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Mac Pro Build-to-Order Ship Dates Slip as Future Remains Uncertain

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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Just before Christmas, shipping estimates for Apple's 12-core Mac Pro model increased to 1-3 weeks, and while that specific model does tend to occasionally see some extra lead time, the shipping delays were later noticed to have extended to nearly any customized Mac Pro order. Even as simple a customization as increasing the RAM on an "In Stock" standard Mac Pro configuration increases its shipping estimate to 1-3 weeks.

quad_core_mac_pro_1_3_weeks.jpg



Quad-core Mac Pro shipping estimate bumped to 1-3 weeks by upgrading RAM​
Increases in shipping estimates in Apple's online store can sometimes be indicative of an upcoming product refresh as the company draws down supplies ahead of launching the updated models. The Mac Pro is most certainly due for an update, and there are several indications that components may be coming together for a significant upgrade to the line.

Most importantly, Intel's Sandy Bridge E Xeon processors are due for launch during the first quarter of this year after having been delayed from a late 2011 debut. Rumors have suggested, however, that continued issues with the chipset portion of the "Romley" platform utilizing the Sandy Bridge E Xeon processors may see a release being held back until the beginning of March, still several months from now.

On the graphics front, evidence of support for AMD's "Tahiti" line of graphics cards has been showing up in developer builds of OS X 10.7.3, and just a week and half ago AMD officially unveiled the first Tahiti graphics card for a January launch.

But while the pieces seem to be coming together at the right time for a substantial Mac Pro upgrade, a bigger question is whether the line will even continue to survive long enough to see another update. A late October report claimed that Apple is "questioning" the future of the Mac Pro given declining sales as customers have continued a trend of shifting toward portable computers, and we've heard similar rumblings that even pinpointed a discontinuation date in January.

Consequently, it is difficult to speculate on whether increased shipping estimates for custom configurations might be due to Apple tightening supplies ahead of a refresh or if the company could be drawing down production entirely ahead of a discontinuation of the line.

Article Link: Mac Pro Build-to-Order Ship Dates Slip as Future Remains Uncertain
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/01/02/mac-pro-build-to-order-ship-dates-slip-as-future-remains-uncertain/
yadmonkey

yadmonkey

macrumors 65816
Aug 13, 2002
1,306
838
Western Spiral
While articles like this bring up my angst about the future of the Mac Pro, I like to think that Apple is smart enough to recognize the value of the Mac Pro beyond its immediate ROI in dollars and will continue the line for a long time.
 
W

wiz329

macrumors 6502a
Apr 19, 2010
509
96
Enough of all this ridiculous "might be discontinued" and "future uncertain" nonsense.
 
chrmjenkins

chrmjenkins

macrumors 603
Oct 29, 2007
5,325
158
MD
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

Support for Tahiti is a strong indication the Pro line is not dead.
 
W

winston1236

macrumors 68000
Dec 13, 2010
1,902
319
the manager at my apple store seemed very confident that updates were coming for the mac pro. i have to agree.
 
iZac

iZac

macrumors 68030
Apr 28, 2003
2,594
2,776
UK
Didn't the mini also get threatened with this foreboding future by the rumour mill before it got its makeover?
 
Last edited:
quagmire

quagmire

macrumors 604
Apr 19, 2004
6,908
2,330
chrmjenkins said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

Support for Tahiti is a strong indication the Pro line is not dead.
Click to expand...

Or it's Apple building in support for it so current Mac Pro owners can upgrade to it...
 
L

Lumpydog

macrumors 6502
Aug 3, 2007
373
108
Maybe early next week?

The early 2008 Mac Pros were introduced on Tues - Jan 8th, 2008.

Not out of the question that we'll see a new Mac Pro next week....
 
Chupa Chupa

Chupa Chupa

macrumors G5
Jul 16, 2002
14,835
7,396
Unless Apple intends to completely exit the box computer market the Mac Pro will live on. It's just silly to suggest anything else. This long delay between refreshes is hardly unique or out of character. It's really up to Intel as to when we'll see the next MP.
 
