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Apple Looking to Launch Lower-Cost iMac in 2014
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From the page you linked: "Iris pro 5200's performance is still amazingly potent for what it is."
That is not the same thing as "shabby." And considering it did rather well on the video editing benchmarks, very well actually, it's nonsense to say that this machine can "barely run OS X, let alone games or video editing." Complete and utter nonsense.
And that's the keyword. It is potent "for what it is". But we're talking desktop PC here. And for $1299 desktop computer, the performance in my book is underwhelming. If it's in Macbook it would be understandable. But in a desktop?
My point here is "$1299 iMac is pushing the limit already by throwing away discrete graphic and stick with traditional hard drive. I never thought it could be worse than that?"
So to be on topic. What would Apple throw in the machine for another, rumored "low cost" iMac?
I would say it would get a Core i3, meaning it's most likely will get HD 4200 or 4600 graphic which is even less bearable. Then it will also has 4GB of RAM and for the final misery blow it would have 500GB of laptop hard drive.
Removing the floppy drive from the original iMac didn't make it thinner so why do people assume removing the DVD drive was all about thinness? It wasn't. Believe me if Apple had data that most of the customers were still using the DVD drive on a regular basis it would be in there. To me removing the DVD drive isn't any different than when Steve removed the floppy. And people bitched back then too. Honestly how many people still use DVD drives on a regular basis? My guess is the number is small enough and that's why Apple removed it. And seeing it removed from the rMBP should have given people a clue as to where Apple was going. In Apple's eyes the future is not internal optical drives in any product.
Get rid of the glue.
I won't buy one of these new iMacs for the same reason I won't buy an RMBP... glue/proprietary screws. Designing these machines so they can't be easily opened is just lazy.
My 2011 MBP is a thing of beauty. I can open it up and see exactly where everything is and easy replace any component.
I am actually thinking about prematurely purchasing the next non-retina Haswell MBP to ensure that I can get one before they get rid of it. Hopefully they haven't already.
I won't buy one of these new iMacs for the same reason I won't buy an RMBP... glue/proprietary screws. Designing these machines so they can't be easily opened is just lazy.
My 2011 MBP is a thing of beauty. I can open it up and see exactly where everything is and easy replace any component.
I am actually thinking about prematurely purchasing the next non-retina Haswell MBP to ensure that I can get one before they get rid of it. Hopefully they haven't already.
Apples price increases across-the-board are really pissing me off. The base iMac is 100$/Euros more expensive than the last one and it comes with INTEL Graphics?
Holy crap.
Apple stuff used to be expensive but they offered a good value in return. Now there are pointless price increases that really can't be blamed on inflation.
No wonder they had to do things like drop 5c production levels, which nobody outside the US is buying them because they are expensive as hell compared to offerings from other manufacturers 600 Euros for a 5c when a comparable phone (the Galaxy S3) can be had for 300 Euros is absolutely stupefying. Remember that when the 4s came out, it cost 629 Euros. Now the top of the line phone is almost 100 Euros more expensive and the mid range its at the price point wher the top of the range used to sit.
Raising prices on the iMac and Mac mini with no extra value in return has gotten them to where they are today, market share dropping while the rest of the market is doing better.
I hope they get off their high horse, the rest of the industry is dropping their prices but Apple is raising them with not much in return.
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Exactly this.
I remember the comments when the first Macbook Air was announced. Everyone thought the machine would be an enormous failure from the lack of an optical drive. But to me the incredible success of the Air is proof that optical drives are a relic of an old mindset.
I find it hard to believe that most people still would have a need to use discs on a regular basis. I bought an external DVD drive for the equivalent of $20, and on the rare occasions I need it (maybe 3 or 4 times a year) it does the job fine.
I also wonder if it's a regional thing - maybe some countries rely on discs more than others? I certainly have noticed huge changes here in Japan over the last few years. In 2005 there were entire aisles filled with blank discs in the big electrical stores. Now the amount of space taken up would be about a third of that.
Typical PC software and even Windows still comes in DVD. That's the problem. Lots of PC games come in DVDs too. Maybe you're in Japan so it's the norm there to have a speedy network connection so people there less likely to need optical drive.
But the rest of the world is not ready yet. Good internet connection costs a lot of money out there. Physical media might be the viable option to distribute contents.
The question is why would they stick with DVDs? A 8GB USB stick is a great alternative to kill optical media once and for all. It's cheap enough to be mass-produced, more compact and even attractive (it can be made into any models). Only make sure the content is secured (read only mode) and BOOM! DVD is dead.
Bluray should be the same. Movie labels should make a swift move to 32GB or 64GB flash drive distribution. No moving parts = less chance of optical failure.
I could maybe understand the angst if OD's were super expensive but you can get one for under $50. Anyway I won't be surprised if the classic MPB is phased out either this year or next.
Apple, although they'd hate to admit it, need to acknowledge that the shortage of sale is partly due to their insistent use of that stupid mirror glass over the display. There is a significant portion of sales lost because people refuse to buy the machine purely because of the reflective display makes them unusable in may situations. Apple have created this problem and then spend too much effort trying come up with useless solutions to rectify the problem, eg: use more energy with more powerful backlights or different but also ineffective coatings to reduce glare.
Another factor is that people want and need to remove and replace internal items like storage to suit their needs better and more cheaply. Instead, Apple's continuance to disallow any 3rd party upgrading and thus forcing and monopolising sale of their own upgrades is borderline anti-competitive and anti-user so they can screw every last cent out of users.
