MacRumors

Gartner has published a preliminary report on U.S. and worldwide PC shipments for the third quarter of 2008. The report pegs Apple's share of quarterly U.S. PC shipments at 9.5%, up from 7.7% in the third quarter of 2007. Apple's U.S. shipments increased 29.4% year-over-year, far outpacing the total industry shipment growth of 4.6%.

Apple traditionally demonstrates particularly solid performance in the back-to-school third quarter due to their strong presence in the education market. While this typically results in a drop in market share for the fourth quarter of each calendar year, Apple's overall trend is clearly positive.

Despite continued strong performance in the U.S. market, Apple has yet to crack the top five vendors for worldwide shipments. Toshiba continues to hold the fifth spot with a 4.6% market share in a worldwide PC market that experienced 15% growth in shipments year-over-year.

Apple has posted the Quicktime video stream of today's Notebook release event. Apple released a number of new products at today's event:

- Apple Announces New MacBook Pros, Updates MacBook Air
- Apple Announces New Aluminum MacBooks
- Apple Introduces 24" LED Cinema Display with Built-in iSight

Most of the pre-event rumors correlated with the announcements. We'll post a detailed rumor wrapup in the next few days.

At their Notebook Media event today, Apple announced new 15" MacBook Pros with improved graphics performance, and glass Multi-Touch trackpads.

Starting at $1,999, the MacBook Pro uses the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors available, running up to 2.8 GHz, and a new graphics architecture that allows users to switch between the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics processor for better battery life and the powerful NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT discrete graphics processor for higher performance.

Features include:

- Unibody enclosure
- Mini DisplayPort for Video out
- Two NVIDIA graphics chipsets: 9400M and 9600M GT
- Instant-on LED-backlit displays
- Glass Multi-Touch trackpad with new Multi-Touch gestures
- User accessible hard drive

The new MacBook Pros will provide the following price points:

- $1999. 15.4" Glossy Display, 2.4GHz, 2GB RAM, NVIDIA 9400M + 9600M, 250GB HD.
- $2499. 15.4" Glossy Display, 2.53GHz, 4GB RAM, NVIDIA 9400M + 9600M, 320GB HD.

More details available at http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/. The new MacBook Pro is available immediately.

Apple also provided a quiet update to the 17" MacBook Pro:

The updated 17-inch MacBook Pro keeps its original aluminum design, and now comes standard with a high resolution 1920 x 1200 LED-backlit display and a larger 320GB hard drive or an optional 128GB solid state drive.

And also upgraded some of the features of the MacBook Air:

MacBook Air, measuring only 0.16-inches at its thinnest point, 0.76-inches at its maximum height and weighing just three pounds, now includes new NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics and a faster architecture to provide robust support for 3D games and enhanced performance. Starting at $1,799, MacBook Air is available with a 120GB 4200 rpm hard drive, a 50 percent increase from the previous generation, or a new 128GB solid state drive.

Photos and Updates

- Photos of MacBook Pro removable hard drive and battery
- MacBook Pro photos/hands on: one, two
- Glass Trackpad impressions: "You'll never accidentally click it while moving your fingers around the trackpad to navigate across your computer. It's resistant enough to not click while you're using it for tracking, but easy enough to click while deliberately clicking."

At their Notebook Media event today, Apple announced two new MacBook models which have adopted new all-metal enclosures, improved graphics performance, and glass Multi-Touch trackpads.

Apple has invented a whole new way of building notebooks from a single block of aluminum. And, just as important, they are the industrys greenest notebooks, said Steve Jobs, Apples CEO. The new MacBooks offer incredible features our users will love like their stunning all-metal design, great 3D graphics and LED backlit displaysat prices up to $700 less than before.

