New MacBook pricing clash with future MacBook Pros?

[haydn!]

With there being a clear clash between the new MacBook and the existing 13" MacBook Pro on both price and spec. Do you think we're likely to see a price increase when the MacBook Pro's are next refreshed?

I think Apple would struggle to justify a price bump if all they did was update the specs. Especially after the very un-Apple like move in June when they lowered the price points across the range.

It's also probably too soon for a MBP redesign (which could be used to justify price increases). Maybe they'll drop the 13" Pro? It has come across as a bit of a black sheep with Apple not seemingly knowing where to place it within the line up. I always thought a 15" MacBook (plastic) would have fitted in better than a 13" Pro.

Or maybe they'll lower the price of the MacBook when they introduce new MacBook Pros? But this runs the risk of further clashes on price/value and specs.

So, how do you think Apple will bring back the clear price and spec differences?

 

[rhysmorgan]

With there being a clear clash between the new MacBook and the existing 13" MacBook Pro on both price and spec. Do you think we're likely to see a price increase when the MacBook Pro's are next refreshed?

I think Apple would struggle to justify a price bump if all they did was update the specs. Especially after the very un-Apple like move in June when they lowered the price points across the range.

It's also probably too soon for a MBP redesign (which could be used to justify price increases). Maybe they'll drop the 13" Pro? It has come across as a bit of a black sheep with Apple not seemingly knowing where to place it within the line up. I always thought a 15" MacBook (plastic) would have fitted in better than a 13" Pro.

Or maybe they'll lower the price of the MacBook when they introduce new MacBook Pros? But this runs the risk of further clashes on price/value and specs.

So, how do you think Apple will bring back the clear price and spec differences?

I think they'll boost the specs of the 13" MacBook Pro to justify the spec overtake of the MacBook.
Maybe make a 320GB standard in them, or just the 250GB.
They'd more than likely have 4GB as standard across the Pro range.
Also, I think we'll see new NVidia discrete graphics as standard across the range. Something from the GTX 200 series would be nice, but who knows?
I hope that Intel and NVidia settle their differences before we get new Core i5/i7's so that we can have an NVidia chipset. Although, it might not matter too much, cause that'd pretty much force Apple to put discrete in the 13 incher, which I'm really not arguing against!
Oh yeah, that could be another way they seperate.
Core 2 in the MacBook, Core i5 in 13" and 15" with Core i7 as an option for top end 15" and Core i7 standard in 17".
Then again, I don't really care too much. So long as by Christmas the price is justified for the 13", so that I don't feel like I'm spending money on just the aluminium case and a hard drive downgrade.