[AppleGirl1990]

Figured it out. Apple is going to stop selling stand-alone Monitors. Thus, hurting their financials for the next 2 years. I have speculated that they weren't in the monitor business a year ago.....proved by the fact they haven't announced a new monitor in 3 years.....this announcement just confirms that.

Get your Apple Monitors while you still can.

[Simon]

Umm, no. There was no "announcement".

Wrong forum too.

[Cold Warrior]

I moved this to the Lounge and added 'speculation' to the title. It's better suited here than in OS X.

[Andrew Stephens]

umm well there was an announcement that there was an unspecified product rtansition in the wings for this quarter that would have an effect on apples earnings.

So there was a sort of announcement

I think they're giving up on Intel and transitioning to CELL

or maybe not.

[analogue SPRINKLES]

Those expensive assed iPod Touches will drop in price and the MacBooks/Pro's will get updated.

[MacosNerd]

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES 

Those expensive assed iPod Touches will drop in price and the MacBooks/Pro's will get updated.

That is not a product "transition" that will negatively impact Apple's finances, as stated by Apple Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer

See the article here (I'm sure its else where as well)

Looking at their product lines, and what they offer. Dropping the monitors makes logical sense. Could be other products or shifts in direction as well. We'll have to wait and see.

[OreoCookie]

I think Apple might react to the wave of Eee PCs (cheap, small notebooks that are fast enough for simple tasks), it would make sense if they combine some iPhone technologies (touchscreen interface?) with more traditional OS X in an Eee PC formfactor.

[darkmatter]

Hi

What about dropping the iPod Classic, specifically the Hard Disk Drive?
Or even dropping the small and light weight Mac Pro?

Best Regards

[Uncle Doof]

"Production transition".

So, in other words, they're not dropping anything. They'll be upgrading something or other to newer technology which the margins aren't so high on until that technology becomes popular.

[badidea]

So they are making a transition from computer monitors to HD TVs with built in Apple TVs....?
42" Apple TV sounds sweet!

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by Uncle Doof 

"Production transition".

So, in other words, they're not dropping anything. They'll be upgrading something or other to newer technology which the margins aren't so high on until that technology becomes popular.

Precisely right. Dropping standalone monitors wouldn't hurt margins that much (though I imagine monitors do have the biggest margins of any Apple product). It seems more likely we're looking at an ultracheap laptop — you know, whatever "ultracheap" means in Apple's world.

[Uncle Doof]

Come on people, aim high!

16 core Mac Pro with 128 Gb of RAM and 8 HD slots for 8x2 Tb of ultra-fast solid state storage. For $5,000 - hence the reduced margins.

[wallinbl]

Originally Posted by Chuckit 

Precisely right. Dropping standalone monitors wouldn't hurt margins that much (though I imagine monitors do have the biggest margins of any Apple product). It seems more likely we're looking at an ultracheap laptop — you know, whatever "ultracheap" means in Apple's world.

They'd have to sell like crazy to put that kind of dent in overall margins. Of course, a low price Mac would probably sell really well.

[Dakar the Fourth]

Since I haven't said it in a week... Black Headless iMac.

[Uncle Doof]

Originally Posted by Dakar the Fourth 

Since I haven't said it in a week... Black Headless iMac.

So, black Mac mini then.

[reader50]

Apple mentioned that they were leveraging their market position for the mystery transition. They are going to take a hit on margin in order to force the price below what competitors could match.

It made me think of two possibilities:

1) All monitors (standalone & built in) transition to LED backlighting.
. . pro: Other manufacturers are treating LED as a luxury option on their more expensive panels.
. . con: Apple doesn't have a large marketshare in the monitors market.
More plausible answer: all laptop panels transition to LED.

2) SSDs become standard on Mac laptops.
. . pro: Apple does have the flash market cornered, where their orders for iPod / iPhone cause the biggest fluctuations in this market.
. . con: SSDs cost substantially more than HD solutions in the laptop space, by a large enough factor that market volume can't reasonably change this. Expected to remain true past 2010.
More plausible answer: the iPod Classic will transition to flash memory; Apple will take the hit on profits to equal the prices of HD-based MP3 players.

