Think Secret is reporting that Apple is prepping new Intel-based iBooks for January.
It is not known exactly what processors or price points the new models will debut at, but it is thought Apple will expand the iBook line with one additional model and will lower prices-in some cases possibly $200 or more-to entice current Windows users and prove to the market it will be more competitive with the likes of Dell, Gateway, HP and Sony.
It blows me away that Apple would consider giving the iBook the “Intel treatment” before their bread-and-butter PowerBook—and at a price drop no less! This goes against everything that Apple has done in the past. They usually reserve the fastest chips for their high margin and most expensive machines, like the PowerMac G5. Why on earth would they Intel the iBook first? If true, the PowerBook would essentially become the bottom of the product line, which would be a shame.
Think Secret is reporting that Apple is prepping new Intel-based iBooks for January.
It is not known exactly what processors or price points the new models will debut at, but it is thought Apple will expand the iBook line with one additional model and will lower prices-in some cases possibly $200 or more-to entice current Windows users and prove to the market it will be more competitive with the likes of Dell, Gateway, HP and Sony.
It blows me away that Apple would consider giving the iBook the “Intel treatment” before their bread-and-butter PowerBook—and at a price drop no less! This goes against everything that Apple has done in the past. They usually reserve the fastest chips for their high margin and most expensive machines, like the PowerMac G5. Why on earth would they Intel the iBook first? If true, the PowerBook would essentially become the bottom of the product line, which would be a shame.
4 replies on “Intel iBooks in January”
As others have suggested, the most likely reason is because Powerbooks and Powermacs are professional machines being used to run pro apps. We’re a long way from a universal binary from Adobe and MS and you don’t want to really use heavily something like CS2 under Rosetta.
On the lowend there isn’t that problem, your iBooks get mostly used for iTunes, Mail, Browsing and iLife all of which will be native for Intel.
IMHO, it goes like this.. MAC OS X, iLife, iWorks and AppleWorks are already ported to x86.
The average iBook user today will use mainly email, web and iTunes, and thus will not need more apps to be ported across to the Intel product line, and hence will be ready to migrate from day 1. On the other hand, Powerbook and Power Mac users will need their professional Music/Video/Publication apps to be available and thus only the Compulsive Early Adopters would consider buying an Intel system soon after release. Also, iBook users may also be more undertstanding of the odd crash or app problem than Power users.
Just my 2c… Stuart
Powerbooks need to run pro software quickly. iBooks are geared for consumers, who use Office and iApps included with OS X.
Since most pro software has yet to be ported to Intel, releasing Intel Powerbooks really doesn’t make sense right now. However, iLife and iWork will be Intel ready.
I disagree. I think the first “MacTel” computers should be the lower end ones. The transition to Intel processors is going to be bumpy and there is going to be software that the professional computer buyers are going to need that is not going to be ready in January.