/g/ just hacked the macrumours MacWorld feed

[Stoo]

The battery is sealed inside it, a la iPod.

That's not such a big deal for an awful lot of people - how many times does the average bod replace the battery in a laptop?

I've never done it, and I'm on my third - they're usually obsolete before the battery needs replacing..

[aidanjt]

That's not such a big deal for an awful lot of people - how many times does the average bod replace the battery in a laptop?

I've never done it, and I'm on my third - they're usually obsolete before the battery needs replacing..

I need to replace mine, and mine is still more than good enough for mobile computing. And frankly, what if you're on a long trip on the train or something, across Europe, say. Where are you going to charge your battery once it dies?.. It's easier just to slap in a second battery than running around looking for another power outlet.

[Stoo]

If you're travelling long distances in Europe for business, I'd imagine you'd be in a seat with a power outlet..

Besides, I can't imagine many people would be carting a 17" laptop around with them for general business use - they're too heavy (as a couple of our directors found out with a 17" Dell), and are usually desktop replacements. Hence why the 15" model has a user-replaceable battery..

[Infinite]

Didnt they said that it has enough juice for 8 hours? or was that something else...

[aidanjt]

If you're travelling long distances in Europe for business, I'd imagine you'd be in a seat with a power outlet..

Not always, and your other assumption of always traveling first class may also be false.

Besides, I can't imagine many people would be carting a 17" laptop around with them for general business use - they're too heavy (as a couple of our directors found out with a 17" Dell), and are usually desktop replacements. Hence why the 15" model has a user-replaceable battery..

Scientists tend to have luggable laptops because they need the resolution and huge cells to study and process the data they're working on, bring their work to conventions, etc, etc. Not everyone buys big/powerful laptops for business use, in fact businessmen rarely have any need for such a machine, some actually require it.

If something can be made modular without causing problems, then make it modular. And that especially applies for batteries, where the countless benefits will outweigh non-existent problems.

[aidanjt]

Didnt they said that it has enough juice for 8 hours? or was that something else...

Yes, a maximum of 8 hours. 7 if the GPU is switched on, and much less if you're doing any semi-serious processing.

[Stoo]

Problem solved: http://www.batterygeek.net/SearchResults.asp?Cat=78

In any case, those who require multiple batteries will be a very small minority, which doesn't make sense for Apple to support - if they can innovate and come up with a design which reduces their costs by a significant percentage, and 98%+ of their customers will be happy with, then it's not rocket science to see what will happen.

Besides, as the above link shows - 3rd party manufacturers will cater for that small percentage of customers.

[aidanjt]

Problem solved: http://www.batterygeek.net/SearchResults.asp?Cat=78

In any case, those who require multiple batteries will be a very small minority, which doesn't make sense for Apple to support - if they can innovate and come up with a design which reduces their costs by a significant percentage, and 98%+ of their customers will be happy with, then it's not rocket science to see what will happen.

Besides, as the above link shows - 3rd party manufacturers will cater for that small percentage of customers.

I don't see how sealing the battery inside the machine will reduce costs at all, it still needs to be mechanically stabilised, and the battery still needs wired into the motherboard. It only serves to create many problems in order to 'solve' a 'problem' that doesn't exist.

Even *if* it was a cost cutting exercise (which it isn't), then the price would come down (which it didn't). Apple already has an absurd markup on these machines.

This is a cash generating mechanism, nothing more. Because after the battery is worn down to levels of uselessness, the user has to a) send the machine back to service a battery replacement, which will cost a lot more than slapping in a new one. or b) send the machine back for 'recycling' and buy a whole new one.

[Stoo]

More efficient case design, simpler production, and the battery can be shaped to fit the entire space better, leading to better airflow etc off the top of my head.

It's not really "sealed" inside either, battery replacement will be a while you wait affair at a genius bar.

Costs aren't always directly passed to the consumer you know..

With this manufacturing process, they can build all of their laptop cases on the exact same production line, hence cost benefits and production improvements.

[aidanjt]

More efficient case design, simpler production, and the battery can be shaped to fit the entire space better, leading to better airflow etc off the top of my head.

It's not really "sealed" inside either, battery replacement will be a while you wait affair at a genius bar.

Costs aren't always directly passed to the consumer you know..

With this manufacturing process, they can build all of their laptop cases on the exact same production line, hence cost benefits and production improvements.

Unless you can come up with a proof to back up this assumption. I'll simply dismiss it as Apple screwing over their customers, yet again. But as far as I can see, a hole could be cut out the back or side or bottom during the vent cutting process to place a battery, the same as with the 15" model, not an expensive process by any means.