4 ms·

This is the crux of the entire issue, crystalized perfectly. If you are going to carry multiple product lines, then why would their features converge? I see no

This is the crux of the entire issue, crystalized perfectly. If you are going to carry multiple product lines, then why would their features converge? I see no reason to get into the closed vs open debate - this is Apple we're talking about. But why would they turn the Mac Book pro into a MacBook Air with higher specs? Why not get rid of all the branding distinctions and let the consumer spec out the machine, with a few default configurations for those who don't want to think about specs?

kamjam 14y ago
Maybe they should rename it MacBook Air Pro? :)
taligent 14y ago
What you are talking about makes absolutely no sense. There are completely different chipsets, ports, batteries etc in a MacBook Air versus a MacBook Pro. Most of which have dependencies on each other. So a user can't just spec out a machine with the exception of very specific components. Hence why they are branded differently.
- Retric 14y ago
  MBA is thin, has a SSD, integrated battery, an no disk drive. The MB pro is almost as thin, has a SSD, integrated battery, an no disk drive and a better screen. They killed the old Mack Book Line.
- lnanek2 14y ago
  Not to mention it costs a lot to offer configurability, rather than just ordering countless hordes of a few models from the factories...
  - padobson 14y ago
    Apple's supply chains operate on a 6-day turnaround. That means that a MBP that just arrived in the warehouse today will be shipped to a customer no later than a week from today. That is one of Apple's greatest strengths, and having that strength absolutely allows them to offer configurability.
roc 14y ago
> "But why would they turn the Mac Book pro into a MacBook Air with higher specs?" They didn't. You can still get an old-style macbook pro with updated internals. They're offering a new option that looks a lot like a MBP-Air. Doing essentially what you seem to suggest: giving people a choice of a new thing and not taking any old things away. And if/when most pros demonstrate that they don't care about the modicum of hardware-accessibility in the old-style pro design, Apple will simply be dropping the product that its customers do not prefer. As it always does. As it did with the 17" MBP. A beast that increasingly few Apple customers had any interest in.
- neilc 14y ago
  Doing essentially what you seem to suggest: giving people a choice of a new thing and not taking any old things away. You really think Apple will be selling old-style MBPs indefinitely? It seems like the product line is going through a transition, and the old-style MBPs will be the end of the line.
  - eddieroger 14y ago
    I think that if they can, they will. "Can" being dictated by the market of course. Look at the Mac Pro - arguably the most ignored product line Apple sells, yet it still sells. If people continue buying the non-Retina MBPs, I have no doubt Apple will continue updating it, even if slowly.
  - roc 14y ago
    If the old style sells enough, I think they'll absolutely keep it around. In fact, I'd expect them to back off on the 'transition' and rename the new-style MBP an Air. After all -- despite the mini, nano and shuffle -- the iPod classic stubbornly remains. Even after all these years. Not to mention the 13" MBP which seems (without the benefit of sales data) to be fairly pointless. Apple won't hesitate to risk cannibalizing itself with new products. But they don't have any history of forcing the issue, if the old products still sell.

kamjam 14y ago

Maybe they should rename it MacBook Air Pro? :)

taligent 14y ago

What you are talking about makes absolutely no sense. There are completely different chipsets, ports, batteries etc in a MacBook Air versus a MacBook Pro. Most of which have dependencies on each other. So a user can't just spec out a machine with the exception of very specific components. Hence why they are branded differently.

Retric 14y ago
MBA is thin, has a SSD, integrated battery, an no disk drive. The MB pro is almost as thin, has a SSD, integrated battery, an no disk drive and a better screen. They killed the old Mack Book Line.
lnanek2 14y ago
Not to mention it costs a lot to offer configurability, rather than just ordering countless hordes of a few models from the factories...
- padobson 14y ago
  Apple's supply chains operate on a 6-day turnaround. That means that a MBP that just arrived in the warehouse today will be shipped to a customer no later than a week from today. That is one of Apple's greatest strengths, and having that strength absolutely allows them to offer configurability.

roc 14y ago

> "But why would they turn the Mac Book pro into a MacBook Air with higher specs?" They didn't. You can still get an old-style macbook pro with updated internals. They're offering a new option that looks a lot like a MBP-Air. Doing essentially what you seem to suggest: giving people a choice of a new thing and not taking any old things away. And if/when most pros demonstrate that they don't care about the modicum of hardware-accessibility in the old-style pro design, Apple will simply be dropping the product that its customers do not prefer. As it always does. As it did with the 17" MBP. A beast that increasingly few Apple customers had any interest in.

neilc 14y ago
Doing essentially what you seem to suggest: giving people a choice of a new thing and not taking any old things away. You really think Apple will be selling old-style MBPs indefinitely? It seems like the product line is going through a transition, and the old-style MBPs will be the end of the line.
- eddieroger 14y ago
  I think that if they can, they will. "Can" being dictated by the market of course. Look at the Mac Pro - arguably the most ignored product line Apple sells, yet it still sells. If people continue buying the non-Retina MBPs, I have no doubt Apple will continue updating it, even if slowly.
- roc 14y ago
  If the old style sells enough, I think they'll absolutely keep it around. In fact, I'd expect them to back off on the 'transition' and rename the new-style MBP an Air. After all -- despite the mini, nano and shuffle -- the iPod classic stubbornly remains. Even after all these years. Not to mention the 13" MBP which seems (without the benefit of sales data) to be fairly pointless. Apple won't hesitate to risk cannibalizing itself with new products. But they don't have any history of forcing the issue, if the old products still sell.