MBA the future of MBP???

[Mad Mac Maniac]

So when steve jobs revealed the macbook air I believe he said something to the effect of "we really think this is the future of laptops" refering to all the flash storage and internal components being more similar to the iPad than a laptop.

So that leads me to wonder... does he really think that and how quickly will he make it occur?

So will/should the next macbook/MBP take the route of the macbook air? Think about it, this should significatntly reduce cost and weight, albeit some trade offs.

Maybe start the transition now by making a line of 13"/15" flash macbooks(ranging $800-$1300), but keep the MBP's on the traditional route until some date in the future.

Am I just crazy or is this a really good way to make some inexpensive macbooks....

 

[SuperCachetes]

Maybe start the transition now by making a line of 13"/15" flash macbooks(ranging $800-$1300), but keep the MBP's on the traditional route until some date in the future.

Isn't the flash more expensive than a traditional HDD? Meaning, if they could make a flash MacBook at the price range you mention, there would be no need for a portable computer line above that.

But Steve is right - moving parts will be removed from digital devices. Thank the lord.

My completely uneducated guess is that Apple's portables could be optical-drive-, spinning-platter-, and cooling-fan-free by the end of the decade if they really wanted to. Make a totally sealed touchscreen keyboard (like a clamshell-iPad version of an MBP) and we're in business.

 

[nick9191]

I would really love to see all MacBook Pro's have the superdrive as a BTO option. You could have a small SSD, say 32gb, as the boot drive, then a hard disk where the superdrive would be. If you wanted your superdrive, spec a normal hard drive (or higher capacity SSD) in bay 1. Or if you need lots of space, two 500gb HDD's for 1 terabyte of storage in a stupidly small 13" MacBook Pro.

I can dream.

 

[deedas]

I wouldn't be shocked if this upcoming revision of macbook pros (emphasis on PRO) will be the last with hdds. I also wouldn't be surprised if optical is out within two revisions.

I expect no Mac to ship with any discs from their next revision and on. I almost expect new macbooks to get the new bonded together backlight/LCD panel that make lids thinner (still will use a glass cover.)

I will be surprised if new laptops and iMacs get Lightpeak in 2011. I think it might not even come out in Mac Pros unless that revision comes out near the end of the year. I will also be a bit surprised if they get USB 3. Maybe in Mac Pros, but not laptops/iMacs.

 

[Mike84]

I wouldn't be surprised if the next macbook pros have SSD has the standard hard drives.

You see, Steve Jobs said that Apple is the largest user of flash memory. Macrumors the other day posted that the first quarter for iphones have been raised, and they are going to be producing a lot of ipads as well. So, this leads one to believe that they are buying flash memory in bulk and that will simply continue to lower prices. By the time the MBPs come out, I think it will be at the price point that they want to offer it across the line.

This is what I personally think, but I do think that the current MBA line up is the future of laptops with respect to Apple's line up and I wouldn't be surprised if the next MBP is thinner, has better resolution (considering the 13 inch MBA has great resolution), better battery or about the same as the current offering and SSD.

If not SSD this time around, then this will be the last MBP offered with HDD.

 

[oakie]

You see, Steve Jobs said that Apple is the largest user of flash memory. Macrumors the other day posted that the first quarter for iphones have been raised, and they are going to be producing a lot of ipads as well. So, this leads one to believe that they are buying flash memory in bulk and that will simply continue to lower prices. By the time the MBPs come out, I think it will be at the price point that they want to offer it across the line.

to address this first, i dont see MLC NAND coming down in price that quickly, i.e. within a year, to maintain their margins while keeping prices reasonable for large capacity options. 512GB SSDs are still in the $1000+ range. also consider that it's not the cost of NAND as it is the cost of the latest controller tech, especially when said tech is still evolving very, very quickly. for example, a 256GB SSD runs about $500-600 retail for one with a quality controller from Intel, Samsung, Toshiba, Indilinx, or Sandforce... and this price has only come down between 10-15% in the past 2 years.

they'll need to be able to offer the 13" MBP for under $1400 with at least 256GB of flash to usurp the current lineup of spinner based MBPs. at current prices, and even forecast beyond a year from now, it cannot be done unless there is a huge shakeup or miracle discovery in the production of NAND. i'm normally optimistic and anxiously await completely solid MBPs, but i think you're slightly unrealistic in the anticipation of price degradation.

besides, Apple already offers 128 to 512GB SSD boot drives as BTO options on all of their MBPs. the mSATA connection used on the MBA does circumvent the bottleneck of the 3GB/s SATAII standard on MBPs but the upcoming Sandy Bridge chipsets from Intel have 6GB/s SATA3 pipes for drives, which would allow a SATA3 activated, 2.5" SSD to operate nearly as fast as the current mSATA based MBA, absolving the current bottleneck.