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PowerBook updates confirm Panther model code leak
Those internal PB designations in full
Developer documentation detailing Apple's new 15in and 17in PowerBook G4s confirms that the new models' introduction was indeed revealed deep within a pre-release version of Mac OS X 'Panther'.
Apple provided developers with an early version of Panther at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) last June. Soon after, it emerged that a plug-in within the new OS' AppleMacRISC2PE kernel extension listed new PowerBook model numbers.
The plug-in mentioned PowerBook5,2, PowerBook5,3, PowerBook6,2 and PowerBook6,3.
As we noted at the time, the original 12in and 17in PowerBooks had the model numbers: PowerBook6,1 and PowerBook5,1.
Now, with the new machines launched at Apple Expo Paris, Apple has released documentation for the new 15in and 17in models. That documentation (15in and 17in) shows these machines do indeed have the model numbers PowerBook5,2 and PowerBook5,3, respectively.
Updated 12in PowerBook documentation has yet to be released.
Apple's PowerBook model numbers now go something like this:
| Machine | Model No. |
| PowerBook G3 | PowerBook1,1 |
| PowerBook G3 (FireWire)
Feb 2000 |
PowerBook3,1 |
| PowerBook G4 (Titanium)
Jan 2001 |
PowerBook3,2 |
| PowerBook G4 (Gigabit Ethernet)
October 2001 |
PowerBook3,3 |
| PowerBook G4 (DVI)
April 2002 |
PowerBook3,4 |
| PowerBook G4 (1GHz)
November 2002 |
PowerBook3,5 |
| 17in PowerBook
Jan 2003 |
PowerBook5,1 |
| 12in PowerBook
Jan 2003 |
PowerBook6,1 |
| 15in PowerBook
September 2003 |
PowerBook5,2 |
| 17in PowerBook
September 2003 |
PowerBook5,3 |
| iBook
July 1999 |
PowerBook2,1 |
| iBook (Firewire)
Sept 2000 |
PowerBook2,2 |
| iBook (12in)
May 2001 |
PowerBook4,1 |
| iBook
May 2002 |
PowerBook4,2 |
| iBook
Nov 2002 |
PowerBook4,3 |
| iBook
??? |
PowerBook4,4 |
Biting the hand that feeds IT