Features include:

- Unibody enclosure
- Mini DisplayPort for Video out
- NVIDIA graphics
- Instant-on LED-backlit displays
- Glass Multi-Touch trackpad with new Multi-Touch gestures

The old low-end $1099 MacBook will remain in Apple's product line, add a SuperDrive, and fall to $999, while the new MacBooks will provide the following price points:

- $1299. 13.3" Glossy Display, 2.0GHz, 2GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, 160GB HD.
- $1599. 13.3" Glossy Display, 2.4GHz, 2GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, 250GB HD.

There appears to be no Firewire port as previously discussed. More details available at http://www.apple.com/macbook/. The new MacBook is currently shipping in 1-3 business days from the online store and should be available in retail stores tomorrow.

Photos and Updates

- MacBook photos/hands on: one, two, three
- Glass Trackpad impressions: "You'll never accidentally click it while moving your fingers around the trackpad to navigate across your computer. It's resistant enough to not click while you're using it for tracking, but easy enough to click while deliberately clicking."

Confirming last minute rumors, Apple introduced their first LED-based Cinema Display today.

The new LED Cinema Display is the most advanced display that Apple has ever made, said Philip Schiller, Apples senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. It is a perfect fit for our sleek new line of aluminum MacBooks with its 24-inch LED-backlit screen, aluminum and glass enclosure, integrated camera, mic and speakers, MagSafe charger, three USB ports and Mini DisplayPort.

The 24" LED Cinema Display adds a built-in iSight video camera, mic and speakers. Other features include:

- Mini DisplayPort
- MagSafe connector that powers and charges your new MacBook.
- Three self-powered USB ports
- 1920x1200 resolution
- LED screen

The new screen is priced at $899 and will be available in November and requires a new MacBook, MacBook Pro or MacBook Air with the Mini DisplayPort connector. More details can be found at http://www.apple.com/displays/

Photos and Updates

- Photos/hands on: one, two, three

Some last minute images showing off the bottom of the new Apple notebook cases and removable battery. Last night, we saw a number of credible details about Apple's expected announcements today:

- More Apple Notebook Details: Clickable Glass Trackpad, GPUs, Pricing
- MacBook Pros with Hybrid SLI, Extra Long Battery? MacBook Announcement?
- Apple's New $899 Product is an LED Display and Not a MacBook

The Apple notebook media event starts at 10AM Pacific, 1PM Eastern. The Apple Store has already gone down for updates. Live keynote coverage can be followed at the following links:

- Gizmodo.com
- Engadget.com
- ArsTechnica
- Macworld

We'll be providing Twitter updates as well as providing summary updates to this news story. MacRumorsLive will return at Macworld San Francisco 2009.

Event Updates

- Event Started. Jobs intros Tim Cook to talk about state of the Mac. 2.5 million Macs sold last qtr. growing 2-3x the rate of the market.
- Cook attributes Mac growth to better computers, software, compatibility (bootcamp), poor Vista reception, Mac v PC ads, and retail stores.
- Jobs intros Jon Ive: challenge of building MacBook Pro both strong and thin. MB Air introed new techniques. Start with 1 pc of aluminum.
- Been working on new Uni-body enclosures.
- Back to Jobs: NVIDIA approached Apple re new chipset. GeForce 9400M. 15 parallel cores. 54 gigaflops.
- MultiTouch Glass trackpad. "silky smooth travel" Entire trackpad a button. 39% larger. new 4 finger gestures. multi-buttons via software.
- New MacBook Pro:glass screen, thin display, connectors on one side, glass trackpad, uni-body enclosure, mini display port, next-gen graphics
- Both GeForce 9400M (integrated) and 9600M GT (discrete) in MBP. 5hrs battery w. 9400M. 4hrs w. 9600M. Battery indicator on side of MBP. (that was the mystery port)
- $1999, 15.4" LED display, 2.4GHz, 2GB RAM. 256MB VRAM, 250GB HD, SuperDrive; $2499, 2.53GHz, 4GB RAM, 512MB VRAM, 320GB HD. SuperDrive.
- MacBook Air update: 9400M in Air. 120GB HD. 128 SSD Option.Same processor speeds as before. mini display port. Also, new 24" LED Cinema Display
- Air prices $1799, $2499. LED Display: $899. Both avail in November. MacBook Pros shipping today. Dropping current MacBook to $999.
- New MacBooks: same features as MBP. Metal enclosure, faster graphics, LED display, glass track pad. $1299, 2GHz; $1599, 2.4GHz; both 13.3"
- MacBooks should be in stores tomorrow. New Apple 24" LED has iSight, speakers, Magsafe to charge notebook, 1920x1200 pixel rez.
- Q/A session: no blu-ray yet, complex licensing issues; glossy only option on laptops "You offset the reflection by the brightness".

