Tilpots
May 7, 10:35 AM
I've heard similar rumors about MobileMe going free. Makes sense if Apple could leverage the new iAd system to generate targeted campaigns, and effectively subsidise the cost of opening the system up to more users.
Free MobileMe as an iAd platform? That sounds about right. Paid MobileMe without the iAds? I think we're getting somewhere now...
Free MobileMe as an iAd platform? That sounds about right. Paid MobileMe without the iAds? I think we're getting somewhere now...
lilo777
Apr 18, 04:35 PM
Apple *have* patented the look of icons: http://www.edibleapple.com/apple-granted-eu-patents-on-24-ios-icon-designs/ and Samsung clearly infringes on them.
(I'm not sure if a similar, US patent exists.)
I doubt that "looks" can be patented in US. Anyways, according to this article: "The patent application was originally filed in September 2010 and also encapsulates designs pertaining to the reflective nature of icons in the iPad dock (wherein the reflection also describes the function of said icon/app).". There is nothing reflective about Samsung icons.
(I'm not sure if a similar, US patent exists.)
I doubt that "looks" can be patented in US. Anyways, according to this article: "The patent application was originally filed in September 2010 and also encapsulates designs pertaining to the reflective nature of icons in the iPad dock (wherein the reflection also describes the function of said icon/app).". There is nothing reflective about Samsung icons.
2992
Apr 20, 12:42 AM
good to know it'll be Sept update, but... too long to wait, and iP4 is already old. Samsung G S2, here I come! :)
Thomas2006
Mar 27, 09:36 AM
I highly doubt this is the case. The iPhone still leads the forefront for iOS devices and will receive iOS 5 when it is released. The only way this works is if the release of iPhone 5 is in September and I don't see that happening any time soon.
I think iOS 5 will be released after the iPhone 5 and iPod touch 5 are released with the A5 processor.
I also think iOS 5 and Mac OS X "Lion" will be tightly integrated, but not dependent on each other, so your Mac experience can be taken to the next level.
I think iOS 5 will be released after the iPhone 5 and iPod touch 5 are released with the A5 processor.
I also think iOS 5 and Mac OS X "Lion" will be tightly integrated, but not dependent on each other, so your Mac experience can be taken to the next level.
iScott428
Mar 29, 04:28 PM
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8G4 Safari/6533.18.5)
You really don't know what you are talking about. Many American businesses are world class. That doesn't include 2/3rds of the American auto industry sadly but GM made a management decision to sell crap and Chrysler never did sell anything of quality. However just because one industry is less than stellar it doesn't mean all are.
I'm not sure where you are on this planet but where I'm at we export a great deal of stuff to the rest of the world. Some of it even consumer level.
A wise person shops with an open mind. You seem to have closed yours and thus send all your dollars over seas. Sad really.
I Kind of have to disagree, then I agree with you as well that many in fact most American Businesses are great companies. Both Chrysler and GM have made and will make great vehicles in the future. And yes we do export a crap ton of products over seas, some good others not. Also I shop with the most open mind available, looking for the best quality products, at the best prices, with the best function and then form and too many other variable to list off.
And yes this is so far off topic its amazing where tangents can go.
You really don't know what you are talking about. Many American businesses are world class. That doesn't include 2/3rds of the American auto industry sadly but GM made a management decision to sell crap and Chrysler never did sell anything of quality. However just because one industry is less than stellar it doesn't mean all are.
I'm not sure where you are on this planet but where I'm at we export a great deal of stuff to the rest of the world. Some of it even consumer level.
A wise person shops with an open mind. You seem to have closed yours and thus send all your dollars over seas. Sad really.
I Kind of have to disagree, then I agree with you as well that many in fact most American Businesses are great companies. Both Chrysler and GM have made and will make great vehicles in the future. And yes we do export a crap ton of products over seas, some good others not. Also I shop with the most open mind available, looking for the best quality products, at the best prices, with the best function and then form and too many other variable to list off.
And yes this is so far off topic its amazing where tangents can go.
bedifferent
May 7, 12:05 PM
The best option is to cover both ends.
Free
Syncing
Contacts, Calendar, Bookmarks
Small iDisk
Find my iDevice
Web Gallery
Web Page
Paid
iTunes Cloud (Lala music streaming)
More Sync options
Larger iDisk Pro (Dropbox like speed)
Larger Web space and Gallery
Online Backup
iWork.com Pro (Collaboration and editing)
I'm ready to go Google Free. I just need to know Mobileme is worth investing in more.
