Digitimes is reporting that Apple will be releasing updated MacBook Pros and iMacs during the first half of 2011, according to a “source from upstream component makers.” The source is announcing a case redesign for the MacBook Pro, and an iMac with a new screen-size, as well as a new price point. Also, the source is leaking information that OS X Lion will be shipped with the new MacBook Pro.
Now comes the rumor dissection part.
The MacBook Pro Update
Everyone’s expecting updated MacBook Pros and MacBooks, so this is hardly a new “rumor.” Steve Jobs, during the last keynote, stood on stage and hinted that all MacBooks will be similar to the MacBook Air in the future. There’s been some opinion jockeying about what that exactly meant, but most have come to assume he was referring to case design. So, we’ve been expecting a product update for all products that carry the name MacBook since the last Apple Keynote.
New iMac with different screen and price
Apple has traditionally updated the iMac lineup every year in one way or another. According to MacRumors’ upgrade guide, we’re approaching an update sometime in the next 100 days. The aluminum iMac was introduced in August of 2007, and replaced the white iMacs. In November of 2009, Apple streamlined the design and introduced the “thin chin” iMacs, with 21.5-inch and 27-inch screens. Currently the iMac lineup ranges from 1,199.00 to 1,999.00.
So where does that leave us? The white iMac had a shelf life of about 4 years before it got a major facelift (2004-2008), and the current aluminum iMac will be approaching year 4 in 2011 (2007-2011), so it’s not outside the realm of possibility that we’ll see a drastically updated iMac this year.
The new price-point is a little bit hard to stomach considering the “inside source” is an “upstream component maker.” It’s highly unlikey that he/she is privy to Apple’s pricing decisions.
MacBook Pros shipping with OS X Lion
There’s a contradiction between “expected” release dates between Apple and the “source.” Apple has publicly announced that OS X 10.7 will arrive during the summer of 2011, whereas the sources claim that the new MacBook Pro (complete with Lion) will ship during the first half of 2011. June is the sixth month in the year, so I guess the date could technically match up, but Apple has let release dates slip quite a bit this year, and there’s still no developer beta of OS X 10.7. We’re guessing that some time during the mid to late summer we’ll see OS X Lion.
It makes sense that Apple would hold on to new products until OS X Lion is ready, and if that’s Apple’s master plan, I wouldn’t expect anything to ship until the summer of 2011.
Article Via DigiTimes
Thanks to IrvTheSwirv for some date corrections
