The 3G standard was still considered a voice centric standard that wasn't really designed for data services. The new LTE standard was designed for the data services era. Apple uses LTE in their latest iPad and their own marketing states that "The new iPad supports fast cellular networks the world over — including 4G LTE networks in the U.S. and Canada. So you can browse the web, stream content, or download a movie at blazing-fast speeds." Today, Apple has ten granted patents to their credit regarding a future cellular MacBook and has many other patent pending applications in the queue. In 2013, Intel's architecture powered by their next generation processor known as Haswell will introduce "Always On" capabilities for the Ultrabook. Translation, it'll offer consumers LTE or 4G capabilities. With LTE options available today for the iPad, is it not time for the cellular MacBook Pro to emerge? The question is really quite simple: Will Apple wait for Intel's 2013 architecture to offer LTE on MacBooks or will they lead and begin to offer LTE options for their new MacBook Pro starting tomorrow? I'd like to think that Apple will lead but there are no guarantees. What do you think? Our Report has been updated, 2PM June 11, 2012
Update: The Cellular Notebook Debuted Today – But not from Apple
On a day that should have seen cellular connectivity come to the MacBook, it didn't. Yet that didn't stop Lenovo from taking the leap in the right direction on the opening day of Apple's World Wide Developer Conference and Keynote.
In PC Magazine's newly posted report titled "Lenovo Unveils 'Anytime, Anywhere' Mobile Broadband," Lenovo states that their "cloud-based service, dubbed Lenovo Mobile Access, provides "pre-connected, always-on, customizable connectivity to the Internet and corporate networks.
Lenovo advertised its dongle-free product as an ideal solution for users who need to access online content while away from their home, office, or public Wi-Fi. "We live in a world where it's not only undesirable to be without online access, it's often disruptive to businesses," Dilip Bhatia, Lenovo's ThinkPad Business Unit vice president and general manager, said in a statement.
While it's too bad that Apple missed this opportunity, we applaud Lenovo for bringing this no-brainer feature to market that will undoubtedly push other OEM's to follow. The time is right.