Daring Fireball confirms the leaked MacBook Pro photos from earlier this evening and adds some intriguing details about the new notebook.

Specifically, Gruber confirms that the new MacBook Pros will have "buttonless" trackpad which is made of glass. However, it appears the entire trackpad is one large button:

The new trackpad is similar to the Airs, in that it is bigger and supports additional multi-touch gestures. But unlike the Airs, the MacBook Pros new trackpad is made of glass, and is a button itself. You just press and it clicks.

In addition, he confirms what some have suspected -- that the new MacBook Pro is not available in matte-finish, only glossy. There will be no new 17" MacBook Pro immediately available, and it's unclear when/if it will be revised. The existing 17" model will still remain on sale but with increased storage/RAM options.

Gruber also confirms that regular MacBooks will be revised and that Engadget's footnote is wrong. The MacBook will contain the same buttonless trackpad and similar case design as the new MacBook Pros. MacBook Airs will be updated with a larger 120GB hard drive and larger 128GB SSD option. He also confirms our report about an $899 24" LED Apple Cinema Display.

CPU speeds are expected to remain about the same across all models, however, the MacBooks will benefit from improved graphics performance with built in NVIDIA 9400M GPUs. MacBook Pros will also contain a dedicated 9600M GT GPU, which should provide a large performance benefit as we've previously detailed.

Finally, Gruber addresses the pricing confusion from today. Apple apparently will only be offering two new MacBook configurations

- $1299: 2.0 GHz, 2 GB memory, 160 GB disk
- $1499: 2.4 GHz, 2 GB memory, 250 GB disk

The existing $1099 2.1GHz MacBook model will apparently remain to fill a $999 price slot but will not have the advantages of the new machines. Gruber was the first to accurately predict the October 14th announcement date for the new Apple notebooks.

MacNN adds more details and confirmation that the leaked MacBook Pro photos are legitimate. They are also able to add a few additional tidbits which tie together some of the circulating reports.

Most noteworthy is that the new MacBook Pro will support Hybrid SLI from NVIDIA. NVIDIA describes the technology:

Hybrid SLI technology, based on NVIDIAs industry-leading SLI technology, delivers multi-GPU (graphics processing unit) benefits when an NVIDIA motherboard GPU is combined with an NVIDIA discrete GPU. Hybrid SLI increases graphics performance with GeForce Boost and provides intelligent power management with HybridPower.

Such a configuration will also be beneficial when Apple introduces OpenCL with Snow Leopard in 2009. OpenCL will allow applications to offload processing to GPUs.

Other features described for the new MacBook Pros include speeds up to 2.8GHz, improved wireless connectivity, 7200 RPM hard drives, HD displays, 128GB SSD option, user-serviceable hard drive and an extra long battery.

MacNN also confirms that Firewire will be a feature reserved for MacBook Pros and the MacBooks will not contain Firewire. However, they do believe that MacBooks will be announced during the event, despite a curious footnote by Engadget indicating otherwise.

Readers should note that the price list represents products currently in-transit to the Apple Store. As a result, those products should have near immediate availability. The low end MacBook appears to be absent from that list, which may mean it will not ship until later. At this point, we don't know what the price of the entry level MacBook will be.

