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Apple Begins Showing Mac Pro Teaser in Movie Theaters with 'Fall 2013' Announcement
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Except the numbers don't back this statement up...
Unit Sales to Global PC Market [Source]
YEAR - UNITS
2001 - 128.1 million
2002 - 132.4 million
2003 - 168.9 million
2004 - 189.0 million
2005 - 218.5 million
2006 - 239.4 million
2007 - 271.2 million
2008 - 302.2 million
2009 - 305.9 million
2010 - 351.0 million
2011 - 352.8 million
2012 - 352.7 million
In 2011, Apple sold ~17 million Macs.
In 2012, Apple sold ~18.1 million Macs.
[Source] [Source]
So we can clearly see your statement is FALSE. PC Unit sales have grown globally every year since 2001 until this past year when they fell by 0.035%.
Next, Mac sales accounted for 4.8% of units sold in 2011 and 5.1% of units sold in 2012. For all of Apple's innovation that everyone parrots on the forums as the second coming of Christ, those numbers are pathetic. And calling this market small is a joke too. I'll spare you some dignity by not posting the financial data of this "small" market.
False again. Apple catered to 5.1% of buyers last year. Even Asus beat Apple's 2012 sales figures with 6.9% of units sold globally. HP, Lenovo, Dell, Acer, and Asus have products that cater to a majority of PC buyers at 58% of units sold globally. [Source]
But let's not let facts get in the way of cheer-leading for Apple.
I saw the ad this weekend while watching Kickass2..... From the two guys sitting behind me.
"What was that"
"I don't know, thought it was a tube"
Cool looking ad on the large screen, but that's about it. If you didn't already know what it is you probably still don't.
Cheers!
"What was that"
"I don't know, thought it was a tube"
Cool looking ad on the large screen, but that's about it. If you didn't already know what it is you probably still don't.
Cheers!
Only those who despite the passing of Steve Jobs, hang on Apples every word. We have someone like that at work. He went to see the movie in great anticipation. Afterwards he returned rather silently and without his usual gushing over how great it was, when we asked about attendence he sheepishly admitted there were only about ten people in the theater. In Los Angeles, that's an absolute failure.hmm how many apple devotees are going to see the Jobs movie? Great placement-
Great work putting all that together but I said desktop PC sales and you have done general PC sales. Your Wikipedia numbers from the January 2013 Gartner report clearly back up what I said too which was stagnation. The scale of the PC market means those numbers in 2010 to 2012 are stagnant. Q4 2012 had a 6.4% decline followed by 14% in Q1 2013 and 11% in Q2 2013. These Gartner numbers include laptops and servers both of which are on the rise as mobile computing continues to grow and the server space is growing to support the world we live in.
Apple's own desktop numbers were also stagnant from 2010 to 2012 at around 4.65 million units each year and they are also having problems: http://www.computerworld.com/s/arti...ls_here_s_why_Apple_doesn_t_care?pageNumber=1
Now your point about Apple only having a small part of the market so there being untapped potential is something to consider, but what customers are they not serving? Super cheap PCs, enterprise and gamers? Well they aren't going to cater to them after all this time, but (not being sarcastic) I'd be interested to know what markets or customer types who would want desktop PCs that Apple don't have a product for that could be exploited.
I'm not an Apple cheerleader. I come here to talk about the Mac Pro mostly as I'm in workstation consulting and very aware of the market as my area is very much in decline/transformation.
Why not? if there's market to be gained, and it can prove profitable, Why not go after these segments.
We've seen the Apple of recent times go after these other types of markets. an Ipad mini they claimed they wouldn't do. Now a low cost iPhone they said they wouldnt.
they've already got the chassis now. Why not adapt it for use for a desktop PC? Not everyone wants an All in one display iMac, or a budget PC. some of us just want that computer that can game comfortably.
I think his point was that there really isn't a market to be gained. The desktop market is continually shrinking.
Besides, aren't there plenty of comfortable gaming options out there already? Why would you want to overpay for a Xeon processor for gaming?
Thats what I'm saying. Instead of making it JUST a Xeon option, with only workstation grade GPU's.
Make a version with consumer grade.
Apple has not managed to increase its marketshare to any worthwhile extent even in 1st world markets. Whilst they continued to grow when the PC market was stagnating over the last few years it was off such a low figure that it didn't make much difference.
Most of the PC sales now are being made in non-1st world markets where price, support and compatibility work against Apple. Not that it is that interested having actually increased the price of iMacs and some of its laptops recently, against the trends.
Whilst it can push Mac users around by stripping off compatibility hardware, such as optical drives and delaying connectivity like USB 3, that had to kill a lot of sales. Certainly clarified my choices.
