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Apple Says All-New Modular Mac Pro With Apple-Branded High-End Pro Display Coming After 2017
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I'm dating myself here, but I kind miss the Power Mac 9500/9600. Didn't have one myself, but 6 PCI slots, 12 RAM slots, support for dual processors (albeit this was before multicore CPUs). Do something like that, with multiple drive bays, make enough room between the PCIe slots to support double-width cards.
I also miss Xserves. My school district used to have a bunch at each school to handle DHCP, Open Directory, and a mail server. We've outsourced a lot of the services so we don't need as many servers, but darn those were good at their time. I also miss the server software, including Workgroup Manager. The Server app is easy to use and consolidates all the settings in one place, but I find it's best suited for small businesses with few customers. Workgroup Manager seemed a lot faster with the 4000+ users, plus it had more detailed controls. I realize not many people/companies needed them, but add in good , enterprise support and they could've made Apple a bit of money, I'd imagine.
I also miss Xserves. My school district used to have a bunch at each school to handle DHCP, Open Directory, and a mail server. We've outsourced a lot of the services so we don't need as many servers, but darn those were good at their time. I also miss the server software, including Workgroup Manager. The Server app is easy to use and consolidates all the settings in one place, but I find it's best suited for small businesses with few customers. Workgroup Manager seemed a lot faster with the 4000+ users, plus it had more detailed controls. I realize not many people/companies needed them, but add in good , enterprise support and they could've made Apple a bit of money, I'd imagine.
Not sure if it played any role, but I sent this message to Apple a couple of times last year (I know that also others from this forum did the same: thanks all for supporting the cause)
Glad to hear that they are listening. Unfortunately we move faster than Apple at present. 50% of my developers switched to Linux or windows the past three months. All of a sudden our android apps are fitter than the iOS ones. Not sure if it is already too late... 2018. Seriously!?
Hello Tim,
Your help with the Mac situation will be very appreciated.
I am a company builder and all my most recent startups are switching back to PCs for three main reasons:
1. No regular hardware update cycles.
2. Leasing for Macs to young startups are 99 % of the cases refused - versus 80 % acceptance for PCs.
3. The worst one: Too much trouble for students to get a Mac:
- too old, too high entry point, too many dongles for projectors, you name it.
- Until two years ago students were begging us to be allowed to use their private Macs on the job.
- Now they ask our companies to buy them PCs instead.
Offering employees the opportunity to work on their own Macs is not an USP anymore
It is becoming to be harder to convince employees to develop native iOS Apps.
If you care about the future of iOS, you may want to review your strategy for the Mac ASAP.
Best,
Marco
Glad to hear that they are listening. Unfortunately we move faster than Apple at present. 50% of my developers switched to Linux or windows the past three months. All of a sudden our android apps are fitter than the iOS ones. Not sure if it is already too late... 2018. Seriously!?
Looks like it's happened now. It makes me wonder when the press meeting was held.... April 1st maybe?
Like many, I have already left Apple. Well, more accurately, Apple left me. I built a Hackintosh last month and I'm very happy with it, and frankly I'm trying to transition my workflow to Linux. Now, if next year Apple comes up with something that's actually good, and they prove they're willing and able to update it regularly (every 18 months minimum), and they consistently make a computer operating system that does more than just bring in features from iOS every year, maybe I'll come back.
While it is remarkable that Apple has admitted the nMP sucks, they should have done it two years ago, and started work on a redesign before this year (it sounds to me like they only just started). While it is remarkable that Apple has announced a roadmap, they should have done it (at least for their Mac Pro machines) many years ago too.
In case Apple is listening, my wishlist is pretty simple: the option for one or two Xeons, and at least three PCIe 16x slots (at least 4 slots total). Thunderbolt is probably nice and all, not going to make or break anything, but if my Hackintosh can have Thunderbolt 3 in this day and age with a simple PCI card and a cable outside the box hooking up the GPU to the Thunderbolt card, I'm sure Apple can come up with something slightly more elegant that doesn't require some proprietary slot. Honestly, who cares though, just have a small external loop of cable sticking out the back. It's a workstation not a work of art, as you've learned from poor sales of the nMP and people begging for something more like the cMP. Oh yeah, and let me stick four drives in there. They don't have to be 3.5", I'll be fine with 2.5", but give me four of them inside the box, please! Throw in a couple M.2 ports too, but don't neglect some SATA in the box. I'd even be okay with U.2 ports if you want to be all weird and Apple-like.
On the outside, yes, I want a 1/8" headphone jack. I want USB Type A ports and plenty of them. Throw in some USB-C for future proofing but it is not the future yet.
While it is remarkable that Apple has admitted the nMP sucks, they should have done it two years ago, and started work on a redesign before this year (it sounds to me like they only just started). While it is remarkable that Apple has announced a roadmap, they should have done it (at least for their Mac Pro machines) many years ago too.
In case Apple is listening, my wishlist is pretty simple: the option for one or two Xeons, and at least three PCIe 16x slots (at least 4 slots total). Thunderbolt is probably nice and all, not going to make or break anything, but if my Hackintosh can have Thunderbolt 3 in this day and age with a simple PCI card and a cable outside the box hooking up the GPU to the Thunderbolt card, I'm sure Apple can come up with something slightly more elegant that doesn't require some proprietary slot. Honestly, who cares though, just have a small external loop of cable sticking out the back. It's a workstation not a work of art, as you've learned from poor sales of the nMP and people begging for something more like the cMP. Oh yeah, and let me stick four drives in there. They don't have to be 3.5", I'll be fine with 2.5", but give me four of them inside the box, please! Throw in a couple M.2 ports too, but don't neglect some SATA in the box. I'd even be okay with U.2 ports if you want to be all weird and Apple-like.
