New Mac Pro Release Rumor

[buzzsmith]

I know Steve Jobs has a bit on his mind today with the iPhone 4 news conference but anyway...

[Rumour] Some little tidbits on the MacPro and the iMac
By crispin. Original by Lionel - 16/07/2010 08:22:00 CEST - Category: Apple

One of our better sources have indicated that the renewal of the much awaited Mac Pro range is planned for the end of the summer, thus for the 'back-to-school' period. For the iMacs they will be a few weeks or a month later at the beginning of autumn.
On this occasion, Apple should inaugurate two great innovations, the arrival of USB 3.0 and a faster Firewire interface, 1600 or 3200. Thus, Firewire will not forgotten.
Note that Apple is also interest in LightPeak technology, but they do not expect to be able to use it or set up it before one year.
To finish, but anyway you should have no doubt by now, these new machines will not support Blu-ray reading just like the preceding ones.

http://www.hardmac.com/news/2010/07/16/ ... d-the-imac" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Buzzy

[mhschmieder]

What do MacPro's have to do with school? That's an iMac market plus laptops etc.

I seriously do not believe that rumour or what is behind it. I think it is whishful thinking.

Far more likely that iMacs will be refreshed in time for the school year, with MacPro's lagging long enough for them to feel confident in boosting it to the next level with some game-changer.

Apple tends to put their consumer-oriented updates our before their pro updates, knowing the pro's are likely to wait anyway vs. be tempted by the temporarily better bang-for-buck consumer stuff.

[mhschmieder]

Interestingly, the rewording of that news story that just popped up on macrumors.com (it wasn't there when I checked an hour ago, but is now!) is more believable than the wording in the original article.

Thus, there might be some truth to it, with different spins being put on it based on different writers with different perspectives (and desires).

I have no trouble believing a two-week lag in iMac after MacPro update, but several months after, is hard for me to swallow given Apple's history.

The macrumors rewrite seems to indicate the iMac could have USB3 as well as the MacPro, which lends more credence to the MP coming out a bit before the iMac.

It also seriously upgrades the iMac option vs. current MBP's and Mini Servers -- though I think Apple said both models can be upgraded to USB3 via firmware, so it may be a moot point as USB3 uses the same terminators but different voltage, correct?

[johnnytucats]

Wasn't the rumor last December that 6- and 12-core Mac Pros were coming out early 2010?

[HCMarkus]

It's inevitable. And as the PC world forges ahead, it becomes more and more certain we are on the cusp of an update.

[mikehalloran]

Wasn't the rumor last December that 6- and 12-core Mac Pros were coming out early 2010?

Well, they kind of missed that, didn't they? I am hearing "See you in September...".

Since I am in the immediate need of a laptop for younger daughter before she goes to school in Denmark at the end of Aug, I suppose, I can wait a bit longer for mine.

Frankly, the thought of a 6-core iMac... I can hold out.

I am coming to the conclusion that the 27" iMac i7 will work for what I want to do. I can't see Apple continuing to spec the i7 after the hex core is released. I would expect they use up the remaining quads in stock then release a new iMac. If Apple remains true to form, any remaining quad machines will show up in the refurb store (wonder what the price will be?).

I'll wait a little longer. This G5 is way past its prime so I won't wait forever...

[mhschmieder]

I had some Bad News Good News last night.

The film whose deadline was supposed to be this weekend, for final cut, has slipped due to one of the actors jumping ship for another project, setting the shooting of the final sequence back by roughly two months.

As this was the only immediate deadline that required updates, plug-ins, VI's, or products that cannot be installed on a PPC Mac, this means I can now sit it out for the new Mac Pro's and iMacs, as they should arrive no later than early October and probably as soon as Labour Day.

It also means it's more likely my budget can afford a Mac Pro by then, even when dealing with other priorities (and as a performing musician and active composer, I often have other things that can't wait, which drain the long-term Mac fund).

Aside from my own personal timing though, doesn't Apple usually try to get new product out early enough in the fall that the release dates are useful to students and educational institutions? Or is that just for laptops? I thought it covers iMac updates as well, and to a lesser extent Mac Pro's, but then again, last year's updates were in October (and November/December, if talking about the delayed i7 iMacs).

[zed]

...this means I can now sit it out for the new Mac Pro's and iMacs, as they should arrive no later than early October and probably as soon as Labour Day.

Oh brother!
Is that the good news or the bad news?

I can't wait for you to get a MacPro. I think I want you to have one even more than you do!

[Tritonemusic]

I can't wait for you to get a MacPro. I think I want you to have one even more than you do!

Ha ha, I was just thinking the same thing. I'm rootin' for ya, mhschmieder.

[n2mpujack]

It also seriously upgrades the iMac option vs. current MBP's and Mini Servers -- though I think Apple said both models can be upgraded to USB3 via firmware, so it may be a moot point as USB3 uses the same terminators but different voltage, correct?

Same basic connector form but there's extra connections used in the USB3 connector. The way it's supposed to work is with the new USB3 connector you can of course use USB3 but you can also plug in USB2 connectors. I don't think it will work the other way around, though.

[HCMarkus]

One MacRumors reader has pointed out to us that Apple's somewhat-hidden Reserve and Pick Up program is currently showing the company's Mac Pro models as "Unavailable" for reservation at his local retail store in Canada, possibly hinting at an imminent update. According to the tipster, the Mac Pro was seeing full availability for reservations at his store as recently as yesterday.

A quick check of the reservation systems for a handful of Apple retail stores around the United States shows a similar story, with some stores showing complete unavailability of Mac Pro reservations while others continue to offer either the base Quad-Core model or the 8-core model but not both.

[n2mpujack]

B&H PhotoVideo in NYC shows a number of MacPro models available as of Friday afternoon for immediate sale, some single cpu and some dual cpu machines. I don't think they were all baseline machines either.

[mhschmieder]

The only availability issues I've heard of are regarding certain iMac models -- especially the lower-end ones (remember, the higher-end models were announced at the same time last year, but were roughly two months later getting to the shops).

This would seem to indicate an iMac refresh before the MacPro refresh. But it's really not worth trying to second-guess Apple, as I don't think anyone has ever predicted correctly, have they? Don't over 90% of Apple rumours turn out to be baseless?

Thanks for the clarification on backward-vs.-forward compatibility of USB3, USB2, and their respective connectors. I will know now to DEFINITELY hold out for the new machines.

[zed]

I will know now to DEFINITELY hold out for the new machines.

[mikehalloran]

> I often have other things that can't wait, which drain the long-term Mac fund<

Oh... I know that song backwards and forwards.