I was surprised how Apple so easily relinquished its dominance of smart Phones and devices, which it largely controlled early on with its command over most of the supplies and its advantage of mass production. Steve Jobs had learnt from Apple's mistakes with Macs and had countered early competition with aggressive price cuts to stay ahead of the game. After that Apple let the advantage slip.
Now Samsung has the market by the balls. Especially as Apple paints itself into corners with pricing and the refusal to enter obvious markets (eg variable size and pricing) on what seems ideological grounds.
As the walls close in on software, hardware, upgradability and repairability I detect a reluctance to put the head in the noose. The more Apple tries to control its users the more the sensible steer clear.
I do support for Apple software and they certainly have grabbed a share of the non-technical consumers hoping to get the hyped ease of use, but even they are cottoning on that Apple is not delivering on that promise, and I think are not turning into repeat customers that would drive that market. Apple has certainly driven away all but the most persistent pro consumers, to the point I doubt they make up any significant share of Apple's market anymore.
On the emotive, irrational market side, Apple is losing its cache of cool, and if they lose that it will be "Bee Gee free Saturdays". Totally uncool, especially amongst the big consumers, the young.
All of this in the face of Microsoft shooting itself in the foot with Windows 8. Talk about not exploiting a winning hand!
Most of the PC sales now are being made in non-1st world markets where price, support and compatibility work against Apple. Not that it is that interested having actually increased the price of iMacs and some of its laptops recently, against the trends.
Whilst it can push Mac users around by stripping off compatibility hardware, such as optical drives and delaying connectivity like USB 3, that had to kill a lot of sales. Certainly clarified my choices.
I was surprised how Apple so easily relinquished its dominance of smart Phones and devices, which it largely controlled early on with its command over most of the supplies and its advantage of mass production. Steve Jobs had learnt from Apple's mistakes with Macs and had countered early competition with aggressive price cuts to stay ahead of the game. After that Apple let the advantage slip.
Now Samsung has the market by the balls. Especially as Apple paints itself into corners with pricing and the refusal to enter obvious markets (eg variable size and pricing) on what seems ideological grounds.
As the walls close in on software, hardware, upgradability and repairability I detect a reluctance to put the head in the noose. The more Apple tries to control its users the more the sensible steer clear.
I do support for Apple software and they certainly have grabbed a share of the non-technical consumers hoping to get the hyped ease of use, but even they are cottoning on that Apple is not delivering on that promise, and I think are not turning into repeat customers that would drive that market. Apple has certainly driven away all but the most persistent pro consumers, to the point I doubt they make up any significant share of Apple's market anymore.
On the emotive, irrational market side, Apple is losing its cache of cool, and if they lose that it will be "Bee Gee free Saturdays". Totally uncool, especially amongst the big consumers, the young.
All of this in the face of Microsoft shooting itself in the foot with Windows 8. Talk about not exploiting a winning hand!
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Most people drive cars, not a lot of people would be interested in an expensive work station tailored for professionals. Not the best analogy but I see your point.
In 1984 Apple advertised its $2,500 Macintosh to a general audience during the Super Bowl. A $2,500 dollar Mac in 1984 would be the equivalent of a $5,500 Mac today (this is also about what I paid for my loaded Mac Pro in 2006) Let's assume that this will be the cost of the new Mac Pro... but realistically I think the entry price will be much less. So a Mac Pro today will be about the cost of the original Macintosh in inflation adjusted dollars.
If you think it is pointless showing the Mac Pro ad to the general public in a movie theater, you would also have to argue that the 1984 ad was also pointless because most of the people watching the Super Bowl that year didn't need, nor could afford, a $2,500 computer. There was even far less of a purpose for a computer for the typical person in 1984.
I would guess that the purpose of the ad is to get people talking about it (the ad and the computer). It is not surprising that there are almost 400 people talking about it here, and who knows how many just reading these posts. I would say many of these people plan to buy a Mac Pro, like myself, or wish they could if not for the price.
I see an expanding market out there for a Pro line. It is for people like me who have lost their job and are now working purely freelance because there is a lot of work out there but few jobs. We are the new "small business" one-person companies without an IT department or an office that supplies us with a computer. This is the way the graphic design/publishing/video world is going anyway.
Part of what I do involves 3D rendering. I've started using my 1-year-old Macbook Air to do rendering because it is faster than my 6-year-old Dual Quad Core Mac Pro. I've been waiting for this machine for a couple years and making do with what I have now, I will be first in line when they start taking orders. I also can't wait to get that aluminum monster off my floor. I always wished the Mac Pro had a much smaller footprint and I could put it ON my desk. That wish seems to have been granted.
If you think it is pointless showing the Mac Pro ad to the general public in a movie theater, you would also have to argue that the 1984 ad was also pointless because most of the people watching the Super Bowl that year didn't need, nor could afford, a $2,500 computer. There was even far less of a purpose for a computer for the typical person in 1984.