Separately, we have heard that the new DisplayPort technology will support an adapter for Dual-Link DVI to be able to drive existing Apple's 30" monitors.

Based on information we've gathered it seems the $899 product (K29, MB382LL/A) that has appeared on Apple's product lists is likely an LED Apple Cinema Display and not a low-end MacBook.

AppleInsider also confirms that new displays with a DisplayPort connector and MagSafe adapters are likely to arrive. The rumor site also believes the $899 product is likely a 24" Cinema Display.

This throws some doubt into the remainder of the analysis for the part numbers that were leaked.

Update: It should be noted that the $1299 presumed MacBook price point is labeled "Better" so it represents the mid range price for the MacBook. We still don't know what the entry level MacBook price will be.

Engadget posts two photos of what appears to be the new MacBook Pro. The new Macbook Pro has a black bezel similar to the iMac. Also, of note is that there are no buttons on the MacBook Pro trackpad, indicating the use of a "tap" system instead.

...that "metal and glass" enclosure now houses an NVIDIA GPU, but no FireWire 400, and video-out is apparently through a connector "more compact" than MicroDVI.

There are said to be two NVIDIA GPUs inside, indicating both integrated and discrete graphics chipsets.

They have since updated and say that the MacBook and 17" MacBook Pro will not be refreshed tomorrow and that the notebook containts "two full-on NVIDIA GPUs". While no 17" MacBook Pro would not necessarily be a surprise, it's hard to believe the MacBook will not be updated tomorrow.

Update: Confirmed legitimate by AppleInsider.

Two sets of part numbers are circulating around the web tonight.

The first set is from Best Buy which show placeholders for new Apple notebooks at current prices. While some people are using this as a reason to doubt price drops on the new laptops, we should point out that a BestBuy employee has said that they have no prior knowledge from Apple and Best Buy employees insert these placeholders based on circulating rumors. Therefore, Best Buy part numbers have no predictive value whatsoever.

The second set of part numbers is more interesting and perhaps more plausible. These numbers were posted (via Zollotech) to an anonymous Blogspot account and claim to represent shipping part numbers to Apple's retail stores.

While Apple does send out these last minute shipping notices to their retail stores, we have not yet been able to confirm or deny their existence (Update: See below).

Here are the part numbers and prices into what we believe is the most likely breakdown, though we are adding our own speculation into the raw numbers:

- K29, MB382LL/A $899.00 - MacBook? LED Apple Display?
- M97, MB466LL/A $1,299.00 - MacBook
- M97, MB467LL/A $1,599.00 - MacBook
- M96, MB543LL/A $1,799.00 - MacBook Air
- M96, MB940LL/A $2,499.00 - MacBook Air
- M98, MB470LL/A $1,999.00 - 15" MacBook Pro
- M98, MB471LL/A $2,499.00 - 15" MacBook Pro
- M88, MB766LL/A $2,799.00 - 17" MacBook Pro

The $899 price corresponds to analyst predictions that Apple could be dropping the entry-level price of the MacBook. However, if these numbers are true, it contradicts previous claims of an $800 Apple laptop. It also introduces a rather large $400 price gap between the low end models. The $899 product appears to be a 24" LED Apple Display.

If Apple does introduce a $899 low end MacBook, analyst research suggests that it will increase the addressable notebook market by nearly 50% in terms of revenue.

We expect more information should trickle in as we approach the launch event.

Update: Boy Genius Report verifies that these prices are found in Apple's retail inventory from a "trusted" source.

Apple will be holding a special media event on Tuesday, October 14th at 10AM Pacific in Cupertino, California.

Apple has made it clear that the event will focus on notebook computers. In addition, a leaked Apple support document confirms that "late 2008" MacBooks and MacBook Pros will be amongst the products announced. While there's been no definite word about MacBook Air updates, it seems reasonable to expect that MacBook Airs could also be updated to latest Intel processors.

The October 14th date was first reported by DaringFireball's John Gruber.

