
Oh, so close…
John recently wrote a column in PC Magazine about the iPad 3, indicating that he isn’t sure what, other than a faster processor, could be in an iPad 4 and beyond. The next version of Mac OS X (called Mountain Lion) will drop Mac from the name and have features from iOS added to it. More iOS devices (iPads and iPhones) were sold last year than all Macs ever sold. All of this, someone suggested (argh! Can’t find the article right now), means that Apple will eventually drop the Mac altogether. Someone pointed out this is silly because despite all that, Macs comprise a smaller, but still significant percentage of revenue.
While desktop Macs should be around for a looong time (multiple monitors, anyone?), what about the Macbooks? There is still a need for many for a real keyboard which the iPad lacks without an external keyboard. And what about those needing multiple programs running at once on the screen in multiple windows? You need a notebook for that. Unless…
Take a future gen iPad with a quad-core processor. Then, as a separately purchased add-on for those who want it, Apple introduces a snap-on panel (the iPanel?) that has a keyboard plus USB and DisplayPort ports. Without the iPanel, the iPad works like a regular iPad. If the iPanel is attached, it works like a Macbook. Two current-day devices in one that makes the regular Macbook redundant. Sounds like a winner to me.
So Apple, when you come out with the iPanel, you know where to send the royalty checks! What? You’ve already patented this? Argh!