Seriously think of what will happen if people being forced (by Windows software) to purchase W9000/D700 cards see a chance to buy 2 of them for LESS than retail AND IT COMES WITH A FREE MINI WORKSTATION...wouldn't you buy them up fast and leave the AMD folks selling their candy elsewhere?
Perhaps Apple is really going after Dell in the Mid Power workstation market? That would be the way to do it.
I don't think this is seriously what they are up to. But if the package with Dual D700s is seriously THOUSANDS less than just buying the same cards alone, will create a weird demand vacumn.
Imagine if Dell offered a 1/2 price Asus 4K with purchase? Heck, two of them.
If it turns out that the cards have been handicapped in some way, like the D300/500 are, then maybe not so weird.
I do wonder if the cards are either handicapped, aka lower clocks, and less memory to compensate for their heat and power usage ( FirePros are rather power hungry), or if they're Die refreshes on a smaller process( although much less likely given TSMC isn't ready for smaller processes on mass production yet.
Otherwise AMD's new R series would be based on it.
Although, there is the chance Apple, and AMD are getting limited early process work done.
The rest of your point is spot on, if these cards aren't much slower than their desktop counter parts, and they're selling two for a reasonable price many windows user could end up buying them.
It would be a win win situation for Apple, and Pro users. Selling more units, they'll claim it's there fastest and best selling Pro desktop ever. While Windows users are getting two extremely good workstation cards for possibly half price, in a small package.
In regards to Apple going after mid workstation market, at the moment the new MP is certainly competitively priced against Dell and BOXX in that regard.
What remains to be seen is the raw performance numbers of these D series workstation cards.