“Apple management is so pumped up over the advantages presented by its forthcoming Mac OS X Lion operating system that the company has been holding back the release of at least one new Mac refresh until the software is finalized,” Kasper Jade and Neil Hughes report for AppleInsider.
“For instance, new Thunderbolt-enabled Sandy Bridge MacBook Air models expected to go into production this month have been ready and waiting for some time, according to people familiar with the matter,” Jade and Hughes report. “But management is currently unwilling to usher the new models into the market with the current Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard operating system.”
Jade and Hughes report, “Instead, the Mac maker is said to be locked on waiting till it can image the new notebooks with a Gold Master build of Lion so that buyers are afforded the latest and greatest Apple experience. This includes complimentary iCloud services that will come built into the software, offering a means of automatic data synchronization that is both unparalleled in the computing industry, and paramount in an age when consumers are adopting a digital lifestyle in which they own and operate multiple mobile devices.”
Much more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
Hate waiting, but it’ll be worth it
True.
I’m not waiting for anything other than lion myself.
Spent enough money this year on apple stuff… I don’t need anything apple now.
I assume apple retailers are having issues with explaining to people that the new os hits next month.. So go ahead and buy now. Even with apples free upgrade program, people just want to wait. Don’t blame them really, both sides.
MMDs, Multiple Mobile Devices!! I love it
Makes sense. Even after a new OS has been released, the inventory in stock has the previous version installed. A lot of users never bother to upgrade the OS even if an install disk is provided for them.
Apple will want as many users to use Lion since multiple services will rely on it. Given that at least million MBAs will be sold in the first 3 months, it will be a significant number if they ship with Lion installed.
I wonder if the Apple Stores will run upgrades on all their current inventory. A good job for a summer intern or maybe they can get the network server to run that.
Exactly, every new Mac will be tied into the iCloud from now on.
Still waiting for a Mac Pro refresh, hope that happens soon also.
I just want to know what new GPU the 2011 Mac Pro’s are gong to have?
I’m scared of the cloud. Right now, iCal is popping up with sync changes. I’ve never synced via MobileMe. My wife’s phone and my phone were never allowed to both sync the iCal even via iTunes connection. All apple products. Now, stuff is happening without me ding anything. VERY SCARY.
You’re using the cloud to post on here, after a fashion. Every time you post up a picture on Facebook, you’re using a form of cloud computing and storage. If you’re that scared of it, stop using the Internet. otherwise grow a pair and stop whining.
Lame advice.
I know this is a knowledgable crowd. I represent the ignorant Apple owner. Frankly, Apple has always marketed to me, the ignorant. Be nice, and lend me some good advice.
You can disable the cloud on a per device basis.
Hogwash and idle speculation. Doesn’t make any sense at all – especially the part about knowing Apple management’s frame of mind. If the MBA’s were ready to go, Apple would shuffle them out the door without waiting for Lion (which isn’t supposed to be available until this fall, anyways). And since Lion is a free download to new machines with Snow Leopard, it’s not like there would be additional cost to the upgrade.
Wow. You’re so wrong. Do you keep up with this stuff?
Lion’s coming out in July, as they said at WWDC. I won’t bother to correct your other mistakes…
Let’s say Apple is in Vietnam back in the Seventies fighting jungle warfare against the Vietcong. Let’s say Apple is represented by Chuck Norris in full fighting gear equipped with a badass M-60. Let’s say Chuck Norris has got bandoliers of bullets slung across his chest. He’s psyched, he’s ready to lay down some lead carnage downrange.
He hears the Cong walking softly through the jungle across his field of fire. Do you think Chuck Norris will just sit there passively and let the Cong walk over him? No way baby. He’s gonna open up that 60 and rock and roll those rounds off into the bodies of the Cong.
Come on Apple, it’s time to rock and roll. Slay the Dell Cong while you have the chance. Chuck Morris would approve.
M60? What the hell makes you think I need an M60.
Let’s continue the analogy shall we? After Mr Norris has rock & rolled those rounds, he’s gonna need to reload. Opps! The gun manufacturer has arbitrarily decided that the weapon that he just used so effectively is obsolete and no longer makes bullets for it.
Perhaps we all could hire Mr Norris to open a can of WhupAss on Apple to get them to support Rosetta in Lion?
Yup, I’m going to get one of the new Airs. I LOVE my 2nd gen 11″, and I know I’ll be even happier with the new one.
I think Apple should release any new models (assuming this RUMOR is true and there are new models waiting for Lion) with Snow Leopard. That will give potential MacBook Air customers a choice, if they need (or want) to use Snow Leopard (at least initially).
Snow Leopard is mature, stable, and familiar. Lion is brand new and there will be bugs, as well as user work flows that need to be adjusted.
There may be incompatibility with third-party software that needs to be addressed with updates from developers.
Lion does not have Rosetta to run older PowerPC-based software.
If a new MacBook Air is released with Lion, there is no option to run Snow Leopard. If it is released with Snow Leopard, the customer can upgrade for free at any time after Lion is released, at a time of the customer’s choosing.
Also true.
Some apps will not work with lion. Yet anyway.
I would assume someone could install an old copy of snow leopard on the new airs though… Then wipe it clean and install lion when they are ready, or setup a dual boot right from the start.
Usually, you can’t do that; I think the firmware prevents any older system (even an “incrementally” older system) from booting. Also, there is often a problem with new hardware drivers needed for new hardware not being a part of an older system’s installer.
Sometimes it works, because a particular model was originally released with an older system and later came with the newer system. The current iMac and MacBook Pro, for example. But Apple will probably stop selling Snow Leopard discs as soon as Lion is released, and will not officially support a Mac running a system that is earlier than the one it came with pre-installed.
So, if the new MacBook Air is released with Lion pre-installed, the customer must use Lion (or later)… The customer gets maximum OS flexibility if Apple releases the new MacBook Air with Snow Leopard pre-installed.
May be right, but there is always hope.
I’m all for them releasing it with snow leopard.
But I do understand the reasoning if they wait till lion.
Lion is not a free upgrade and it is not coming out in the Fall. Lion is a $29.00 upgrade coming in July (in theory). iOS 5 is a free upgrade, and is coming in the Fall. Come on people, get your facts straight before making half assed comments. What is that saying? (paraphrasing) “It is better to remain silent and appear stupid, than to speak and remove all doubt.”. Wow!
Lion is a “FREE download to new machines with Snow Leopard” (purchased on or after June 6th).
Hmmm, what was that you were saying?
“it is better to remain silent and appear stupid, than to speak and remove all doubt”
I agree.