I would guess that the purpose of the ad is to get people talking about it (the ad and the computer). It is not surprising that there are almost 400 people talking about it here, and who knows how many just reading these posts. I would say many of these people plan to buy a Mac Pro, like myself, or wish they could if not for the price.
I see an expanding market out there for a Pro line. It is for people like me who have lost their job and are now working purely freelance because there is a lot of work out there but few jobs. We are the new "small business" one-person companies without an IT department or an office that supplies us with a computer. This is the way the graphic design/publishing/video world is going anyway.
Part of what I do involves 3D rendering. I've started using my 1-year-old Macbook Air to do rendering because it is faster than my 6-year-old Dual Quad Core Mac Pro. I've been waiting for this machine for a couple years and making do with what I have now, I will be first in line when they start taking orders. I also can't wait to get that aluminum monster off my floor. I always wished the Mac Pro had a much smaller footprint and I could put it ON my desk. That wish seems to have been granted.
which could also be used as a decent example for people complaining that this new commercial leaves people wondering what the product actually is..
i mean:
...doesn't exactly scream 'computer'
ads from the 50s? sure- they basically described and showcased the actual product.. 60s and on though- different story
hmm.. you might want to have that mac pro looked at.. it should be way outperforming a macbook air for rendering..
i use a mp 1,1 quad for rendering and it's much better for that than my 2010mbp (dual i7).
(though i'll often use the mbp as a slave just to get more cpus going)
Do I detect some sarcasm?
We only paid ~2000 each new. We've invested about $1000 dollars (each machine) in all of the upgrades. We haven't had to buy any new Mac Pros since and they still are useful 6 years later. They were fully depreciated 3 years ago and are just now getting a little long in the tooth. That is our idea of a good computing investment. I got a gold star or two in my crown for that decision.
Forgot about memory upgrades make that ~$1300 per machine.
Oh and actually that would be more like 7 years now…
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Your source for PC sales showed growth varied from negative to very low double digit growth, with 10% growth being the average over 17 years. Meanwhile the average selling price has been dropping, and is just around $500. Apple had 5% of the Global Market sales and 45% of the profits.
http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2013/04/16/apple-pc-profits-dediu/
Now consider the growth and profits in smartphones and tablets, of which Apple still takes the most profit, split Samsung taking most of the rest.
Your PC facts show an unprofitable market segment, especially in comparison to smartphones, and tablets are stealing sales of PC's.
Don't let the facts get in the way of your market share arguments.
I suppose the irony is the G4s that preceded it (and the G3s, too) turned out to be the infinitely expandable ones-- although that wasn't actually Apple's fault. No CPU upgrade path, no real video card upgrade path, and a sort of lack of PCI-x/PCI-e (PPC) peripherals kind of left the G5s with nowhere to go, unlike their younger siblings.
But still. The G5 was a lot more exciting. Of course, that might also have been because I was 16.
That makes my eyes itch
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That is true. What did the G5 come with PCI wise? It was a weird one, it wasn't PCIe but PCIx or something.
Haters gonna hate
No offence to anyone, but everyone saying that the movie theater is a "tacky" or dumb idea is not in marketing. What is one place to find more movie buffs and potential movie professionals than anywhere else, a freakin' movie theater. Where do you go to find gamers, would you go to a photoshop magazine, or how about a office supply store. NO! You got to a game store. If you don't know or have any experience in marketing, keep your marketing comments to yourself. You are only making yourself look tacky and dumb to those with the experience to know and understand what they are doing. Just sayin', -Cheers!
No offence to anyone, but everyone saying that the movie theater is a "tacky" or dumb idea is not in marketing. What is one place to find more movie buffs and potential movie professionals than anywhere else, a freakin' movie theater. Where do you go to find gamers, would you go to a photoshop magazine, or how about a office supply store. NO! You got to a game store. If you don't know or have any experience in marketing, keep your marketing comments to yourself. You are only making yourself look tacky and dumb to those with the experience to know and understand what they are doing. Just sayin', -Cheers!
What bugs me, as someone who would actually like to have a powerful mac to analyze large 3D datasets, is that I still can't figure out how this bucket is going to work for me. I need to have a lot of storage to hold the files to analyze, and clearly I can't use the on-board storage. External storage would be a great option, but we're restricted to the new thunder-fire whatever connection, but I can't find any of these available. Do I have to wait until peripheral manufacturers catch up before even considering this? Also, I'll likely have to plug in a bunch of hard drives. How am I going to organize them so that they aren't a big pile in the corner? I've been using a rack, but this is the least rack-friendly design that I can think of.
Pretty useless for this Pro.
Pretty useless for this Pro.
there's some stuff out there already.. for example:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=876457&is=REG&Q=&A=details
you're also not restricted to thunderbolt.. usb3 or ethernet or even the 802.11ac wifi should do the trick