Am I the only one who think Apple shot themselves in the foot?

[HIMAN1998]

The only remaining Apple computer with a Superdrive built in is the 13" MacBook Pro. They took away the 15" w/ Superdrive. I know many people who use the superdrive too much to rely on an external. What about those people who put a second HDD in the Superdrive bay? There goes potential to add more storage later. I think it was a bad move to take away the Superdrive in almost every computer. Some people need the extra GPU power of the 15" but need a superdrive, and don't want to buy a refurb. Even the Mac Pro has it taken away. With that, they went from 1 Optical drive (G3-G5), to two (Intel Pro). Now, there's nothing. What happened? And the cord for the external is too short to have the Mac Pro hidden somewhere and still have a superdrive at easy access, so Apple should maybe make an extension. Remember the one from the wired keyboard?

 

[richorlin]

Yes, you are the only one complaining. No one else has given it a thought.

 

[tech4all]

In all honesty, I barely use of optical drive on my Mac or PC. Just to install software and rip music into iTunes. Not much more. I think it was better of them to replace the optical drive with a larger battery. Plus if you need to transfer files there's always thumbdrives and the cloud (eg: DropBox). If you NEED an optical drive you could just buy an external one for under $100.

 

[Scott7975]

IMO there isn't much need for an optical drive anymore. Just about everything can be downloaded digitally. It stays in your account forever so you can download again if needed. No need to keep all kinds of optical discs that just degrade over time or get scratched and ruined.

For the low amount of people, that haven't moved on with the time, you can buy a superdrive relatively cheap.

 

[tmiw]

I'm fine with it. One less thing to break on my rMBP, plus USB media works pretty well these days. (Seriously, the SuperDrive stopped burning discs on every MBP I've owned.)

 

[ElliottG]

Because they know that if you want more hard drive space, now you're going to have to pay a ridiculous price to get a bigger HDD, which people are willing to pay anyway because hey, it's Apple...

More money for them, I guess.

 

[Laco]

The only remaining Apple computer with a Superdrive built in is the 13" MacBook Pro. They took away the 15" w/ Superdrive. I know many people who use the superdrive too much to rely on an external. What about those people who put a second HDD in the Superdrive bay? There goes potential to add more storage later. I think it was a bad move to take away the Superdrive in almost every computer. Some people need the extra GPU power of the 15" but need a superdrive, and don't want to buy a refurb. Even the Mac Pro has it taken away. With that, they went from 1 Optical drive (G3-G5), to two (Intel Pro). Now, there's nothing. What happened? And the cord for the external is too short to have the Mac Pro hidden somewhere and still have a superdrive at easy access, so Apple should maybe make an extension. Remember the one from the wired keyboard?

I know that people are using dvds/cds less and less. As to your other point, I would be shocked if even 1% of users replaced their superdrives with a second hard drive - its not something average users do.

 

[racer1441]

People also didn't like cars when they were in the horse and buggy business. Those people eventually went away.

It's called progress. We can't all be carrying around a cd drive when five people need them.

 

[HIMAN1998]

I use mine weekly, and I used it to burn a Windows 7 ISO for my desktop and for the MacBook. I know much people don't use them as often any more, but I have friends who live out in the middle of nowhere with 10GB/month internet at 2.5Mb/s download speeds. They don't have the ability to download everything. I do, besides the DVD my church uses for their children's service, since I have 50Mb/s down/25Mb/s up, which in reality I get about 55-60 down 28-30 up. All unlimited. I also dislike the Ethernet being taken away in the laptops since it provides a more reliable and faster connection.

 

[john123]

I know many people who use...

So many critiques of Apple over the years start with a statement something like this. Rarely does it ever matter, and that's why I think your thesis is misguided. Wayne Gretsky was famously credited with saying, "Skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been."

The thing is, DVD users are in the minority, and it's not like you don't have an option. You can use the external drive. Somewhat annoying? Sure. But for every sale lost to Windows because of the lack of a SuperDrive, I guarantee you there are many more people lured to Apple products because of their sleekness and design.

Really, I do feel your pain. I've found myself annoyed at stuff in the name of progress so many times over the years. But being annoyed personally is completely different from what your title suggests, namely Apple shooting themselves in the foot. That latter claim is pretty silly.

----------

Yes, you are the only one complaining. No one else has given it a thought.

Nah, that's not quite fair either. But the OP is certainly in the minority, and that's the key.

 

[macred]

Apple's goal is to be perceived as a visionary company. It's a reflection of their clever marketing, that so many buy into the concept. Sometimes they are, other times they're not. The public is unable to tell the difference. All due to the genius which is Apple's ad campaigns and clever naming conventions.

 

[Luftwaffles]

OP, it would seem that you're the minority.