Exactly my thoughts, aside from the free web page/site. Over the years I've grown to appreciate the MobileMe/.Mac service as it offers a lot for $99/year, much more than most realize or utilize. Offering a "lite/free" version would attract more iPhone/iPad owners and would entice more to purchase the full version.
Free
Syncing
Contacts, Calendar, Bookmarks
Small iDisk
Find my iDevice
Web Gallery
Web Page
Paid
iTunes Cloud (Lala music streaming)
More Sync options
Larger iDisk Pro (Dropbox like speed)
Larger Web space and Gallery
Online Backup
iWork.com Pro (Collaboration and editing)
I'm ready to go Google Free. I just need to know Mobileme is worth investing in more.
Exactly my thoughts, aside from the free web page/site. Over the years I've grown to appreciate the MobileMe/.Mac service as it offers a lot for $99/year, much more than most realize or utilize. Offering a "lite/free" version would attract more iPhone/iPad owners and would entice more to purchase the full version.
KnightWRX
May 4, 06:58 PM
It's bootable (the, ahem, pirated versions of Lion are distributed as dmgs.)
That doesn't mean the App Store version is. Only that the "pirated" versions are. They could have been made bootable after the fact.
That doesn't mean the App Store version is. Only that the "pirated" versions are. They could have been made bootable after the fact.
Rt&Dzine
Apr 14, 12:06 PM
Yes, I want to donate to the Fed (http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-real-housewives-of-wall-street-look-whos-cashing-in-on-the-bailout-20110411?page=1) (so that my money can go lie on a Cayman island beach, since I never will be able to).
Holy crap! You know these things are going on but to read the details is nauseating.
And then there are the bailout deals that make no sense at all. Republicans go mad over spending on health care and school for Mexican illegals. So why aren't they flipping out over the $9.6 billion in loans the Fed made to the Central Bank of Mexico? How do we explain the $2.2 billion in loans that went to the Korea Development Bank, the biggest state bank of South Korea, whose sole purpose is to promote development in South Korea? And at a time when America is borrowing from the Middle East at interest rates of three percent, why did the Fed extend $35 billion in loans to the Arab Banking Corporation of Bahrain at interest rates as low as one quarter of one point?
Even more disturbing, the major stakeholder in the Bahrain bank is none other than the Central Bank of Libya, which owns 59 percent of the operation. In fact, the Bahrain bank just received a special exemption from the U.S. Treasury to prevent its assets from being frozen in accord with economic sanctions. That's right: Muammar Qaddafi received more than 70 loans from the Federal Reserve, along with the Real Housewives of Wall Street.
Perhaps the most irritating facet of all of these transactions is the fact that hundreds of millions of Fed dollars were given out to hedge funds and other investors with addresses in the Cayman Islands. Many of those addresses belong to companies with American affiliations � including prominent Wall Street names like Pimco, Blackstone and . . . Christy Mack. Yes, even Waterfall TALF Opportunity is an offshore company. It's one thing for the federal government to look the other way when Wall Street hotshots evade U.S. taxes by registering their investment companies in the Cayman Islands. But subsidizing tax evasion? Giving it a federal bailout?
Holy crap! You know these things are going on but to read the details is nauseating.
And then there are the bailout deals that make no sense at all. Republicans go mad over spending on health care and school for Mexican illegals. So why aren't they flipping out over the $9.6 billion in loans the Fed made to the Central Bank of Mexico? How do we explain the $2.2 billion in loans that went to the Korea Development Bank, the biggest state bank of South Korea, whose sole purpose is to promote development in South Korea? And at a time when America is borrowing from the Middle East at interest rates of three percent, why did the Fed extend $35 billion in loans to the Arab Banking Corporation of Bahrain at interest rates as low as one quarter of one point?
Even more disturbing, the major stakeholder in the Bahrain bank is none other than the Central Bank of Libya, which owns 59 percent of the operation. In fact, the Bahrain bank just received a special exemption from the U.S. Treasury to prevent its assets from being frozen in accord with economic sanctions. That's right: Muammar Qaddafi received more than 70 loans from the Federal Reserve, along with the Real Housewives of Wall Street.
