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Notebook Refresh to Be Highlight of WWDC, Non-Retina MacBook Pro to Continue?

Sunday April 28, 2013 6:07 am PDT by Eric Slivka
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has issued a new report forecasting that the product highlight of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), which kicks off on June 10, will be the introduction of new models of the company's MacBook Pro and MacBook Air lines based on Intel's latest Haswell processors. The projection is in line with previous reports from Kuo and other sources, as well as recent claims that Apple will begin ramping up production of the new models in mid-May.

macbook_pro_and_retina
On the MacBook Pro side, Kuo is reversing his earlier predictions suggesting that 2013 would see Apple discontinue the non-Retina MacBook Pro lineup and shift consumers to the slimmer and more expensive Retina line introduced at last year's WWDC. Kuo believes that continued strength of non-Retina MacBook Pro models, particularly the 13-inch line, have led Apple to continue producing the non-Retina lineup for the time being.
Contrary to our previous projection, we now think Apple will continue to make the MacBook Pro alongside the MacBook Air and Retina MacBook Pro because the 13” MacBook Pro remains the most popular product in the MacBook line. Also, there is still demand in emerging markets, where Internet penetration isn’t advanced, for optical disk drives.
Kuo believes that the updated versions of the non-Retina MacBook Pro could begin shipping very soon after WWDC, but that the new Retina MacBook Pro models will begin shipping somewhat later due to production bottlenecks on the displays.

For the MacBook Air, Kuo also believes that the new models will be introduced at WWDC and ship very soon after, but he indicates that Apple is unlikely to include Retina displays in the updated lineup. He believes that cost, thickness, and production concerns will continue to keep Retina displays out of Apple's lowest-cost and thinnest notebook line for the time being.

Related Roundups: MacBook Air, MacBook Pro
Tags: KGI Securities, Ming-Chi Kuo
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Air (Neutral), MacBook Pro (Don't Buy)
[ 519 comments ]


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justperry
79 months ago

Disappointing. Very disappointing. No rMBA. Delayed Haswell rMBP. And the cMBP will continue in production. I hope Kuo is wrong this time.


Does that hurt you, NO, plenty of people still want an optical drive and plenty of people still use wired network.

I think it is actually excellent news.
Rating: 85 Votes
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Nathan20
79 months ago
There was me hoping iOS 7 would be the highlight of WWDC...
Rating: 48 Votes
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Simplicated
79 months ago
There, stopped reading right at "analyst". Until there is substantial evidence, I have learnt to turn a deaf ear to analysts' predictions.
Rating: 46 Votes
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orangebluedevil
79 months ago

There, stopped reading right at "analyst". Until there is substantial evidence, I have learnt to turn a deaf ear to analysts' predictions.


Not sure of you point because I stopped reading after you said "stopped reading". I'd be an idiot to listen to someone that didn't even read the article.
Rating: 26 Votes
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WildCowboy
79 months ago

There, stopped reading right at "analyst". Until there is substantial evidence, I have learnt to turn a deaf ear to analysts' predictions.

Kuo is one analyst you should listen to. He isn't always right, but he's pretty darn good.

Among his correct predictions: 1) That the Retina MacBook Pro would appear alongside non-Retina models instead of as a replacement, 2) Discontinuation of the 17" MacBook Pro, 3) October launch for 13" Retina MacBook Pro, 4) The minor internal tweak to the Apple TV earlier this year.
Rating: 25 Votes
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leftywamumonkey
79 months ago
What about the Mac Pro?
Rating: 25 Votes
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HishamAkhtar
79 months ago

If apple doesn't announce iOS 7
I will move to android and lose all hope in apple
They have billions and they have no excuses to delay anything. If they disapoint
It's doom for apple


Cook is quoted saying iOS 7 and OSX 10.9 will be previewed at WWDC. Relax.
Rating: 25 Votes
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Andy-V
79 months ago

If apple doesn't announce iOS 7


They will. That much is a fact. Whether it'll be an interesting update or not remains to be seen though.
Rating: 24 Votes
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AQUADock
79 months ago

So my two cMBPs aren't obsolete then?


So when an item goes out of production it suddenly turns obsolete? You do realize what obsolete means right?
Rating: 17 Votes
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photographypro
79 months ago
a 17 month laptop shouldn't be obsolete!

Bought my 15" MacBook Pro in November 2011, and the Retina wasn't available. I was disappointed when the Retina came out, until I researched it. No optical drive (I burn DVDs for clients, as well as enjoy watching and copying my DVDs). Non upgradeable drive or memory. Also, while most software has been upgraded to Retina, there is still work to do.

My total investment was under $1950, including tax, and that includes 16GB of RAM, a hybrid Momentus XT 750 GB drive which combines FLASH with a 7200 rpm drive with 6 Gigabit Link Speed. Mine is a Quad Core 2.2 i7. Current non-Retinas are 2.3, and the current 15" Retina starts at 2.4, which processor is only 9% faster than mine, and only 4% faster than today's non-Retina.

If you do both of the above upgrades on a non-Retina today, the upgrades cost about $200 TOTAL, which keeps the price under $2000 INCLUDING the upgrades, and you have a 2.3 instead of a 2.4 processor Quad Core i7.

Try configuring a 15" Retina with 16GB of ram, an optical drive, and at least 750GB of storage. Any modified Retina MUST be ordered through Apple, so you have to pay sales tax. Total price before tax is $3178, and in California it would cost me $3464 with tax.

Is it faster? Yes.

Is it worth over $1500 extra? I think not.
Rating: 15 Votes

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