[Dakar the Fourth]

Originally Posted by Uncle Doof 

So, black Mac mini then.

No, not really. There's a large gap between the Mac Mini and the iMac hardware, and I ain't talkin' LCDs.

[AppleGirl1990]

I'm not sold on the LED backlighting. Does it really help?
In 3 years, the only apple monitors will be the built into the iMac or built into the portables.

Why else hasn't apple released a new monitor in 3 years?

[Chuckit]

What would be the benefit of putting flash memory in the iPod? Is there anybody who's upset about the HD iPods?

[PBG4 User]

I think an affordable tower model since it would eat into Mac Pro sales, lowering gross margin.

Either that or LED backlit touchscreens in all portable models.

[Uncle Doof]

Originally Posted by AppleGirl1990 

Why else hasn't apple released a new monitor in 3 years?

Because they don't need to? There's nowt wrong with their existing line-up of monitors. No point in change for change's sake. That'd be like Benz destroying the prettiness of their SL-Class with horrible new headlights or something.

[subego]

Originally Posted by AppleGirl1990 

I'm not sold on the LED backlighting. Does it really help?
In 3 years, the only apple monitors will be the built into the iMac or built into the portables.

Why else hasn't apple released a new monitor in 3 years?

The old ones are still pretty good, though (obviously) overpriced.

I see the monitors sticking around for branding reasons. Desktops often get hidden away. I think Apple would want to keep the logo on the one visible part of the computer.

[sek929]

If it's a cheap tower I will kill myself.

[Dakar the Fourth]

Originally Posted by sek929 

If it's a cheap tower I will kill myself.

If you die can I have your iMac?

[sek929]

Sure, but you need to be a pall-bearer at my funeral.

[Dakar the Fourth]

Originally Posted by sek929 

Sure, but you need to be a pall-bearer at my funeral.

You'll need pall-bearers? I figured your coffin would float from all the herb you've ingested.

[sek929]

Not to mention my weekly helium enemas.
Glad you're back, my PPD has been dying since you left

[Dakar the Fourth]

Originally Posted by sek929 

Not to mention my weekly helium enemas.

I prefer butterscotch enemas.

Originally Posted by sek929 

Glad you're back, my PPD has been dying since you left

And your soul, no doubt.

[wallinbl]

Originally Posted by sek929 

If it's a cheap tower I will kill myself.

We appreciate your taking one for the team.

[Don Pickett]

Originally Posted by darkmatter 

Hi

What about dropping the iPod Classic, specifically the Hard Disk Drive?

This is my guess: no more hard drive based iPods. Cue whining from people who can't live without having 6TB of music on them at all times.

[Randman]

iPhone 3.5g.



OK, a TabletMac.

[Don Pickett]

Originally Posted by Chuckit 

What would be the benefit of putting flash memory in the iPod? Is there anybody who's upset about the HD iPods?

The iPod Classic is the only hard drive-based model left. All the rest are flash.

Advantages: Flash gives better battery life and is much more robust.

[olePigeon]

I'm hoping for a sub $1000 workstation. If Apple really wants to penetrate the corporate market, they can't limit their options to a $1000 all-in-one or a $2800 "Pro" tower.

[analogue SPRINKLES]

Originally Posted by MacosNerd 

That is not a product "transition" that will negatively impact Apple's finances, as stated by Apple Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer

If they "Transition" from Expensive iPod Touches/MacBooks to ones that cost less and have more features the profit margins will be smaller and hurt the bottom line slightly.

I don't think they are going to drop monitors.

[CreepDogg]

Originally Posted by Don Pickett 

The iPod Classic is the only hard drive-based model left. All the rest are flash.

Advantages: Flash gives better battery life and is much more robust.

Disadvantages: A 160GB flash iPod would cost about $5000...

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by CreepDogg 

Disadvantages: A 160GB flash iPod would cost about $5000...