Perhaps the most irritating facet of all of these transactions is the fact that hundreds of millions of Fed dollars were given out to hedge funds and other investors with addresses in the Cayman Islands. Many of those addresses belong to companies with American affiliations � including prominent Wall Street names like Pimco, Blackstone and . . . Christy Mack. Yes, even Waterfall TALF Opportunity is an offshore company. It's one thing for the federal government to look the other way when Wall Street hotshots evade U.S. taxes by registering their investment companies in the Cayman Islands. But subsidizing tax evasion? Giving it a federal bailout?
Anonymous Freak
May 6, 12:17 AM
Image (http://www.macrumors.com/2011/05/06/apple-to-move-from-intel-to-arm-processors-in-future-laptops/)
Article Link: Apple to Move from Intel to ARM Processors in Future Laptops? (http://www.macrumors.com/2011/05/06/apple-to-move-from-intel-to-arm-processors-in-future-laptops/)
Yeah, but making the prediction "Apple is going to continue their long-standing practice of alternating between GPU vendors by switching to the other one!" is a heck of a lot easier to make than "Apple is going to throw away tons of user goodwill by screwing them through yet another architecture change!"
Just last week, there was a rumor that Apple would have their custom ARM chips fabbed by Intel. That strikes me as a *LOT* more believable than Apple switching away from Intel now.
So I just bought a new 4 core Sandy Bridge iMac tonight and now this news breaks. Is ARM actually building anything in any way shape or form that competes with the Intel X86 stuff right now or is this just vaporware at this point?
At this point, pure rumor, not even vaporware, as vaporware implies the company has actually announced something.
ARM does have chips that can compete at the very lowest end of x86, such as with the chips presently running Netbooks. But it doesn't have anything even remotely competitive with the mainstream chips. (To use names: They compete with Atom, not with Core.)
Article Link: Apple to Move from Intel to ARM Processors in Future Laptops? (http://www.macrumors.com/2011/05/06/apple-to-move-from-intel-to-arm-processors-in-future-laptops/)
Yeah, but making the prediction "Apple is going to continue their long-standing practice of alternating between GPU vendors by switching to the other one!" is a heck of a lot easier to make than "Apple is going to throw away tons of user goodwill by screwing them through yet another architecture change!"
Just last week, there was a rumor that Apple would have their custom ARM chips fabbed by Intel. That strikes me as a *LOT* more believable than Apple switching away from Intel now.
So I just bought a new 4 core Sandy Bridge iMac tonight and now this news breaks. Is ARM actually building anything in any way shape or form that competes with the Intel X86 stuff right now or is this just vaporware at this point?
At this point, pure rumor, not even vaporware, as vaporware implies the company has actually announced something.
ARM does have chips that can compete at the very lowest end of x86, such as with the chips presently running Netbooks. But it doesn't have anything even remotely competitive with the mainstream chips. (To use names: They compete with Atom, not with Core.)
Full of Win
Apr 5, 01:32 PM
How one big multinational company arguing with another affects your phone, I don't quite understand. Oh, wait...you're saying you WANT to make your homescreen a Toyota ad?
I tell you what, all you "I demand my freedom" folks confuse me more and more. The right to let Toyota advertise to you was never a big arguing point in the past for the radicals I used to read about.
I just don''t like to see Apple flex their power to do things they cannot legally force under the DMCA (per The Library of Congress).
I tell you what, all you "I demand my freedom" folks confuse me more and more. The right to let Toyota advertise to you was never a big arguing point in the past for the radicals I used to read about.
I just don''t like to see Apple flex their power to do things they cannot legally force under the DMCA (per The Library of Congress).
EDH667
Jan 25, 07:36 AM
Regarding using a case with the tom tom kit--I bought a casemate (comes shiny and somewhat rubberized) and it fits fine in my tomtom car kit.
check out the website. maybe it's a solution for you.
I have used the Case-Mate Barley-There and am currently using the Marware MicroShell with the TomTom car kit. They both work fine.
check out the website. maybe it's a solution for you.
I have used the Case-Mate Barley-There and am currently using the Marware MicroShell with the TomTom car kit. They both work fine.
maclaptop
Apr 20, 07:38 AM
All I am thinking about after this news is the release date of the Iphone 6.
Me too.
This year I'll have some fun with Android, since Apple's coasting. It's their loss and my gain.
Besides it's very fun to check out what's up with the competition first hand.
