Confirmed: Apple delays Powermac G5 introduction - Future Apple Hardware Discussions on AppleInsider Forums (2024)

[quote]Originally posted by Junkyard Dawg:

<strong>My sources originally indicated that Apple would be announcing Powermac G5s no later than yesterday, with immediate availability for the high end, 1.6 GHz G5, and the 1.4 GHz and 1.2 GHz models shipping in Feb and March, respectively. In April, a dual 1.6 GHz Powermac will begin shipping, bringing Powermac performance into an entirely new realm.

Now these same sources have informed me that Apple has delayed announcing the new Powermac G5s, for reasons known only to Apple. Some speculate that they are waiting for the channel to clear of older Powermacs, while others think that Apple may be waiting for media hype over the new iMac to subside, so that G5 coverage is as high as possible, thus maximizing Apple's "free" advertising.

What these sources all confirm is that Apple is sitting on new Powermacs right now. They may further delay the G5 Powermacs in lieu of speed-bumped G4 powermacs, depending on other factors that my sources could not delineate a this time. Possible reasons include lack of market saturation with Powermac G4s, and the inherent business risks associated with implementing such an enormous performance boost in the Powermac line. A jump from 867 MHz to 1.6 GHz may very well hurt Apple's business more than help it, for Apple could mine consumer demand for Powermacs midway in performance between the existing Powermac G4s and the Powermac G5s.

Another possibility is that Apple will delay the Powermac G5s so that they can stockpile enough G5 chips to meet demand that exceeds projections. In this case, it would be wise of Apple to speed bump the current Powermac G4s, and after stockpiling G5 CPUs for 6-9 months, introduce the Powermac G5s for immediate availability, according to some sources deep within the bowels of Apple HQ.

Another source has confirmed at least one suspicion: Apple may be delaying the Powermac G5s because their margins would be under 30%. Apple would rather wait for the cost of new motherboard components, such as 8X AGP, DDR RAM, high speed bus, to drop to acceptable levels to keep margins high. This typically requires that Apple wait until the components are shipping in mid to low range PC boxes so that prices fall low enough. Adopting new technology too soon eats into Apple's industry leading margins and threatens the Cupertino based computer companies profitability.

We may never know the true causes of the delay in new Powermac announcements, but in any event, sources have confirmed that new Powermacs have been delayed, and if the speed-bumped Powermac G4s are introduced, then this will confirm that Powermac G5s have been delayed until a future release date.

Delays are common with new product introductions, so this delay may indicate nothing significant at all, beyond botched shipping schedules, missed airline flights, or executive-employee illness. No other delays are confirmed at this time.

Keywords:

Confirmed

Powermac G4

Powermac G5

Margins

Component cost

Profits

Business

Delay

Motorola

MHz myth

Two brains are better than one

Photoshop</strong><hr></blockquote>

Do you ever get tired of doing this over and over again??

[quote]Originally posted by Junkyard Dawg:

<strong>

Now these same sources have informed me that Apple has delayed announcing the new Powermac G5s, for reasons known only to Apple.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Heck, I don't have to work for Apple to tell you the reason the G5 wasn't released this week:

Because that information was a LOAD OF CRAP!

And I'm spent.

So, tell us something we don't know.

I'm no convinced a jump in *hz would HURT Apple - other than the humiliation of shipping a product containing a processor that's not done testing!

I've just realized there's a new emoticon.

It's perfect.

<img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[No]" />

Stock Pile for 6-9 months!!!!!

Are you serious!?!?!

6-9 months is an eternity in the computer world. Thats a release in July-September. By that time the P4 will be at 3GHZ and the AMD Clawhammer (the first of the K8 line) will be shipping. A 1.6GHZ G5 will still be behind in real performance never mind MHZ. If Motorola has somehow managed to turn vapourware into real boxed processors Apple needs to make computers with them today! Like wake Steve up, get him out of bed and let go down to the shop and start building!

[quote]stockpiling G5 CPUs for 6-9 months[/QB]<hr></blockquote>

Man, Apple is not in the position to wait until AMD has already produced "Hammer". They have to show off a unique performance boost, so that ALL computer geeks are impressed by Apple.