Z

Zwhaler

macrumors 604
Jun 10, 2006
7,091
1,565
I would like to see a new Mac Pro. Apple wouldn't be very smart to kill it off, (unless we are talking strictly about profit margins with zero regard to making the professional market happy) in which case the new post-Jobs Apple might do it.
 
cosmichobo

cosmichobo

macrumors 6502a
May 4, 2006
963
586
Is there a higher profit margin on the Pros compared to the non Pros?

(There is here in Australia, but that's just regional pricing...)

I ask, thinking that perhaps Apple could "make" the range more profitable for them, so as to desire to continue to make them, though after further thought, this would simply further alienate the market towards the products anyway...

I'd very much like to think Apple will continue to make these high end machines... I've owned 2 Mac towers over the years, though neither were purchased new, so have little interest to Apple's coffers. My preference would certainly be to own another, over an iMac... though it would at best happen this time via the refurb store.
 
ccmovies

ccmovies

macrumors member
Feb 11, 2010
98
52
Boston
It'd be cool if they released a Mac Pro update along side the Final Cut Pro X multi-cam/broadcast monitor update.
 
topmounter

topmounter

macrumors 68030
Jun 18, 2009
2,606
973
FEMA Region VIII
AustinIllini said:
I hope the line isn't discontinued because I see its value. That being said, we should be allowed to speculate as we see fit.
Click to expand...

I don't know why you were replying to me, I never said that you couldn't or shouldn't, just that the endless "end is nigh" speculation isn't going to end. I'm just curious as to what product you'll move on to once they update the Mac Pro.
 
H

huntson

macrumors member
Oct 3, 2005
45
0
yadmonkey said:
While articles like this bring up my angst about the future of the Mac Pro, I like to think that Apple is smart enough to recognize the value of the Mac Pro beyond its immediate ROI in dollars and will continue the line for a long time.
Click to expand...

They weren't about the Xserve
 
topmounter

topmounter

macrumors 68030
Jun 18, 2009
2,606
973
FEMA Region VIII
cosmichobo said:
Is there a higher profit margin on the Pros compared to the non Pros?

(There is here in Australia, but that's just regional pricing...)

I ask, thinking that perhaps Apple could "make" the range more profitable for them, so as to desire to continue to make them, though after further thought, this would simply further alienate the market towards the products anyway...

I'd very much like to think Apple will continue to make these high end machines... I've owned 2 Mac towers over the years, though neither were purchased new, so have little interest to Apple's coffers. My preference would certainly be to own another, over an iMac... though it would at best happen this time via the refurb store.
Click to expand...

If you're just looking at the box, then certainly higher margins and lower volume, but the pro hardware does help sell pro apps. Obviously the doomsayers will tell you that the pro apps run just fine on an iMac, but there is far more to it than that, such as expandability and upgradeability.
 
H

huntson

macrumors member
Oct 3, 2005
45
0
Zwhaler said:
I would like to see a new Mac Pro. Apple wouldn't be very smart to kill it off, (unless we are talking strictly about profit margins with zero regard to making the professional market happy) in which case the new post-Jobs Apple might do it.
Click to expand...

What about the Pro market with Shake, Xserve Raid, Xserve, FCP, Final Cut Server, Lion, etc
 
E

Exhale

macrumors 6502a
Sep 20, 2011
512
145
The MP needs to be handled delicately, being that this is their last 'business' machine, and their last machine with reasonable 'server' capabilities.

Such a loss could have an impact on the 'Media professionals use Macs' view. How much of an impact is hard to say, but its a dangerous step to take when the 'professional' view on Macs is already lower than normal.

This also raises a question on iOS management (as I have no experience at that specific field) - though if memory serves, you could run a Mini as a server, with the sole purpose of managing iOS devices? Letting Windows/Linux/etc manage and operate the rest of the existing systems.
 
N

NorCalLights

macrumors 6502a
Apr 24, 2006
597
85
I still refuse to believe they'll simply discontinue the whole line. I can see a refresh to the design coming though. Perhaps going to 2 PCI slots and 1 optical bay.

My bet is it'll stick around just like the Mini has.
 
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