Thanks Apple!
Me too.
This year I'll have some fun with Android, since Apple's coasting. It's their loss and my gain.
Besides it's very fun to check out what's up with the competition first hand.
Thanks Apple!
senc01a
May 6, 06:01 AM
If this turns out to be real, and windows 8 doesn't support ARM or for whatever reason doesn't run on Apple ARM laptops, this will be a major disaster.
Even though I hardly ever use windows, I migrated to Mac because I could use it if I ever needed to.
Even though I hardly ever use windows, I migrated to Mac because I could use it if I ever needed to.
vwsoul
Sep 16, 12:20 PM
I do the ordering for Macs for my company, i ordered a 17" MBP for our new art director early sept and it arrived about a less than a week later. I ordered a new 15" MBP yesterday and the shipping date was Sept 20.
However, i just read this forum and cancelled the order thinking perhaps i rather not take the risk and wait for the new macbooks, hopefully they do come out on the 19th or 25th.
However, i just read this forum and cancelled the order thinking perhaps i rather not take the risk and wait for the new macbooks, hopefully they do come out on the 19th or 25th.
drew0020
Apr 20, 07:49 AM
How about glass that doesn't get scratched when a piece of hair lands on it?
I like this idea about the glass haha.
Im probably going to wait out this version as long as iOS5 runs fine on the iPhone 4. If the release date is September than this version will be even more disappointing to me as it seems to be a spec bump. I dont play games on my phone so the A5 and graphics chip probably wont impact my usage significantly.
I really hope iOS5 is good, but im prepared for the worst ha!
I like this idea about the glass haha.
Im probably going to wait out this version as long as iOS5 runs fine on the iPhone 4. If the release date is September than this version will be even more disappointing to me as it seems to be a spec bump. I dont play games on my phone so the A5 and graphics chip probably wont impact my usage significantly.
I really hope iOS5 is good, but im prepared for the worst ha!
toddybody
Apr 25, 10:05 AM
Hes not acting like a dick, he's just worried because of what hes heard.
I know your email to Steve would begin with "Your Royal Appleness" and end with "Your faithful Man-Servant"
The man has heard his phone is tracking his location, and is naturally, entitled to be worried.
Sorry *LTD* (Since I actually like you alot)...
But that comment is hilarious. :D
I know your email to Steve would begin with "Your Royal Appleness" and end with "Your faithful Man-Servant"
The man has heard his phone is tracking his location, and is naturally, entitled to be worried.
Sorry *LTD* (Since I actually like you alot)...
But that comment is hilarious. :D
BruinJohn
Jul 21, 03:12 PM
Well, since WWDC has been bumped from the usual June day, we all know something is coming. I kinda am hoping for a 13" MBP. They could introduce the 13" MBP along with bumped up 15" and 17" ones. Then, they could intro the MacPro. It would be one WWDC. Maybe they'll deliver something for the Paris Expo too. Maybe new iPods. They are trying to clear out the current ones with the Edu incentive of buy a mac, get a free nano. So, maybe a new nano is in the works. I can't wait. I won't be buying anything for a couple more years, but I love hearing about Apple stuff.
smulji
Mar 30, 10:53 PM
WOW. In my years of OS X development and beta releases, this is the first time I believe Apple has released a developer preview with little to no beta releases, and pushed right into a half arsed possible GM build without the numerous beta's for 10.X refinements. For developers and companies who have been accustomed to Apple pushing bi-weekly beta's as the GM release approaches. This may not bold well for developers and companies transitioning their products/applications in time and with little "bumps" in the road.
This also makes me believe Apple has certainly, finally, officially drawn a line with regard to their main focus: iOS. It truly is about mobile devices for Cupertino, with iPhones and iPads and numerous iOS beta releases that have pushed OS X off center stage since Leopard. Gone are the excellent days of a dedicated LCD display line with three size variants, gone are the days when desktop PowerPC towers were affordable, and soon the professionals who spent thousands of dollars and hours investing in Mac products for their work will be pushed out the door for the general mass consumer. This is a sad sign for us, for those that supported a struggling yet profitable Apple dedicated to professionals, consumers, quality products and improved operating systems.
That could be what Steve Jobs was alluding to when during the iPad 1 release in 2010 he said that Apple was the world's largest mobile devices company. Then later that same year during one of the financial conference calls Tim Cooke said people should refer to Apple as a mobile company. Just a theory.