Well, there's your lower margin.

[SirCastor]

My Opinion:

The Product transition is going to be moving OS X to something other than Apple Hardware.
I know we all cry "But Apple is a Hardware Company!", and that's true, but Apple has become increasingly focused on the iPod and the iPhone.

I don't like it, but I see a lot of potential in moving OS X to another (or a couple of other) hardware manufacturers and getting out of making as many computers as they do. I don't see them making OS X available in a box to install on any PC, but I can see Apple opening up to a few vendors.

There are downsides to my theory:
- Would Apple keep producing Macs?
- What about all that retail space in the Apple Stores?
- How much could manufacturers undercut Apple? (Would it be clones all over again?)

Whatever the case is, I don't see Apple adding more products to it's line. That doesn't make a lot of sense to me (the MacBook Air is very sexy, but I'm not sure it came at the right time.)

[SVass]

They could add a dual ATSC-QAM tuner to Apple TV and make a digital video recorder. A new consumer line of business would require a large investment and it would have lower profit margins.
sam

[Chuckit]

So what if Apple is increasingly focused on the iP*s? The Mac is still making them a lot of money, and selling it for generic PCs would require ungodly amounts of additional development. Selling OS X for generic PCs has a lot of downsides and no upsides.

[analogue SPRINKLES]

My other guess would be a MacBook Mini that is under $1000 and kicks ass.

[Dakar the Fourth]

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES 

My other guess would be a MacBook Mini that is under $1000 and kicks ass.

I doubt it, sounds like a product that would cut into MacBook Air sales.

[Andrew Stephens]

I heard they were transitioning to Vista on all Pro machines.

[Sourbook]

I think it could be a complete software refresh (pro and consumer) to optimize them for Snow Leopard.

[nonhuman]

God, it just occurred to me that someone born in 1990 would be 18 now! What is the world coming to?

Also, we finally see what Apple's been up to with the PA Semi purchase: custom CPUs designed to integrate perfectly with OS X and thus improve efficiency and speed by not wasting power and clock cycles to support unused features.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by nonhuman 

God, it just occurred to me that someone born in 1990 would be 18 now! What is the world coming to?

Tell me about it. My little sister turned 20 today. 20!

I'm about two weeks away from selling my C2D Mini and building myself a new OSX86 PC. Let's hope Apple comes out with something better before then.

[Simon]

I see wild speculation here.

I'm willing to bet it will not be half as interesting as people here want it to be. New MBPs, a MB and mini refresh, new ACDs, and towards the end of the year an update of the MP. Not much to get all worked up about.

[Chuckit]

The question is why this MBP update would cut profit margins by 1/6 when previous updates didn't.

[Simon]

Originally Posted by Chuckit 

The question is why this MBP update would cut profit margins by 1/6 when previous updates didn't.

My guess right now would be Apple is preparing to lower some price points. That would cut into their margin immediately.

I could absolutely see them go back to a $999 entry level price point for the MB - or possibly even lower it to $899. It's quite clear Apple is not willing to compete with sub-$500 7" notebooks. But in order to better counter that competition they could change their entry-level pricing.

Another likely possibility is that they'll start using more expensive components. LED-backlit ACDs, SSDs, BR drives, etc. come to mind.

Some analysts are even suggesting Apple might lower the MBP entry-level price to $1799. Of course these are tech analysts "reports" so I'll take that with a few spoons of salt.

[alligator]

I vote for solid state drives. Apple will lose margin to keep the price low, and they will transition all laptops over to this technology. Thus, the "transition" they referred to. People will complain about the sizes for a while, then everyone will ultimately think Apple was brilliant for making the jump first. Just like the transition to computers with no floppy drive.

[angelmb]

I see the monitors sticking around for branding reasons. Desktops often get hidden away. I think Apple would want to keep the logo on the one visible part of the computer.

True, almost every big design studio featured on magazine-web articles is a showroom for Apple Displays… no way they are going to give up on such free advertisement.