Wait for Next Years 2018 MacBook Pro Update if You Can

[fokmik]

It would be good to see a 6 core MacBook Pro, i'm waiting until 2018 to see what happens. I wonder if they will be updated at WWDC or later tho, would be nice to see a April - March update but i doubt it.

My editing habits are changing from iMovie for simple and quick edits to Final Cut Pro X next year.

i wonder if a 6C will help the mac to run even cooler and quieter

 

[deeddawg]

The iPhone was the first attempt to integrate a phone and computer, not the third or fourth.

Palm, Handspring, and Blackberry were all thoroughly in that space well before the first iphone came out. Nokia Symbian OS was in the space though far more phone than smartphone or integration with a computer.

What Apple did, though, was be the first to integrate things in a fairly clean and easy to use manner, making it accessible to Joe & Jane User.

Kind of how they took over the extant (Dell/Microsoft) hard-drive-based MP3 player market years ago. They made the device easy to use for the non-techie folks who make up the vast majority of the buying public.

 

[jerryk]

Palm, Handspring, and Blackberry were all thoroughly in that space well before the first iphone came out. Nokia Symbian OS was in the space though far more phone than smartphone or integration with a computer.

What Apple did, though, was be the first to integrate things in a fairly clean and easy to use manner, making it accessible to Joe & Jane User.

Kind of how they took over the extant (Dell/Microsoft) hard-drive-based MP3 player market years ago. They made the device easy to use for the non-techie folks who make up the vast majority of the buying public.

Good point. And Dell and other Windows vendors had their Windows phones based on Windows Mobile which first appeared in 2003, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Mobile_2003. Prior to the iPhone in 2007, Windows Mobile was the most popular smartphone OS.

 

[ixxx69]

Palm, Handspring, and Blackberry were all thoroughly in that space well before the first iphone came out. Nokia Symbian OS was in the space though far more phone than smartphone or integration with a computer.

What Apple did, though, was be the first to integrate things in a fairly clean and easy to use manner, making it accessible to Joe & Jane User.

Kind of how they took over the extant (Dell/Microsoft) hard-drive-based MP3 player market years ago. They made the device easy to use for the non-techie folks who make up the vast majority of the buying public.

Good info, but my reply was addressing the reply I quoted that stated the iPhone was Apple's third or fourth attempt at the phone.

 

[jerryk]

Good info, but my reply was addressing the reply I quoted that stated the iPhone was Apple's third or fourth attempt at the phone.

Apple had tried several times to get iPod functionality onto phones. They did a joint effort with Motorola in the 2005 for the Rockr . And I believe had similar efforts with someone in Japan with another phone vendor. The goal was to increase iTunes sales.

 

[ixxx69]

Apple had tried several times to get iPod functionality onto phones. They did a joint effort with Motorola in the 2005 for the Rockr . And I believe had similar efforts with someone in Japan with another phone vendor. The goal was to increase iTunes sales.

That has nothing to do with your original point... Apple licensed iTunes to Motorola, they had virtually nothing to do with the development and were quite unenthusiastic about it from the accounts I recall.

But you guys can carry on with this argumentive nonsense without me... just gets so old.

 

[Amanda84]

Thanks for all the great information. If I’m just using the computer for every day use, maybe some photoshop editing would it matter for me to wait? I don’t know if I should wait. My husband just bought me the mid 2017 model and I don’t know if I should just keep it or if there will be major changes. Thanks so much!

Yesterday, Apple launched new updates to the MacBook Pro. This is 8 to 9 months after the 2016 release. The 2017 MacBook Pro's include the new 7th generation Intel Kabylake processors, faster graphics and SSDs. If you are coming from a 2015 MacBook Pro, they might be relatively substantial. Apart from these internal upgrades, the external design remains the same, which includes in the butterfly keyboard, touch bar and large trackpad. Users who were hoping for 32 GBs of RAM, might actually have to wait a bit longer to see that option.

Which brings me to my main point. The 2017 spec update keeps the MacBook Pro current for the next 8 to 9 months, but it feels like a possible lay over for something bigger. Intel's 8th generation processor update is called Coffeelake, which will be ready this coming August. Knowing Apple, certain parts won't be ready right away, but its still based on the 14 NM process. Which means, it probably won't take too long for possible parts to become available within 8 months of its release. Based on reports from Foxconn insiders, Apple started assembling the 2017 MacBook Pros in February. Testing and evaluation was probably three months early (the same time the 2016 models were coming to market).

So, Apple is likely to get suitable Coffeelake parts to test at least three months after launch, which is around October 2017. Assembly, will likely start a few months later, around January 2018, which give or take could mean, we might not see the 2018 MacBook Pro until around April, March, the earliest. I don't think Apple wants to do WWDC with the type of hardware launch they did this week. Its just too much information and planning required.

It just seems unreasonable for Apple to wait another year to update the MacBook Pro again. So, my best estimates is April 2018 for the next update. There is also the iMac Pro of course, which means, Apple could intentionally delay further MacBook Pro updates so they can give iMac Pro room to shine. There is a larger picture behind why Apple could do rapid succession of updates to its hardware line.

iPhone 2018 - September 2017
iMac Pro - December 2017 (4 months later)
MacBook Pro/iPad Pro - April 2018 (4 months later)

What would be the reason for waiting? Apart from being another spec update: AR and VR.