This also makes me believe Apple has certainly, finally, officially drawn a line with regard to their main focus: iOS. It truly is about mobile devices for Cupertino, with iPhones and iPads and numerous iOS beta releases that have pushed OS X off center stage since Leopard. Gone are the excellent days of a dedicated LCD display line with three size variants, gone are the days when desktop PowerPC towers were affordable, and soon the professionals who spent thousands of dollars and hours investing in Mac products for their work will be pushed out the door for the general mass consumer. This is a sad sign for us, for those that supported a struggling yet profitable Apple dedicated to professionals, consumers, quality products and improved operating systems.
That could be what Steve Jobs was alluding to when during the iPad 1 release in 2010 he said that Apple was the world's largest mobile devices company. Then later that same year during one of the financial conference calls Tim Cooke said people should refer to Apple as a mobile company. Just a theory.
basesloaded190
Mar 28, 11:30 AM
I'm in the 3GS camp too, so I won't lie and say I'm happy about this.
I'm rockin the day one 3gs right now, so I'm with you happy that at least hopefully we will be ableto get some new hardware this year
I'm rockin the day one 3gs right now, so I'm with you happy that at least hopefully we will be ableto get some new hardware this year
MovieCutter
Jul 29, 09:29 PM
Haven't we heard before from this "tech-unsavvy friend, who is regularly hired by Apple to do marketing photo shoots", maybe sometime in the past year or two? The line sounds familiar. I don't recall if the previous bit of information from that source was true or not.
Yeah, he took pictures of the new iMac G5 in an elevator...;)
Yeah, he took pictures of the new iMac G5 in an elevator...;)
oneighturbo
Sep 16, 08:21 PM
well i just placed my order for a 15" MBP 2.0 base model w/ an iPod 60GB
i chatted with a rep and pointed out that i have 14 days to return. i have 30 days to submit the iPod rebate (which requires a upc cut from MBP box)
so my status shows ship date of the 19th and arrival of the 26th!
so kinda in a pickle with dates but the 60GB will only cost me $120 in the end.
BTW, Im a first time mac buyer even though ive used em for years at work!
http://static.flickr.com/81/244990126_78cbf5958d.jpg
i chatted with a rep and pointed out that i have 14 days to return. i have 30 days to submit the iPod rebate (which requires a upc cut from MBP box)
so my status shows ship date of the 19th and arrival of the 26th!
so kinda in a pickle with dates but the 60GB will only cost me $120 in the end.
BTW, Im a first time mac buyer even though ive used em for years at work!
http://static.flickr.com/81/244990126_78cbf5958d.jpg
Yebot
Sep 11, 02:23 AM
I prefer to rent movies. I rarely buy DVD's. That said, I'd like to see a rental option added to Apple's Movie Store.
Music is a different story. I prefer to own music.
Music is a different story. I prefer to own music.
nologo
Sep 16, 02:16 AM
Internal Sony 5.25" ATAPI EIDE Blu-ray Drives Cost $750 At Fry's. So an internal mobile Blue-ray probably cost over $1,000. Plus I agree with all of the above. It's too soon. Blu-ray blank media is incredibly expensive - Prohibitively so - almost $1/GB - IE about $50 per 50GB and $25 per 25GB Blu-ray blank.
Conventional Single Sided DVD blanks are down to about 5�/GB. I'd say that's a fairly large MEDIA COST GAP that only time will reduce. Until then, we've got quite a wait until the professionals drive up demand to the point where prosumers can rationalize a higher price of <20�/GB or so - IE where the $1.50 price of 8.5GB Dual Layer DVDs is now - about $10 per 50GB and $5 per 25GB Blu-ray blank. Make sense? Or do any of you see it another way?
It is more conceivable that it would have a Blu-Ray ROM drive in a mobile, which would also help in starting the downward trend in price of the blue laser diodes. And basically, it seems more useful to have the ability to play blu-ray movies than burn a 25GB disc at that price and speed. Personally, of course, I don't see the Blu-ray thing happening this update but I do think that Apple wants to be a leader in this regard. The DVD-burning SuperDrive was always something that Apple touted as being ahead-of-the-curve when introing it in the PowerMacs - of course, it took them a while to integrate it into the Titaniums in a slot-load config. So yeah, thinking aloud here, but it ain't gonna happen until the Mac Pros start (at the very least) having a BTO option of a Blu-Ray ROM (but more likely a burner)
Sorry for being stupid here, but why do you guys want magnetic latches? It just doesn't seem superior to me, but then again I haven't tried the new macbooks, I just know that the solution on my old 17" powerbook was fine.
