“Apple thinks it’s time for a MacBook Pro to have a kick-ass surround sound audio system,” Jack Purcher reports for Patently Apple.
“With future MacBooks doubling as our Mobile TV, Movie Theater and high end video conferencing system, it’s time to kick the audio quality up a notch so as to compete with PC Notebooks offering Beats Audio,” Purcher reports. “This is definitely a feature that I think that most would welcome with open arms.”
Purcher reports, “Apples invention generally relates to a MacBook Pro including an audio transducer in electrical communication with the processor. The audio transducer includes a magnetic coil, and a magnet in communication with the magnetic coil. The enclosure includes a top panel, a bottom panel and the enclosure substantially surrounds the processor, the memory, and the audio transducer. The audio transducer is operably connected to the at least one of the top panel or the bottom panel of the enclosure.”
Much more, including Apple’s patent application illustrations, in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dow C.” for the heads up.]
That sounds like a generic description of a speaker.
Surround sound and other home theatre concepts could lead to the (iTV ideas) coming to OSX rather then a device. If this is true with the MacBook Pro, so it should also appear true in iMac.
Please Apple – just include so great new hardware, larger screen sizes and cable channels with the all new iMac line up. The iMac is the natural evolution for the convergence of TV and Computer. The complete entertainment system.
Elgato already fills out this order. I have been watching tv on my iMac for some time now and with itunes I can down load video podcasts, tv shows,movies, and music, the complete entertainment center.
SRS Audio Essentials is included in some PC’s. Seems it would be a good match for Apple computers. I use their iWow 3d device on my iPod Touch and iPad. Also, their MyTunesHD Pro for the iPad rocks. Great products by this company. http://www.srslabs.com/
Ditto!
Well… SRS does NOT have the best reputation among Mac users. I’ve been using their stuff for years including the latest version of iWow, v3.3.1. It has bugs in it that are YEARS old. SRS know about them because I personally told them. The version 2 series of iWow had its own bugs, and again SRS never bothered to repair them.
IOW: Buyer beware. But I find iWow to still be reasonably good. It’s great that v3.3.1 still works on up through Mac OS X Lion.
I would rather have Apple build a really nice, comfortable BT earphones. With special care to produce the best sound from their iOS and OSX devices.
MDN, this is a seriously misleading headline and you probably know it. It indicates that this is a revelation on the order of a press release or a demo.
DUDE, it’s a patent application. That’s a different order, more like “This could happen.”
I don’t like this: “Hm, looks like a misleading headline, but it could be Tim Cook talked about it! Let’s take a look.” [moments later], “Nope, it was bull, just a patent ap.”
Oh well.
Hmm, let me see. It’s an Apple invention, so I guess it’s Apple revealing a surround sound system for a Macbook. Oh, that’s the byline. Nothing wrong with that.
I remember the iPod, iPhone and iPad being patents too. Did they come to be? Hmm, ya. Is it that odd to think that Apple could be upgrading their audio system for the MacBook. No.
Wake up MonkeyMo!! Dmmitri and 99% of the other readers (you excluded) know the difference between “revealing a system” and “filing a patent”. Hmmm… in fact the difference is so great that anything other than considering this headline misleading is just pure ignorance.
I would rather have a frameless screen on my next macbook pro/air, than a pair of speakers on the left and right side of the screen.
If I need to listen to any serious stuff, I use my external speaker system.
I just want the new MacBook Pros to come out. My MBP is starting to have issues and I want a new one with better battery life and a cool running SSD.
SSD – sure thing. But I doubt the battery life will be much better, especially if they put in a retina display.
My MBA lasts around 5 hrs for standard usage, which is sufficient for me. So I will take the retina display!
I’m with you on that one. My 6 year old MBP was killed by accident 2 weeks ago. I’m waiting for the next upgrade before buying. I’ll just bide my time on the iMac until then. Hope it’s soon.
I must add that for a 6 year old laptop that thing was still running fast and flawlessly too, graphic apps and all.
Compete with Beats Audio? Are they serious?
A MBP could never compete with a quality audio system, so why even try? It’s not like you can stuff a decent subwoofer into the thing or have a prayer of accurate sound reproduction.
Many Macs, like the mini server, now support Dolby surround out of the box (or you can use Perian) and are thus great to drive a big-rig home theater. For mobility, I’ll pass on the gimmicks and stick with my Sure earphones for true high fidelity, thank you very much.
BTW, Beats Audio is not high fidelity in any shape or form. Competing with Beats is like competing with McDonalds.
The MacBook Pro is already great for video. Glad to hear they are working on better speakers. But if I need to watch videos or even listen to music I would plug in my DJ cans and blast the sound in my ears!