I have no problem with Apple dropping the SuperDrive. If you've ever cracked open a 15" MBP you'll know that the optical disk drive takes up easily 20% of the interior chassis space, and where the software industry is heading - i.e., digital downloads and the App Store model - it's getting to the point where it is wholly unnecessary to waste precious chassis space on what is, in essence, an afterthought to 90% of consumers. (Fuzzy statistics but you get my point.)

Pros of dropping the superdrive:

• 20% extra interior space for larger battery, logic board, etc.
• One less mechanical component to degrade and malfunction over time
• Slimmer design possibilities (Good luck fitting a SuperDrive into the Retina chassis)

Cons:

• Consumer must purchase external optical drive.

...Although if you're the one selling the external drives, that last one's not really a con.

 

[zipur]

I like the idea of having a "Pro" machine which can be modified. There's room in the marker for that idea Jack. Heck they can offer the super drive option or extended battery option it could be the swiss army slot. Sell it as the developers slot. Leave documented pin outs and allow the true "Pros" to use that space for whatever they want.
Now that would be a true "Pro" machine.

 

[HIMAN1998]

The thing is, DVD users are in the minority, and it's not like you don't have an option. You can use the external drive. Somewhat annoying? Sure. But for every sale lost to Windows because of the lack of a SuperDrive, I guarantee you there are many more people lured to Apple products because of their sleekness and design.

I do see where you're going with the Windows thing, but I use a Mac not because of the "flashiness", unlike most kids my age who have one, I got one because I was sick of using my school's crappy iMacs that were barebones from 2007 running Lion. I didn't buy new also, I got what I could (see signature for specs). I just wanted something that ran better than what I had at the time also, which was a ThinkPad that was just kinda slow for my needs. I had the option of staying with Windows, but I wanted the ability to work seamlessly with my Graphic Design and Recording Tech classes. To the last sentence in the quote, I have met many kids in my school who have MacBooks. They asked me why I had a bulky business laptop without a webcam, so I returned the question to them why they have a $1000 machine that doesn't get as much usage as my cheapo business class laptop. Now those same kids are asking me why I have a laptop with a dent in the corner. I just tell them accidents happen. Anyways, sorry for rambling, I tend to do that when I type.

 

[sarakn]

Not me - and this is someone who still has a stack of blank CDs/DVDs. I bet this is what people thought when PC makers stopped including floppy drives.

Who carries CDs/DVDs anymore? Time to move on - optical drives are no more.

 

[Karpfish]

I have owned 4 apple laptops. The only one that didn't suffer a dead superdrive was my 12" Powerbook. On a 15" pre-unibody MBP, apple actually told me that my using the palm rest caused the superdrive to stop working. Yes, I placed my palm on the palm rest and the drive broke. I got it all worked with some help from the office of Steve Jobs.

I own a 2011 Macbook Air and an external superdrive. For the maybe five times I have needed to use a disk since I got it, it has been perfectly fine. Most things can be found for download.

 

[HIMAN1998]

OP, it would seem that you're the minority.

I have no problem with Apple dropping the SuperDrive. If you've ever cracked open a 15" MBP you'll know that the optical disk drive takes up easily 20% of the interior chassis space, and where the software industry is heading - i.e., digital downloads and the App Store model - it's getting to the point where it is wholly unnecessary to waste precious chassis space on what is, in essence, an afterthought to 90% of consumers. (Fuzzy statistics but you get my point.)

Pros of dropping the superdrive:

• 20% extra interior space for larger battery, logic board, etc.
• One less mechanical component to degrade and malfunction over time
• Slimmer design possibilities (Good luck fitting a SuperDrive into the Retina chassis)

Cons:

• Consumer must purchase external optical drive.

...Although if you're the one selling the external drives, that last one's not really a con.

There are some laptops as thin as the rMBP that have an optical drive. I have read multiple places that the external available from Apple is kinda fragile, and jams a lot. This would be a problem with me, as I would be taking it with me everywhere.

----------

I like the idea of having a "Pro" machine which can be modified. There's room in the marker for that idea Jack. Heck they can offer the super drive option or extended battery option it could be the swiss army slot. Sell it as the developers slot. Leave documented pin outs and allow the true "Pros" to use that space for whatever they want.
Now that would be a true "Pro" machine.

Or do what Lenovo/IBM does with the ThinkPad line, make it a bay for multiple things that is accessible from the outside. Apple could find a way to do that without making a design flaw in the structure.

 

[john123]

There are some laptops as thin as the rMBP that have an optical drive. I have read multiple places that the external available from Apple is kinda fragile, and jams a lot. This would be a problem with me, as I would be taking it with me everywhere.