Magnetic latches have no parts to break. The mechanical latches still use a magnet, but a small metal hook gets pulled down by the magnet to hook the display section of the notebook to the keyboard portion. If this hook is somehow broken than the latch must be replaced - possibly requiring the display housing to be opened. With a magnet in the display and keyboard portions of the laptop, the only problems is the eventual weakening of the magnets (probably not an issue) and the fact that a fairly strong magnet is close to a hard drive and other electronic hardware that has the potential of being affected by magnets. That being said, I would think Apple's hardware engineers would have this problem covered or some Macbooks are going to have some pretty plucky HD problems. And they already use magnets in the latches of the MacBook pro's mechnical latch (not to mention MagSafe)- so the Macbook magnetic latch is just a different implentation of the magnets (and a superior one). Hope this makes sense....
Conventional Single Sided DVD blanks are down to about 5�/GB. I'd say that's a fairly large MEDIA COST GAP that only time will reduce. Until then, we've got quite a wait until the professionals drive up demand to the point where prosumers can rationalize a higher price of <20�/GB or so - IE where the $1.50 price of 8.5GB Dual Layer DVDs is now - about $10 per 50GB and $5 per 25GB Blu-ray blank. Make sense? Or do any of you see it another way?
It is more conceivable that it would have a Blu-Ray ROM drive in a mobile, which would also help in starting the downward trend in price of the blue laser diodes. And basically, it seems more useful to have the ability to play blu-ray movies than burn a 25GB disc at that price and speed. Personally, of course, I don't see the Blu-ray thing happening this update but I do think that Apple wants to be a leader in this regard. The DVD-burning SuperDrive was always something that Apple touted as being ahead-of-the-curve when introing it in the PowerMacs - of course, it took them a while to integrate it into the Titaniums in a slot-load config. So yeah, thinking aloud here, but it ain't gonna happen until the Mac Pros start (at the very least) having a BTO option of a Blu-Ray ROM (but more likely a burner)
Sorry for being stupid here, but why do you guys want magnetic latches? It just doesn't seem superior to me, but then again I haven't tried the new macbooks, I just know that the solution on my old 17" powerbook was fine.
Magnetic latches have no parts to break. The mechanical latches still use a magnet, but a small metal hook gets pulled down by the magnet to hook the display section of the notebook to the keyboard portion. If this hook is somehow broken than the latch must be replaced - possibly requiring the display housing to be opened. With a magnet in the display and keyboard portions of the laptop, the only problems is the eventual weakening of the magnets (probably not an issue) and the fact that a fairly strong magnet is close to a hard drive and other electronic hardware that has the potential of being affected by magnets. That being said, I would think Apple's hardware engineers would have this problem covered or some Macbooks are going to have some pretty plucky HD problems. And they already use magnets in the latches of the MacBook pro's mechnical latch (not to mention MagSafe)- so the Macbook magnetic latch is just a different implentation of the magnets (and a superior one). Hope this makes sense....
doctor-don
Apr 21, 11:10 PM
It seems the present size could be reduced to the 5 x 19 size without turning the optical drives vertical. The tower configuration would still be oriented vertically, and many mounts are available to attach it under a desk. Optical drives don't need to be phased out because they are needed for writing CD / DVD back-ups
What I would like to see is an air filtration system that will prevent all of the dust from getting into everything inside my MP. I can add my own filter, but that might not be advisable due to the fan having to work overtime, and that could lead to heat problems.
Perhaps the overall weight could be reduced in this rumored size reduction.
When prices drop substantially, SSDs will be a good storage plan. However, that may not be in the next couple of years, so the present drive bay size should not be reduced.
What I would like to see is an air filtration system that will prevent all of the dust from getting into everything inside my MP. I can add my own filter, but that might not be advisable due to the fan having to work overtime, and that could lead to heat problems.
Perhaps the overall weight could be reduced in this rumored size reduction.
When prices drop substantially, SSDs will be a good storage plan. However, that may not be in the next couple of years, so the present drive bay size should not be reduced.
