17" models of the MacBook Pro but they will be a slimmer, much lighter design like the MacBook Air and feature NAND Flash storage standard with capacity of up to 512GB. The extra space offered by the larger footprint will allow for larger Flash storage options and RAM upgrade options internally. Apple will continue to offer antiglare as an option on the MacBook Pro which is not offered on the MacBook Air. They may do away with the 13" MacBook Pro, but most definitely they will do away with the White MacBook. The new "MacBook" line will be the current "MacBook Air" line. This is my prediction.

 

[cosmicc]

I don't see the MBA as a MBP replacement in the next refresh. After checking out the MBA in person, the MBP looked dated w/ the exception of the glass-to-glass panel and black border. Does anyone know why they didn't include this on the new MBA?

In the next MBP refresh I hope to see higher-resolution displays, slimmer/angled unibody, SSDs, and better battery life. I would also like them to axe the optical drive but it may be too soon for the Pro line up.

Edit: I agree w/ WardC. Unless there is a lower price point for the current white MB, I don't see it sticking around.

 

[iDave]

After checking out the MBA in person, the MBP looked dated w/ the exception of the glass-to-glass panel and black border. Does anyone know why they didn't include this on the new MBA?

I'd like to think it's because Apple realized how silly it is but I expect it's for weight savings.

In the next MBP refresh I hope to see higher-resolution displays, slimmer/angled unibody, SSDs, and better battery life. I would also like them to axe the optical drive but it may be too soon for the Pro line up.

I think optical will disappear sooner than you think. Apple seems to be obsessed with thin. Removal of optical drives will enable their designers to go one step thinner, sooner. I hope they'll have sense to include standard hard drives for a few more years until flash storage is much cheaper. It doesn't make a lot of sense to limit capacity so much in a pro model laptop.

 

[Canadian Bacon]

You cannot wear Hello Kitty socks and carry around a serious-looking black-gray-ish aluminum MacbookPro/MacbookAir.

Too funny!

 

[neteng101]

Too funny!

Actually it can be done - just put enough stickers on it, and it won't be so serious looking anymore.

 

[NicoleRichie]

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13" MBP is dead, unless there are some major changes in the next update.

 

[n2arkitektur]

If you watched the ad for the new MacBook Air, you will note that Apple didn't introduce it as the new MacBook Air; they introduced it as the next generation of MacBooks.

http://www.apple.com/macbookair/#video-ad

It's pretty obvious that the next revision of MacBook Pros will be sans the traditional hard drive and optical drive. They will be thinner and lighter. Will Apple keep or discontinue the 13" MBP is then a very reasonable question.

I think the way that Apple will distinguish the Pros from the Airs will be faster processors, more ram, more ports for greater connectivity, and larger hard drives by default with higher BTO options. But, I think the biggest way they will distinguish them will be higher battery life. It's a different kind of portability. If you have a lighter and thinner MBP that you can take with you (without having the carry the power adapter) and work in Adobe CS for 10 hours with confidence, not having to wonder if there is an open outlet at the Starbucks, you have a different kind of portability and greater productivity.

The biggest question remains: what are they going to do with the processors? The sun sets on C2D next year. I doubt Apple stockpiled 400,000 C2D chips to get them through another year of MBA deliveries, so does the MBA get a quiet update with Sandy Bridge in early 2011? If so, the better battery life of the 13" MBP may not be enough to distinguish it from the MBA and justify its existence.

The white MacBook is definitely due for EOL. If you want an entry level Mac at that $999 price point, the entry level 11" MBA is the clear choice.

 

[cherry su]

What if the new pricepoint for the white MacBook were $799? Then people probably would think that the backlit keyboard, slightly larger disk, and aluminum chassis would not be worth an extra $400.