MacBooks and MacBook Pros

Apple last updated both the MacBooks and MacBook Pros in February of this year. The MacBook update was a bit of a surprise as the product line had just been refreshed 5 months prior. Rumors suggested that this represented an interim update to keep the MacBook in line with the current Intel processors and that more substantial updates would come later in the year.

AppleInsider first reported in April that the new notebooks would see "major design changes" to bring it closer to the MacBook Air and iMac designs.

Case Leaks

There have been a surprising number of case photo leaks from Taiwanese and Chinese sites over the past few months. The first leak from Apple.pro in July claimed to show a tapered MacBook Pro bottom and top. Though we were initially skeptical of the leak, AppleInsider has confirmed that it is legitimate. Apple.pro later posted photos of the top and bottom of the MacBook cases as well as a a video, though the authenticity of these images are still in doubt.

The most convincing leak came just days ago from MacX.cn. Case images of both MacBook and MacBook Pro were detailed from many different angles and are believed to be real. The images suggest that the MacBook will not include a Firewire port.

Brick, Glass, Two Tone

9to5Mac seems to be standing alone with these rumors, which have not been corroborated by any other sources. After weeks of speculation about the "brick" codename, 9to5Mac believes that this refers to the manufacturing process for the new notebooks. Other claims have included the use of a glass trackpad and the use of both plastic and aluminum to produce a two-tone appearance in the MacBook.

While 9to5Mac has had accuracy with iPod rumors in the past, they were somewhat misguided in their Rainbow iPod rumor.

NVIDIA

Perhaps one of the most welcome changes to the Apple MacBook will be the rumored inclusion of NVIDIA chipsets and GPUs. The NVIDIA chipsets are said to provide a smaller footprint and significantly better graphics performance when compared to Intel's offerings.

Other Possibilities

- $800 Apple Laptop?
- Networked HDTV from Apple
- Blu Ray support from Kevin Rose, though we heard that Rose described his source as a "bad" one during the taping, so didn't offer much confidence in the possiblity
- One image later posted to the MacX.cn photo set depicts what the MacBook Pro would look like with a trackpad and keyboard in place. This is a confirmed Photoshop mockup and does not represent the actual product.
- While there have been reports of Best Buy part lists showing the same price points, we've been told that Best Buy has no knowledge of upcoming Apple products and insert these placeholders based on circulating rumors.
- PCPer.com: MacBook Air shown but not available until January 2009

Apparently, a new MacBook Air will be announced and shown at the event but it won't be available until January 2009. The MacBook and MacBook Pro will be available almost immediately.

Coverage

We'll be providing SMS/Twitter coverage for the event at http://twitter.com/macrumors. To follow MacRumors news stories on Twitter, follow http://twitter.com/macrumorsrss.

We will provide links to live text and photo coverage of the event as it approaches. There is no live video stream available, but Apple will likely post a video online after the event. If you prefer to watch the video without prior knowledge of the announcements you can sign up for Spoiler Free coverage.

The recently leaked MacBook and MacBook Pro case images have spawned a 1400+ post discussion thread. One of the most debated issues is the analysis of the ports on the side of the upcoming Apple laptops. The two laptop enclosures photographed actually show two different port arrangements, which has caused some confusion.

The larger (presumed MacBook Pro) enclosure contains an additional port which is believed to be a Firewire port:

While the Magsafe connector is not shown on this image, the remainder of the ports are believed to be (from right to left): Ethernet, Firewire, USB 1, USB 2, Video Out, Audio Jack, Headphones, Express Slot, and possible additional port (covered by tape).

This photo of the presumed MacBook enclosure shows the following ports from (right to left): Magsafe, Ethernet, USB 1, USB 2, Video Out, Audio Jack, Headphones.

