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I would love a bigger battery for a slightly bigger device but this isn't what Apple is aiming for. Apple design the hardware to work with what they want it to

by bithush 12y ago

I would love a bigger battery for a slightly bigger device but this isn't what Apple is aiming for. Apple design the hardware to work with what they want it to look like not design a device around the hardware. I used to think that was stupid but it clearly works for Apple. Their business is not making the best device spec wise but the "best" device design wise (in their view obviously).

jader201 12y ago
This makes sense, but when designing the new MacBook, they still have to take battery life into account. For example, if Apple truly wanted the best device design at any expense of hardware, it would be even thinner with only 1 hour battery life. But they knew customers would want more battery life than 1 hour. So rather than make it as thin as possible, they figure out: what is the best battery life:heft ratio? That is what I was questioning in my OP: is this ratio, in the eyes of Apple, out of sync with this ratio in the eyes of the consumers? Obviously, Apple knows how to build products. But it would be naive to assume that Apple always strikes this balance perfectly. I'm just suggesting that they may be pushing slightly more towards design over function.
- ionforce 12y ago
  I think the logic is that this particular chassis is constant, and we are to assume that battery technology will only get better. So while the laptop may be underpowered/under ratio _today_, it won't be in its next incarnation, i.e. same chassis but better batteries. So it's more of a bet/investment/concept car. This first gen isn't where the ratio is satisfied. It's v2 and onwards.
wnissen 12y ago
The "best" device is also one that is hard for their competitors to manufacture. The strategy is to dump a huge amount of money into a competitive advantage that's not easy to duplicate. Charge a huge premium by being out in front, then the rest of the industry falls in line eventually (such as with Intel's Ultrabook initiative). The followers pay somewhat less, but they also don't see a premium. It almost doesn't matter what they do as long as it's hard for a competitor to match cheaply.
maigret 12y ago
Is the new battery life still not good enough for you? Also please all saying this is only "design". This is design made from user problems. Apple is a master at solving actual user problems, and that's why they are so successful. As a side product, their hardware look handsome. But that's actually the less important side. Real users don't care about 10% more processor or 20% more storage. They care that they can wear their laptop everywhere (and in their purse, many Apple customers are women), that they can type fast and not be bumed by the noise of the computer. Call it design, I call this utility, and I'm glad Apple tackle those issues. They really care about the whole and are not just assembling off the shelf pieces together.
- jamesdelaneyie 12y ago
  'Wear their laptop' — never thought about it that way, but thats dead right

by bithush 12y ago

jader201 12y ago

This makes sense, but when designing the new MacBook, they still have to take battery life into account. For example, if Apple truly wanted the best device design at any expense of hardware, it would be even thinner with only 1 hour battery life. But they knew customers would want more battery life than 1 hour. So rather than make it as thin as possible, they figure out: what is the best battery life:heft ratio? That is what I was questioning in my OP: is this ratio, in the eyes of Apple, out of sync with this ratio in the eyes of the consumers? Obviously, Apple knows how to build products. But it would be naive to assume that Apple always strikes this balance perfectly. I'm just suggesting that they may be pushing slightly more towards design over function.

ionforce 12y ago
I think the logic is that this particular chassis is constant, and we are to assume that battery technology will only get better. So while the laptop may be underpowered/under ratio _today_, it won't be in its next incarnation, i.e. same chassis but better batteries. So it's more of a bet/investment/concept car. This first gen isn't where the ratio is satisfied. It's v2 and onwards.

wnissen 12y ago

The "best" device is also one that is hard for their competitors to manufacture. The strategy is to dump a huge amount of money into a competitive advantage that's not easy to duplicate. Charge a huge premium by being out in front, then the rest of the industry falls in line eventually (such as with Intel's Ultrabook initiative). The followers pay somewhat less, but they also don't see a premium. It almost doesn't matter what they do as long as it's hard for a competitor to match cheaply.

maigret 12y ago

Is the new battery life still not good enough for you? Also please all saying this is only "design". This is design made from user problems. Apple is a master at solving actual user problems, and that's why they are so successful. As a side product, their hardware look handsome. But that's actually the less important side. Real users don't care about 10% more processor or 20% more storage. They care that they can wear their laptop everywhere (and in their purse, many Apple customers are women), that they can type fast and not be bumed by the noise of the computer. Call it design, I call this utility, and I'm glad Apple tackle those issues. They really care about the whole and are not just assembling off the shelf pieces together.

jamesdelaneyie 12y ago
'Wear their laptop' — never thought about it that way, but thats dead right