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> then it's a short jump from iPhone logic board to iPad. Its arguably an even shorter jump between iPad and MacBook Pro today - the architecture of both produ

by giobox 3y ago

> then it's a short jump from iPhone logic board to iPad. Its arguably an even shorter jump between iPad and MacBook Pro today - the architecture of both products is incredibly similar now. > it's a longer jump to get a cellular capable antenna complex in an all metal (think semi faraday cage) aluminium unibody. You mean just like the aluminium bodies already present on the cellular iPads? Or several generations of iPhone? This excuse doesn't hold either.

jjtheblunt 3y ago
cellular ipads have an RF transparent band on their edges. ipad and iphone also have antenna designs integrated with the body design, which currently is only true for wifi and bluetooth in the above mentioned laptops. are you wanting a plastic band atop the laptop closing screen, to get a cellular capable antenna in an otherwise metal body? perhaps that's just not a priority with enough customers.
- giobox 3y ago
  > are you wanting a plastic band atop the laptop closing screen, to get a cellular capable antenna in an otherwise metal body? I'm almost certain Apple's world class hardware team can integrate a cellular antenna to an aluminum laptop in a way that is visually pleasing, yes. This isn't some insurmountable problem we are positing here.
  - mrguyorama 3y ago
    I mean, that same hardware team designed a fundamentally flawed keyboard to shave like a millimeter from the laptop height.
    - jjtheblunt 3y ago
      that's the industrial design group, which was entirely distinct from the rf hardware world.
  - jjtheblunt 3y ago
    it probably would help if you'd listen to a person from the world class hardware team in question who worked in exactly this world for years, spanning all the devices discussed. that person might have strongly insinuated the law of nature challenges constraining propagation of RF at widely varying frequencies as they are paired with the esthetics challenges from a different group, if you noticed.
    - deleted 3y ago
      [deleted]
    - musicale 3y ago
      The iPad itself and competing MacBook/MacBook Pro-like aluminum laptops from other vendors (Dell, HP, etc.) are existence proofs.
      - jjtheblunt 3y ago
        You didn’t read the discussion of the cellular ipad having the plastic band, or that prioritizing no plastic band is a problem if you want antennas capable for useful cellular reliability
        giobox 3y ago
        No, the cellular iPad and other devices are indeed proof positive. The exact same cellular window solution could be applied in a redesign of the MacBook. No one is disputing aluminium blocks radio waves - the dispute is your constant argument it can’t be done because it would require a giant RF window - there is no reason a future design can’t neatly incorporate an antenna system, just like it has been done on many other aluminium devices - including iPads, iPhones and Apple Watches. Having built 5G systems for hobbyist computer boards (Pi etc), the antenna required is not so very large either. A MacBook is not and has never been a seamless block of aluminium - there are plenty of design choices to be made to help hide or minimise any antennas.
        jjtheblunt 3y ago
- mcculley 3y ago
  > are you wanting a plastic band atop the laptop closing screen, to get a cellular capable antenna in an otherwise metal body? Is this why the LTE capable Apple Watch has a red ring on the crown? I assumed it was just a status cue. Regardless, I would be completely happy with Apple having to make a compromise on the case like they do with the iPad.

by giobox 3y ago

jjtheblunt 3y ago

cellular ipads have an RF transparent band on their edges. ipad and iphone also have antenna designs integrated with the body design, which currently is only true for wifi and bluetooth in the above mentioned laptops. are you wanting a plastic band atop the laptop closing screen, to get a cellular capable antenna in an otherwise metal body? perhaps that's just not a priority with enough customers.

giobox 3y ago
> are you wanting a plastic band atop the laptop closing screen, to get a cellular capable antenna in an otherwise metal body? I'm almost certain Apple's world class hardware team can integrate a cellular antenna to an aluminum laptop in a way that is visually pleasing, yes. This isn't some insurmountable problem we are positing here.
- mrguyorama 3y ago
  I mean, that same hardware team designed a fundamentally flawed keyboard to shave like a millimeter from the laptop height.
  - jjtheblunt 3y ago
    that's the industrial design group, which was entirely distinct from the rf hardware world.
- jjtheblunt 3y ago
  it probably would help if you'd listen to a person from the world class hardware team in question who worked in exactly this world for years, spanning all the devices discussed. that person might have strongly insinuated the law of nature challenges constraining propagation of RF at widely varying frequencies as they are paired with the esthetics challenges from a different group, if you noticed.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
  - musicale 3y ago
    The iPad itself and competing MacBook/MacBook Pro-like aluminum laptops from other vendors (Dell, HP, etc.) are existence proofs.
    - jjtheblunt 3y ago
      You didn’t read the discussion of the cellular ipad having the plastic band, or that prioritizing no plastic band is a problem if you want antennas capable for useful cellular reliability
      - giobox 3y ago
        No, the cellular iPad and other devices are indeed proof positive. The exact same cellular window solution could be applied in a redesign of the MacBook. No one is disputing aluminium blocks radio waves - the dispute is your constant argument it can’t be done because it would require a giant RF window - there is no reason a future design can’t neatly incorporate an antenna system, just like it has been done on many other aluminium devices - including iPads, iPhones and Apple Watches. Having built 5G systems for hobbyist computer boards (Pi etc), the antenna required is not so very large either. A MacBook is not and has never been a seamless block of aluminium - there are plenty of design choices to be made to help hide or minimise any antennas.
        jjtheblunt 3y ago
mcculley 3y ago
> are you wanting a plastic band atop the laptop closing screen, to get a cellular capable antenna in an otherwise metal body? Is this why the LTE capable Apple Watch has a red ring on the crown? I assumed it was just a status cue. Regardless, I would be completely happy with Apple having to make a compromise on the case like they do with the iPad.