It's a design decision of tradeoffs. Check out any of the teardown articles; it's not like there's any free space sitting around in these things.

As for the Apple SuperDrive, yeah, it's kind of crappy, but it's the same level of crappiness as it was when they were internal...so that's sort of a non-argument.

 

[HIMAN1998]

It's a design decision of tradeoffs. Check out any of the teardown articles; it's not like there's any free space sitting around in these things.

As for the Apple SuperDrive, yeah, it's kind of crappy, but it's the same level of crappiness as it was when they were internal...so that's sort of a non-argument.

Odd, I've never had any problem with mine. Someone else commented saying that theirs broke from their palm pressing on it, I'm surprised mine hasn't acted from how hard I type. I make the MacBook keyboard sound like a mechanical keyboard when I type fast.

 

[Luftwaffles]

As for the Apple SuperDrive, yeah, it's kind of crappy, but it's the same level of crappiness as it was when they were internal...so that's sort of a non-argument.

Agreed, internal superdrives were hugely flawed, at least in the non-unibody designs. I have a Late 2006 15" MBP with the superdrive under the palmrest - terrible idea! Years of resting my palms on it have slowly buckled the case and probably contributed a great amount to it jamming, spazzing out, and generally being a PITA.

I know that the new unibody design reconciled this regarding the location and structural integrity, but that forever tainted my opinion of internal superdrives.

Regarding sarakin's comment - yeah, I can imagine that people were bellyaching just the same when the 5-1/2" and 3.5" diskettes fell out of favor.

 

[Scott7975]

I use mine weekly, and I used it to burn a Windows 7 ISO for my desktop and for the MacBook. I know much people don't use them as often any more, but I have friends who live out in the middle of nowhere with 10GB/month internet at 2.5Mb/s download speeds. They don't have the ability to download everything. I do, besides the DVD my church uses for their children's service, since I have 50Mb/s down/25Mb/s up, which in reality I get about 55-60 down 28-30 up. All unlimited. I also dislike the Ethernet being taken away in the laptops since it provides a more reliable and faster connection.

You can just as easily put a win iso on a 4gb flash drive. I just made a bootable one last night in no time. I don't even have my Mac yet.

I do agree that some people don't get good service. Not much can be done about that.... except you can buy an external really cheap.

You can buy an adapter to use an Ethernet port in your Thuderbolt port.

 

[Macshroomer]

For the low amount of people, that haven't moved on with the time, you can buy a superdrive relatively cheap.

It's pretty arrogant to say it like that. It's not that they have not moved on with the time, it is simply a tool that is good to have in order to be as flexible as your clients need you to be.

I have a slim DVD burner that I used with my 2009 MacBook Pro for years that employs "True-Direct", a feature that allows you to imprint information on the CD/DVD in a professional looking manner, I got it when I put two SSD drives in the 13".

I almost got the current cMBP this time around with the aforementioned in mind but realized that between the speed of the i7, speed of the PCI-SSD and slimmer size, I would be far better off going with the newer tech and getting a couple of small USB3 1TB externals as roadies.

Don't assume so much, a lot of the world still depends on CD/DVD's....

 

[HIMAN1998]

You can just as easily put a win iso on a 4gb flash drive. I just made a bootable one last night in no time. I don't even have my Mac yet.

I do agree that some people don't get good service. Not much can be done about that.... except you can buy an external really cheap.

You can buy an adapter to use an Ethernet port in your Thuderbolt port.

I didn't have a Windows PC that was up and running at the time that I needed the ISO, and I couldn't find a guide to make it on a Mac. I took the easy way out and burned the ISO to a DVD. I've known people that have the crappy internet that bought cheap externals, even ones that came with their computers from HP. They were all crap. Some people, including myself, hate carrying all the adapters around.

 

[Macshroomer]

OP, it would seem that you're the minority.

In regards to the average MacRumors user, maybe. For the rest of the world, my direct experience says no, so don't assume so much.

 

[MCAsan]

The only remaining Apple computer with a Superdrive built in is the 13" MacBook Pro. They took away the 15" w/ Superdrive. I know many people who use the superdrive too much to rely on an external. What about those people who put a second HDD in the Superdrive bay? There goes potential to add more storage later. I think it was a bad move to take away the Superdrive in almost every computer. Some people need the extra GPU power of the 15" but need a superdrive, and don't want to buy a refurb. Even the Mac Pro has it taken away. With that, they went from 1 Optical drive (G3-G5), to two (Intel Pro). Now, there's nothing. What happened? And the cord for the external is too short to have the Mac Pro hidden somewhere and still have a superdrive at easy access, so Apple should maybe make an extension. Remember the one from the wired keyboard?

You might be happier with Win8 on a Dell or HP machine.