Apple has a 15.4-inch MacBook in the oven?

The word in Taiwan circles is that Foxconn (yeah, that Foxconn) has an order from Apple for some 15.4-inch MacBooks, which are due to ship in May 2007. Apparently all it takes to get Apple to stop their exclusive use of Asustek for MacBook orders is a few human rights violations and a couple of ensuing investigations. It seems like a 15.4-inch MacBook could put a significant dent in MacBook Pro sales, so hopefully Apple has something fancy up their sleeve to please the aluminum-lovers among us. In other news, Foxconn is also signed up for some PS3 production next February (though the article says February 2006, which seems unlikely), since it's pretty clear by now that Asustek isn't quite hacking it on that front.

[Via TG Daily]

[PodMonkeys @ Oct 27th 2006 3:12PM]

I still miss there being a 12" power version. 15 and 17 are way too big for me, and even the 13" with its 1" screen borders is still a bit large for my preferences. I just really wish they would reuse the 12" chassis and throw in at least a low end Nvidia or Ati chip in there.

[Simon @ Oct 27th 2006 3:22PM]

YOUR NEW CANON POPUP ADS RALLY SUCK!!!

[Alex C @ Oct 27th 2006 3:39PM]

While the new site is alright on the whole, on the theme of criticising the design of this site: There is far too much content on every single page. By that i mean just far too much in the columns on the right. On a slower computer, loading and scrolling the page brings the browser to a halt. I'd be ever so grateful for a "lite" version! Sure, keep the ads which i know are mandatory, but all those links to all those blogs...!!

[Edward @ Oct 27th 2006 3:41PM]

Agreed. All the Flash Ads on this site is causing my iTunes music playback to stutter.

[dyserenity @ Oct 27th 2006 8:08PM]

Get Firefox with the Adblock extentsion. It gets rid of all the ads.

[Dan @ Oct 27th 2006 3:26PM]

It's hard for me to believe that Apple would make a 15-inch MacBook.

Maybe it's just an order for the NEW MacBook Pro with a new case.

[Serge @ Oct 27th 2006 3:35PM]

MacBook Nano iPro, thats right: i heard it from a high up apple inside executive.

[crescentdavid @ Oct 27th 2006 6:48PM]

Edward- you need another computer. Try a low-end pc. I'm listening to WinAmp and life is good! It's a new fangled thing called multi-tasking ... :).

[Evan @ Oct 27th 2006 4:04PM]

Yes, Engadget's site is now crap. At least Joystiq.com still uses the old style.

As for Apple, there's only one thing I want... the hardware specs of the 24" iMac in a monitorless form factor.

[apeguero @ Oct 27th 2006 4:05PM]

I agree with Dan. That would really suck for MBP owners. This is why I'm waiting until Leopard comes out as well as iLife 2.0 (or 2007, or whatever they call it) before I buy a new MBP. If this new 15.4" MacBook is out about that same time with a C2D CPU then guess what I'll be buying instead?

[Raider @ Oct 27th 2006 4:23PM]

If this was even some what true. I believe it would be different enough from the MacBook Pros.
It probably would have the following.
-Core Duo... not a Core 2 Duo
-Integrated graphics
-Max of 2GB RAM, not 3GB, limited by firmware
-option of only 120GB hard drives
-slower optical drives
-lower resolution screen than the MBP
-won't have the 802.11n inside
-a polycarbonate case, not aluminum
-no ambient light keyboard
-no FireWire 800
-no ExpressCard slot

[UnExt @ Oct 27th 2006 4:29PM]

I heard from a friend of mines who works @ apple that
Mr.Jobs and company are planning on dropping the 15" of the pro line and strictly deal with 17" and 20" notebooks only.

anything consumer will be 12-14-15" respectively.

I dont know how legit this information is but he also told me that the reason why jobs said that 2007 will be an amazing year for apple is because of the complete new lineup revamp.

17" imacs will be for school use only-20" and a 30" all in one will be released as well along with some new apple based products.

Just look at apples history and you will see that what they do is just repeat their own steps all over again-look at the itv box-they tried the same features before back in the early 90's it flopped so fast foward to today and the samething is being done just diffrently designed far from innovative.

but 1 thing they do have is sexy hardware.

believe it or not.

[Ignacio @ Oct 27th 2006 4:45PM]

"I heard from a friend of mines who works @ apple that [...]
believe it or not."

Not.

[spil @ Oct 27th 2006 6:07PM]

10" (or sub-13") macbook.

[Jonathan Allen @ Oct 27th 2006 6:21PM]

Stevie (that's what he wants me to call him) called me on the mobile the other day. We were talking products. He told me that they are going to be releasing a 82" MacBook Pro. That's right, 82"! They are referring to it as "a dinner table replacement" computer. It's going to be sweet. They will also be releasing a sleeve to fit it at the low price of $999.00. Sweet deal.

In other news, Steve Jobs doesn't talk about products, retard.

[Mr. B @ Oct 27th 2006 6:27PM]

dammit... I want a 12 inch Macbook Pro.

[Dan @ Oct 27th 2006 6:44PM]

I think it'd be beneficial to Apple to release a 13" MacBook Pro, but not a 15" MacBook.

[Billy Bob @ Oct 27th 2006 6:47PM]

yea right, crap-for-brains, a 20 inch MBP

[macstibs @ Oct 27th 2006 6:53PM]

I need a 15.4" macbook like i need a hole in my head... i need a 10" mbp or an apple interpretation of the sony ux280p. Please... PLEASE!

[Foof @ Oct 27th 2006 8:34PM]

Wow, a 15" Macbook? That's exactly what we don't need. Apple's got large covered. We need something smaller - a 10" Macbook would suit the lowish resolution they use on the 13" much better.

[zorg @ Oct 28th 2006 10:55AM]

To all u who hang out w/SteveJ:

Next time ur lounging on his gulfstream, explain to him that air travel and packing is getting harder all the time. We plebes need TINY macbooks!

Anything in the wide range of Fujitsu 1610, Dialog Flybook, Sony UX, Libretto U100, OQO, Q1, Anything! Just make it tiny!

[Joshua @ Oct 28th 2006 1:48PM]

I want a 10" touch screen machine from apple. Please.

[H?n @ Oct 28th 2006 4:00PM]

While I don't usually comment on rumours this one may very well be true, and that for a very simple reason. While many ask for a thin and light macbook or MPB, there seems to be a large customer-demand for low-cost computers with large screens. And Apple is sadly lacking in this area. Their least expensive (and only) 15" laptop is 2k+, Dell is offering a 15" Inspiron with WXGA+ screen starting at $780. While this one lack many of the offerings MPB bring to the table (bluetooth, X1600, webcam, remote, etc) and have a slower CPU they share the same amount of RAM, same harddrive, DVD-drive, roughly the same weight and what many consider one of the most important aspects of a laptop - the screensize. So what for many would be the same laptop, the MBP cost 2.5 times as much as the Inspiron.

A 15" Macbook would help Apple compete in this area, something they are unable of right now.

[Omega @ Mar 20th 2007 8:39AM]

I'd like a 15 inch macbook. Would be very useful.