Waiting so long would be a great marketing mistake, even if they would have lower margins releasing it now. They need revenues!! Market Share!!

This company will drive me insane one day. What can I say to all the audio people around me right now? Wait till the G5 arrives...or you better bye a wintel box for less money and 250% better performance (yes, in audio the difference is THAT huge!)

Key Words:

Clever

Irony

As a long time Mac user there's only one thing I can be sure of:

That company never ceases to amaze me!

To Steve Jobs:

I Know The G5 is Ready and I WANT IT!

[ 01-24-2002: Message edited by: philbot ]</p>

Very thoughtful post, JD.

Thanks !!!

Me too, any word on the Powerbook? My 500 iBook just doesn't cut it.

Dr. L

[quote]Originally posted by antaisce:

<strong>

..or you better bye a wintel box for less money and 250% better performance (yes, in audio the difference is THAT huge!)</strong><hr></blockquote>

Bullsh*t - 250 % ??? your haven't heard of the very good performance of Altivec-Enhanced Software PlugIns for audio, right? the dual 800 G4 outperforms some real expensive wintel boxes in that category...

anyway - apple should get it's ass up to take OS X to a new performance-level that cannot be reached for wintel/ wamd -boxes for at least 6 month... especially for "normal" tasks like integer and normal floating point operations...

&lt;/sermon&gt;

This "confirms" something I've suspected for a long time: the use of "CONFIRMED" in a forum thread signifies a lack o' fact.

Is it so difficult to think, that so many people will assume that wishful fantasy & self-induced wetdreams are just as good as reason and information?

Granted, information is scarce (re: the G5), and real thinking more rare still; does anyone here REALLY believe that making things up & repeating them endlessly, like a child trying to wear down Mother's resistance, will translate into meaningful conversation - OR into "pressure" on Apple?

Analysing rumours is fun, and can even be useful; in the absence of either rumor or fact, speculation is also fun; but please, people - call a spade a spade, be honest w/ yourselves & the rest of us:

- make up whatever you like, but be prepared to argue for & against;

- don't just swallow the frenzy of the moment as if it were "true";

- don't use imaginary "sources" to prop up your mental shortcomings!

&lt;/sermon&gt;

--

Bradyt\t(flustered) I do not think about things I do not think about.

Drummondt(ironic) Do you ever think about the things you DO think about?

[ 01-24-2002: Message edited by: Capt. Obvious ]</p>

[quote]Originally posted by Fran441:

<strong>Not Inherit the Wind. </strong><hr></blockquote>

Perhaps you could elaborate....

Smells like a pile of...

<img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[No]" />

(I like these new emoticons: <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" /> + <img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[No]" /> + <img src="graemlins/embarrassed.gif" border="0" alt="[Embarrassed]" /> cooooool!)

[quote]Perhaps you could elaborate....<hr></blockquote>

I dislike it.

Actually, it isn't that bad, but when you are REQUIRED to read it more than once, you are almost forced to dislike it.

Apple does not stockpile product in wherehouses. They usually only have a few weeks of product on hand. It's called inventory management. It costs money to store stuff.

Since Apple has never announced new G4 or G5 Powermacs, everything written is speculation. Throw out enough "facts" and stats and you're bound to get a few things right. No matter, as soon as the product does come out, there will be whinning and complaints, and.... (yhou know). <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

&lt;to self&gt;

Oh, why not try to eke something serious out of this thread, just for dull kicks.

&lt;/to self&gt;

Junkyard Dawg confirmed:

[quote][qb]Apple may be delaying the Powermac G5s because their margins would be under 30%. Apple would rather wait for the cost of new motherboard components, such as 8X AGP, DDR RAM, high speed bus, to drop to acceptable levels to keep margins high.<hr></blockquote>

That got me thinking: What if, when Anderson told the investors to say goodbye to 30% because Apple wanted market share, he wasn't just referring to the iMac?

Not that long ago, Apple dropped the price on the TiBook line, then speedbumped it and kept the lower price. Maybe they'll do that again?

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