Apple Product Cycles as of November 2002

Apple (for the last 4 years) has pretty much stuck to a 24-month product cycle for major improvements. A lot of times this means enclosure changes, or significant functionality changes. By this I mean the difference between the clamshell iBook and the 'cubeBook' current iBook, or the difference between the Wallstreet/Lombard/Pismo G3 and the TiBook G4.

Sometimes it's a little longer, sometimes a little shorter, but either way, there should be some distinction made between 'refreshes' like speedbumps or incremental changes (even when (or especially when, like this week, those refreshes come with significant price drops) and real product line changes.

All the talk in recent months has been about when the next refresh will come in given lines, even when those lines (as in the case of the TiBook) are turning two years old. Now I see this as the highest compliment to Apple, since we're not even lusting over imagined new machines so much as we're panting for incremental improvements in Mhz (okay, Ghz) and screen size.

I bought a GigaBook this week because even if Apple came out with new form factors in two months, the TiBook is still the ideal balance between size, screen, and functionality (and now price as well).

Nevertheless, those wanting the biggest surprises come January should go on thinking about the incremental advancements, so the *new* lines will blow you away in the same way that the iMac and TiBook did in 2002 and 2001, respectively.

Kevin Fox
http://fury.com

When I was bored one weekend I actaully made a web site that lists all apple software/hardware updates and when they were last updated.

You can go to: http://homepage.mac.com/jbadcock/mac.html

Ok, ok, so I really need to get out more.

Hope people find it of use!


James.

It's been forever since Apple updated iMovie! All the other iApps are cool but iMovie is why I bought my mac... And it's what I use on a daily basis... Yea I know I should be using Final Cut Pro 3....

[edit: piracy is against the rules]

Kevin

So does this mean that we will see updates to the iMac and Xserve at the start of the year? Powermacs in the middle of the year and Powerbooks and iBooks at the end of the year?

I guess we might see a new iDevice at Macworld if they don't have any other hardware to update. Better be cheaper than an iPod. If they charge that much for a device that does 2 things (originally), I wonder how much they would charge for a PDA or a camera?

Another rumor dry spell, coming off apples recent portable anouncements.

Better find something else to do with my self for the next couple of days!

Before MWSF '03 there is the MacExpo in London on Novemeber 21-23 that could see something announced - software or hardware update!

Does anyone remember if things have been released/announced at previous London MacExpo's?

Food for thought anyway.

can we expect updates to the Imac line and the ipod on January?

that makes 6 months from their previous update.

I can see a Imac 17 line with a high end model with a 19"/ superdrive/ 1ghz or 933mhz g4

What can be updated to the ipod??? anything besides more space?

For starters they could add to the Extras menu. We have a calendar, contacts and game (lame I know, but technically playable). Change the display to a touch sensitive screen with included stylus you could expand to the PalmPod complete with color and sound. LOL ;)

Honestly, I hope they don't because I love the iPod just the way it is. I have the 10 gig for Windows version and it simply Rocks! (Countries! Jazzes! Blues! and Classicals! as well).

I guess it depends on what Apple perceives its market to be for iPod. Personally, if they are going to add a bunch of other functionality to it I would rather see a new device like the iPhone that so many have raved on about. :cool:

[piracy against the rules]

Let's not all forget about the Xraid (RAID server companion to the Xserve) that is due to be released before the year's end, according to SJ at the Xserve release.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how it competes against other RAID solution on the market.