macnn
05/23/2008, 12:25pm, EDT
Friday, May 23rd
Piper: WWDC to bring new iPhone, new MacBooks?
The 3G iPhone will be the focus of the WWDC keynote on June 9th, but it will not dominate completely, say analysts with Piper Jaffray. The new phone is expected to be the highlight of a speech by Apple CEO Steve Jobs, but predictions also say he will spend a portion of time reintroducing the App Store, and the iPhone 2.0 firmware, which should contain a number of features that have yet to be announced. Some developer accounts have pointed to GPS functions, Safari YouTube support, and contact search.
Beyond this Jobs is expected to speak about Mac OS X Leopard, and possibly debut redesigned MacBooks and/or MacBook Pros. The chance of this is rated at 60 percent, as both notebooks have remained mostly unchanged externally since 2006. The Pro in particular is said to resemble the PowerBook G4, which was originally launched in 2003. If Apple does not reveal new notebooks at WWDC, the probability of an announcement is expected to hit 80 percent before the fall, when many students will want new computers.
Filed under: iPhone, Investor, Apple
Other story tags: MacBook, App Store, MacBook Pro, WWDC, WWDC08
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looks
well a bit of weight loss for the Pros wouldn't go amiss - but if it works why fiddle with a good notebook design?
MacBook & MacBook Pro
Both the MacBook's and Macbook Pro are in the middle of their product cycle. I really don't see Apple updating those two computers. Its only been 87 days since being updated and a average update for these computers are 192 days for the MacBook to get updated and 194 days for the MacBook Pro to get updated. Also when they do updated I don't really see Apple doing much redesign to the laptop line other than LED screens for the MacBook and possibly new keyboard layout for MacBook Pro. I think MacBook Pro keyboards will look like the MacBook Air keyboard.
Mac Pros Mid 2008
How about a Mac Pro Mid 2008 :-)
Mac Mini
How about a more powerful redesigned Mac-Mini.
I would buy one!
Displays?
If we're going to talk about what part of their product line hasn't been revamped in a while, the Cinema Displays are the winners in that category.
I'm currently in the market for a display myself, and for the money those displays costs, I can get a better panel for my photographic needs elsewhere. Yes, the ACDs have an excellent look that looks great next to most anything Apple puts out, and the company makes money on them hand-over-fist, but if they were serious about addressing professional needs besides video, they'd look into finding better panels. Some people might want built-in cameras and speakers, but those are things professionals that buy high-end displays don't care too much about.
Most other displays offer benefits like landscape->portrait switching and height adjustment, although they aren't so 'pretty.' However, for my money right now, it's going to be bulkier monitor with a better picture.
Contacts???
How about e-mail search and folders????
OS 10.6?
WWDC has been the platform over the last years where Steve has talked about the next version of the operating system. I remember that he said that 10.5 was the last version that would be done in such a short timespan. So, it is unlikely that he will say anything about 10.6, but it could be interesting the think about what might be in the next OS. The first thing that comes to mind for me is multi-touch support at the OS level for application developers.
Headless iMac
Headless iMac.. 1 or 2 PCIe slots room for 3.5 HD, and 4 ram slots.No, the mac mini doesn't count. The Mac mini is a headless iBook.If Apple were to announce a real Headless iMac.. a successor to the Centris 650.. (High end power, mid range expansion, mid range price - $899 w/ PCIe slot empty/ Intel integrated graphics..... $more w/ graphics card..) I'd buy 2 immediately... jwd
great!
New chips, new chipsets, updated product line. And will they finally have the hard drive user replacable in the MBP? Nah! Why make that easy, when they can make things a little smaller and a little more closed.
Maybe the MacBooks/Pro are headed for non-replacable batteries!
MacBook != MacBook Pro
The MacBook is fiarly fresh, but the MacBook Pro is very long in the tooth right now. They are different designed on different development cycles, so a recent MacBook update does not mean that you won't see a MacBook Pro update at WWDC. In fact, that would be the perfect audience for the Pro lineup. I have my fingers crossed as I could use a new 'Pro model.
Or a MacBook Air bump with a larger hard drive would be nice, too.
-John