On the outside, yes, I want a 1/8" headphone jack. I want USB Type A ports and plenty of them. Throw in some USB-C for future proofing but it is not the future yet.
Faster than the 6 years it took to replace the cheese grater with the trash can.
Cheese grater...trash can...if for no other reason, I hope for a redesigned Mac Pro just to see it acquire a new diminutive nickname.
This is nothing but good news. At least Apple took some responsibility, changed directions, and sort-of apologized. Now I have some time to save for the generation two of this, assuming it lasts that long …
Maybe all the "Pros" can quite their kvetching
How do you misspell quit but spell kvetch correctly?
Extra points though for "air quotes" around the word "pro".
Unless my point was that Apple DID close their eyes.
THREE YEARS OF EYE CLOSURE...
I'm so jaded over Apple. I can't stand it. They are being 'closed' in an open industry, and instead of being more open, they are being more closed.
Don't get me wrong, I do really like my iPad, and my iPhone, but I have a Macbook Pro sitting in front of me that is hobbled by the inability to upgrade the memory. And how long have notebooks been able to be upgraded? It's not like that was some 'new fad' that Apple was taking the high road over. Same with the iMacs, and the Mac Pro.
OPEN your systems, or people are going to walk.
And it took Apple THREE YEARS to decide they screwed their user base with the toyish Mac Pro? THREE YEARS? An apology hardly seems adequate...
And, yes, it IS still over priced!
At least they said they were taking responsibility, and said they were changing directions... Eventually... Why 'say' it now?
And I'm done...
I heard many of the same complaints from pros on Mac Pro so it's really good that Apple is redesigning it to address those issues. As much as many of us would like Apple to rush something to market to stave off customer loss, I'm glad that they are taking the time.
It was smart announcing this now so because professionals tend to take a longer term view of their upgrade cycle rather than individual customers who tend to make choices closer to the buying time frame.
Apple may have just created some pent-up demand. Wasn't that an old Microsoft tactic?
It was smart announcing this now so because professionals tend to take a longer term view of their upgrade cycle rather than individual customers who tend to make choices closer to the buying time frame.
Apple may have just created some pent-up demand. Wasn't that an old Microsoft tactic?
Was just about to give up and switch to a Windows workstation. Could do with a new machine now but will wait and hope Apple really have understood that there is a need for upgradable computers with internal storage hopefully with room for 3.5" drives too. It's not really rocket science so long as you don't put form in front of substance as your design priority.[/QUOTE]
Having 12 ram slots in the 9500/9600 meant you could have an incredible (in the 90's) 1.5 GB of RAM. Nowadays, with 32 GB ram sticks, that's 384 GBs. Not too shabby! Kinda wish the new Mac Pros could have one or two NVMe SSDs and a few 3.5" drive bays, I bet a lot of people here on MacRumors would be happy.
The Mac Pro was built around three assumptions:
1) Software would move from leveraging one powerful (and expensive) GPU to two less-powerful (and less expensive for the same or better performance) GPUs.
2) That Intel would meet their targets for process improvement, allowing more powerful CPUs with the same or lower TDPs to be swapped in.
3) That Thunderbolt would allow more flexible external expansion (with faster versions improving this).
To expect that six months later Apple would be well-aware none of the three would happen is not realistic. They would not have bothered with any of it in the first place if they had that level of foresight.
Three years on, it's clear:
1) Single super-powerful GPUs are going to continue to be the norm. And Apple is in part responsible for that by not keeping OpenCL up-to-date on macOS.
2) Intel is unable to improve their processes as quickly as they thought (we were supposed to be at 10nm now and yet we have years more of 14nm).
3) Thunderbolt 3 is now fast enough to run the current generation of powerful GPUs externally,, but it took years to get there and it won't be enough for the next generation.
I do not believe Apple is just starting on a new Mac Pro - if they were, we wouldn't see it next year. They probably started in late 2016 which means we're probably looking at WWDC next year (for the announcement, at least, with shipping that Fall like with the current Mac Pro).
It's unfortunate that it took them this long to admit that Mac Cube 2.0 was a problem.
They realized it much faster with the first cube.
It is great that they've finally admitted that the design presented a problem. And it's great that they're going to totally redesign it.
The wording is also refreshing. Instead of blaming Intel (like many chose to), Apple admitted that it was they're design that prevented them from keeping the machine current.
Here's hoping for a great rebirth and a fantastic Modular Mac Pro. Long live the mMP
At least they said they were taking responsibility, and said they were changing directions... Eventually... Why 'say' it now?
Given the response over the last few years that led to their conference today, I think this is also another finger in the wind moment. They want to see how placated those who were unhappy with their direction will be with this verbal acknowledgment of it's unpopularity. If the overall reaction is still lukewarm or generally pissed off that it's going to be another year it's conceivable that we will see a redesigned Mac Pro far sooner than they are letting on...
But I wouldn't count on it.
I always suspected that Apple wasn't absolute in their decision to exit the display business. The design of the LG Ultrafines has truly puzzled everyone. One of the things that I thought that could explain the lack of any design effort in the Ultrafines is the possibility that Apple could return to the display business and would not want LG making something that would infringe upon the Apple look and feel. LG was certainly capable of making something that would appeal more to the Apple audience.
Perhaps Apple's main role in their collaboration with LG was in scrapping their better looking designs so they wouldn't have to compete against the company they arranged to keep a seat warm for them in case they still wanted it back later.
But it doesn't cost the same. The soon-to-be $2,999 model was $3,999. People can still call it overpriced, but there will be a price drop.
Single digit user base with a big halo effect. Pros often advise non-pros on their computer purchases.