Another factor is that people want and need to remove and replace internal items like storage to suit their needs better and more cheaply. Instead, Apple's continuance to disallow any 3rd party upgrading and thus forcing and monopolising sale of their own upgrades is borderline anti-competitive and anti-user so they can screw every last cent out of users.
It's not lazy, it's a money grab in the guise of an innovative design. The quest for thinness makes sense in tablets and netbooks(air), but to sacrifice user upgradeability in a desktop replacement is simply a 100% money grab. And the fanboi's jump up and down in excitement about it. Sure people spending an extra $500+ at the time of purchase makes Apple super happy, and the fanboi's fall right in line withe the $$$ grab approach.
You know the type, the ones who said a 7" iPad was stupid(Steve said it was dead on arrival) and wasn't going to happen, until the second the mini was released. And then It was the best thing since sliced bread.
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Yes, you're right that most network connections are fast here. Optical fibre is the norm for home connections, with super high speeds and unlimited data. Price runs at around (USD $50) a month.
I always shake my head in disbelief when friends in Australia tell me that they have these ridiculous data limits of say 10GB a month. Here people might use 10GB a day!
Your comments about flash drive distribution are right on the money. USB flash is smaller, cheaper and more reliable. Makes no sense to me that DVD is still used, other than because of habit.
It's not as if switching to flash drive would require people to upgrade their machines, everybody has USB ports.
They don't hear anything anymore, too busy counting their own million dollars
Schiller would say: "Greedy management and wrong customer policies, my ass, look at my bank account".
It's not that the line is too expensive, but it's because they keep taking stuff away and lowering the overall value of the product just to make it look shinier and more compact. Not too long ago we could buy an entry level iMac with a built in optical drive and discreet graphics with upgradable RAM, replaceable hard disk, etc. Some might disagree that these features are no longer needed, but it's obvious they're shaving production costs for what's supposed to be a luxury product. I am less happy with every new generation of iMacs.
The biggest deterrent to me is the lack of a DVD drive. My current iMac pulls double duty, acting both as my TV and my desktop computer. I don't want to buy an external DVD player as that would take up more of the very little space I have.
But I guess I'm in a minority, watching DVDs on my iMac, given no one else has brought that up yet.
Edit: people are talking about using USB instead of discs and talking about how cheap that is. What universe are you guys from? I can buy a stack of 100 blank DVDs for the cost of a single USB stick. Yes, USB sticks can be bought for a few dollars, but you seem to forget that blank DVDs can be bought for a few cents.
But I guess I'm in a minority, watching DVDs on my iMac, given no one else has brought that up yet.
Edit: people are talking about using USB instead of discs and talking about how cheap that is. What universe are you guys from? I can buy a stack of 100 blank DVDs for the cost of a single USB stick. Yes, USB sticks can be bought for a few dollars, but you seem to forget that blank DVDs can be bought for a few cents.
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Haha. See? I'm jealous. Japan's infrastructure is awesome.
Well ain't it sad PS4 and Xbox One stick with old way Bluray? Could have made radical change and a way out off optical drive completely.
Move away with USB flash distribution (it has USB 3.0 so speed shouldn't be a problem) OR digital store (PSN or Xbox Live). Machine could have been made smaller too now it does not need a BD drive anymore.
Apple made the move first with their Macs. But it's almost meaningless when other decide to stick with it.
DVDs are still king in Southeast Asia where I am. For people that do business out here it's still the most cost effective and universally accepted format. And when I say business I don't just mean shady business but actual business with corporations, event coverage services, print and publishing, etc.
Seems that's only because of habit. As iSayuSay mentioned, flash drives have so many advantages over DVDs, it's hard to see why everybody hasn't switched.
I was discussing this with some friends the other day.
Only five years ago the entry level 20" iMac cost £799 in the UK with 24" model starting at £1149. Now the entry level 21.5" starts at £1149 with a whopping £1599 for the 27".
That's a massive 44% jump for the entry model and 39% for the larger display. No wonder sales have fallen.
Only five years ago the entry level 20" iMac cost £799 in the UK with 24" model starting at £1149. Now the entry level 21.5" starts at £1149 with a whopping £1599 for the 27".
That's a massive 44% jump for the entry model and 39% for the larger display. No wonder sales have fallen.
Serve them right!
I was dead set on the 2012 iMac before it came out, but when it became available I said forget it: $100 increase and they dropped things like:
DVD which cost $80 which meant they should have made the iMac cheaper
Lack of upgradability
Inconvenient access to ports such as SD slot
No standard Fusion drive on the base 27 inch model
I said, no way, I will wait until the 2013 model.
No standard fusion drive
Still same price
Personally, I think they don't care and I believe they are looking at the Mac as chain and ball. I wouldn't be surprised by 2016 they cut the iMac and MacBook Pro, Mac Mini lineup and only sell MacBook Air's, iPads and iPhones.
I was dead set on the 2012 iMac before it came out, but when it became available I said forget it: $100 increase and they dropped things like:
DVD which cost $80 which meant they should have made the iMac cheaper
Lack of upgradability
Inconvenient access to ports such as SD slot
No standard Fusion drive on the base 27 inch model
I said, no way, I will wait until the 2013 model.
No standard fusion drive
Still same price
Personally, I think they don't care and I believe they are looking at the Mac as chain and ball. I wouldn't be surprised by 2016 they cut the iMac and MacBook Pro, Mac Mini lineup and only sell MacBook Air's, iPads and iPhones.