The 2018 MacBook Pro would be the first real taste of VR in an Apple notebook line natively for game play, video editing and software development. It would be the first Apple notebook to seriously show off High Sierra too and features such as Metal, Machine Learning, ARKit. Apple would also want a family of devices that are VR/AR ready for sure.

If these things are important to you, then, waiting might be worth it. Also, if you want to get the best bang for your buck, it would be best way to go.

At the end of the day, if you need a notebook now, might as well get it. If you can care what have and stretch it out to next year, you can be rewarded. If things like DDR4 32 GBs of RAM matter to you, then you are not gonna get that until 2019 MacBook Pro.

 

[jerry70450]

Thanks for all the great information. If I’m just using the computer for every day use, maybe some photoshop editing would it matter for me to wait? I don’t know if I should wait. My husband just bought me the mid 2017 model and I don’t know if I should just keep it or if there will be major changes. Thanks so much!

If you need a computer now, then use it and sell it later for a higher resell value. Or else keep it in its packaging and sell it for a higher price now.

 

[Amanda84]

Hey Jerry, thanks for the reply. So if I open this one and use it I could still re-sell it at a good price? I just don’t know if the new 2018 will really be different in the areas I need since I’m not using it for a ton, just photoshop and pictures/web browsing. Thanks for your help!

If you need a computer now, then use it and sell it later for a higher resell value. Or else keep it in its packaging and sell it for a higher price now.

 

[jerry70450]

Hey Jerry, thanks for the reply. So if I open this one and use it I could still re-sell it at a good price? I just don’t know if the new 2018 will really be different in the areas I need since I’m not using it for a ton, just photoshop and pictures/web browsing. Thanks for your help!

Why don't you head to ebay and see?

 

[RandomDSdevel]

To quote myself from the 'What Do You Want to See From Apple in 2018?' thread:

…Here's my top wish for 2018: a return of the 17-inch MacBook Pro, with the option for a matte display. Give it at least 4 each of USB Type-A and Type-C ports, the latter all with integrated Thunderbolt 3. Slap in an HDMI port (or maybe even two.) Legacy ports I can get from accessories. Pack the most powerful CPU and GPU and the most RAM you can fit in it at the top build-to-order tier. Restore the function keys' row to the keyboard on models with the Touch Bar, which should also be offered as an option on all models, but not made mandatory. If possible, fit a full-sized keyboard on it, including navigation keys, number pad, extra function keys, and backlighting. Sell it in at least the colors you do MacBook Pros now (Silver and Space Gray,) and perhaps additionally Space Black, White (as a throwback to the iBooks, of course,) Gold, and/or Rose Gold. As for the rest of the MacBook family, I think an overlapping tiered strategy would do nicely with respect to model options: an 11- and 13-inch MacBook Air, a 13- and 15-inch MacBook, and a 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pro (or they could do 12 and 14 inches on the Air, at least a 14-incher with the plain MacBook, perhaps adding in one of the other two sizes, and a 14- and a 16-inch Pro.) …

In any case, I sorely need a laptop…three to four years ago, but I'll not bother anybody overly much with my own personal financial irritations. Anything that could run an OS version higher than OS X v10.11.6 'El Capitan' and Xcode v8.2.1 would be better than this clunky old mid-2007 aluminum iMac that I currently still have to share with my family (thank the stars I have my own external boot drive…)

 

[rafark]

With Jony Ive back in the saddle, here is what I now expect to see in the 2018 MacBook Pro:

- Return of Magsafe
- Return of an SD card reader
- Smaller Touchpad
- Keyboard with optimum travel, more sturdy and easy to clean
- Touch bar in addition to Function keys
- Previous chassis
- Face ID
- Hey Siri/A10 chip

None of that will happen. Ive is all for minimalism, those things are the exact opposite. If anything, I'd expect an even cleaner mac book.

 

[MBX]

With Jony Ive back in the saddle, here is what I now expect to see in the 2018 MacBook Pro:

- Return of Magsafe
- Return of an SD card reader
- Smaller Touchpad
- Keyboard with optimum travel, more sturdy and easy to clean
- Touch bar in addition to Function keys
- Previous chassis
- Face ID
- Hey Siri/A10 chip

Most of it won't happen and I'm glad because I love the new designs/ minimalism. I would be angry if they went back to 'Previous chassis' because it's so outdated compared to new ones.

Get with time and stop looking back into past. People always hate change in beginning but adapt.

 

[foe84]

It's need vs want. I just got the 13 inch 2017 and I'm sure 2018 model will improve on things but I'm happy with it thus far. And I got the no touch bar as I wasn't totally a fan.

Magsafe-perosnally I'm glad for the change...I took care of my chargers but over time the part connecter to the adapter went and I had to re-solder it. I think the new us c model cable should last and worst case those cables are cheaper than buying a battery adapter. That said it would be nice to have 1 usb port and I'll miss the old projector dongle port.