Has Apple been neglecting its computer department?

According to MacRumours, the MacBook Pro is rated as a Neutral for buying right now. Apple has historically averaged 194 days between MacBook Pro updates, and we’re only 121 days into the current cycle.

They came out with the Air.

They are also working on the new OS, Snow Leopard.

I doubt the same people (the majority) work on both projects. The MBP team is probably looking the same as it was two years ago. What can they really do to it? A New CPU (Intel) or a new GPU? Bump the RAM and hard drive (easy). I just wouldn’t expect a radical change anytime soon. It is pretty damn close to being a perfect laptop right now. I just wouldn’t be surprised if the form factor stayed the same for a while.

I’d be surprised if they didn’t give it a makeover before the end of the year. I agree with JP about no major changes under the hood other than the expected ones (easy bumps in CPU / GPU / RAM / HD). I think as far as form factor goes, it’ll just be brought more into line with the aluminium / black bezel crowd, and maybe shed a little weight…

Damn I want one though. On a pokey 1st Gen Macbook and 2GB RAM just doesn’t cut it any more!

@johnpowell: well that’s the problem, the form factor has already been the same for quite a while. Phenotypically, the case hasn’t really been re-designed in about seven years. In computer years that is centuries.

benseven: PowerBook G4. Imagine my fun.

I would expect a new case design in the next few years. Apple has typically been slower to change the look of their “pro” products as opposed to their non-pro. The iMac and iBook/Macbook both have changed more often then the G5/Mac Pro and the Powerbook/Macbook Pro. But they have updated their pro products even if they look the same. The new ones have LED backlighting and a multi-touch touchpad, both of which are under-the-hood upgrades, but upgrades nonetheless. They are also continually upgrading the specs in terms of HD space, CPU speed, etc. I don’t think the iPhone has anything to do with the timelines of the computer hardware though- they are separate departments, more so then the software side of things.

@lefteh
I also have a 15 ” PowerBook G4 1.2ghz ppc and I’m looking to upgrade to MacBookPro sometime in the near future. Don’t give up, just be patient, its only 70 days away before they refresh the MBP…
R

(sigh) Am I alone in the basement with my iMac 800MHz G4?

My only solace is that it is hummin’ with nearly 1TB of attached disk and Leopard 10.5.3.

Ooooh, is it one of the G4s with the flat panel on a craning neck? Lovely bit of industrial design…

there was a post over at macrumors, where someone was playing Metal Gear Solid 4, and it shows a MBP in it. the game is set in 2014, so apparently in that time the form factor is the same, so dont expect a form factor update till after 2014

:)

The MacBook Pro needs to get a magnetic latch already. This mechanical latch is kind of flaky at times. Why does the consumer-level laptop have a better latch?

Also, MacBooks need the option of a matte screen.