If these images are believed to represent the upcoming machines, that would mean that Apple has eliminated Firewire support from the MacBook (but not MacBook Pro). Firewire (also known as IEEE 1394) is a common method for connecting external hard drives and digital camcorders to Macs. One interesting possibility mentioned, however, is that the newest Firewire specification does allow for the use of Firewire over Ethernet connectors, but Apple would have to specifically support this implementation. If they did, then users could theoretically use Firewire devices using a special adapter to connect to the Ethernet plug.

Other points of debate which have not found any consensus include:

- The exact video out plug standard. Though it may simply be an Apple-proprietary plug that requires a special adapter.
- The presence of a possible additional port on the MacBook Pro enclosure. Some have suggested that this could predict the iMac docking station in which a notebook would slide into an iMac-shaped dock. While the presence of a right sided optical drive would fit nicely with this design, this possibility still seems improbable.

Apple has published a support document (PDF) specifically for the "MacBook/MacBook Pro (Late 2008)" models. Besides the name, the document is not especially revealing. It appears to be a service document when replacing the display on the new MacBooks.

Before installing the replacement display, install the AirPort card on the display assembly. The display assembly does not come with the AirPort card installed.

Apple will be announcing the new MacBook and MacBook Pro on Tuesday, October 14th at a special media event.

MacHome.com.cn has posted a series of higher quality images of the new MacBook and MacBook Pro cases that were originally posted last week. While there had been some doubts about the details of the blurry photo, these new images show every angle of both the MacBook and MacBook Pro cases.

Additional photos depict the left, right, and underside of the cases. A few observations

- The optical drive appears to be on the right side (when facing the laptop)
- All the ports are on the left side (when facing the laptop)
- Case does not appear to be tapered like the MacBook Air
- Power button is in the far top right corner
- Large trackpad like the MacBook Air
- Appears to be "latchless"
- No Firewire port on MacBook?

Appleinsider reports that they have "confirmed" that the new MacBooks will utilize NVIDIA's new MCP79 platform. While Intel will continue to supply the main processor for Apple's notebooks, the underlying support chips will be made by NVIDIA:

Kept uncharacteristically secret by NVIDIA for most of the year, the MCP79 platform is so far considered a substitute for Intel's Centrino 2 "Montevina" platform, offering support for the same 1066MHz front side bus, optional DDR3 memory and PCI Express 2.0 interfaces.

AppleInsider lists several design advantages over Intel's chipset, including:

- Smaller physical size using one chip rather than two
- DriveCache, which uses Flash storage to speed up boot times
- Hybrid SLI which switches from discrete to integrated graphics when battery is low

Apple may or may not choose to take advantage of these technologies, but the option exists. The biggest advantage in using the NVIDIA chipset, however, will be its enhanced graphics capabilities.

NVIDIA is believed to use a new set of GeForce 9300 and 9400 series integrated GPUs which "will theoretically blow past" the Intel integrated graphics chipsets that currently power Apple's MacBooks. Still, the integrated graphics chipsets will lag behind the dedicated ones that are used in Apple's higher-end notebooks. The use of NVIDIA chipsets will also be of importance when Apple releases Snow Leopard, which will be able to offload general processing onto GPUs.

More rumors are trickling out in the days before Apple's notebook media event scheduled on October 14th, 2008.

EdibleApple reports that Kevin Rose revealed a new rumor at a live recording of the Diggnation podcast (not yet available). According to the report Rose said that the new MacBooks will support Blu-Ray drives.

Meanwhile, Jason Calacanis founder of Weblogs, Inc, claims that Apple is working on a networked television.

These LCD HDTVs will be fully networked, with the ability to stream all your iTunes content from your Mac or PC. In fact, Calacanis told me they'll function like a standard TV with an Apple TV box, only without the need for the box.

Weblogs, Inc was the original parent company for Engadget and was sold to AOL for an estimated $25 million in 2005.

Rose was recently quite accurate in his iPod and iTunes predictions for Apple's September event. We've never heard a previous rumor from Calacanis, so it's unknown how accurate his sources tend to be.