Apple Tested Larger Battery and Gold Color Option on MacBook Pro, Lightning Port on MacBook

[MacsRuleOthersDrool]

Computers reached a point where updates were not a gamechanger for most of the market, just at the point when smart phones were blossoming. But phones are now reaching that same plateau. Will Apple turn to a new area when that happens? Or remember their core market?

Computers still remain a large market, one that Apple were gaining a larger share in. Is the R&D such a burden that they cannot regain that momentum?

This is a very good question.

Apple has (so far) still been making pretty significant year-over-year improvements in their Axx SoC line; but that will (soon) reach the same plateau that Intel has reached with their CPUs, and to some extent, that NVidia and AMD are reaching with GPUs. This should translate into Apple still having a few more years of significant improvements in their mobile devices. But as far as the Desktops (and Laptops) go, everyone (not just Apple) is pretty much just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic at this point.

Does this mean that "PCs" are dead? Not by a long-shot; but it does mean that everyone (not just Apple) have to start thinking further and further outside the box in order to keep enticing users to Upgrade those items.

Fortunately, if anyone is "routinely disruptive", it is Apple; so I feel confident that they will continue to lead the industry around by the nose, and, so long as they don't get too far ahead of the industry, like they did with the "trashcan" Mac Pro (thinking that they could "force" TB adoption faster than it has happened), the industry will continue to follow Apple's lead, which is good for Apple, and ultimately, for the entire industry (not to mention you and me)...

 

[Abazigal]

Apple is making a lot of money, profit alone doesn't define a company. When the hard core Apple fanatics start complaining, it's like a canary in a coal mine. We see that things are not right at Apple. It might take a few years for that to transfer to market share and profits, but it will come back to haunt Apple if they do not get this fixed. Once Apple looses it's hard core customers, they will be nothing more than an itoy company with trendy customers who will drop Apple as soon as the next "cool" thing is out.

People have been complaining and whining since the very beginning. Who knows when they have a legitimate beef with Apple and when they are just complaining for the sake of it.

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

And tomorrow Tim will say this article was speculative clickbait nonsense.

 

[pat500000]

I mean, if you come on MacRumors and read the forums, there seems to be a lot of Apple hate. There always is. Heck, I'm part of it sometimes. People love to jump on the supposed bandwagon and run Tim Cook and the gang down. This has been exaggerated by the (neutered?) 2016 MacBook Pro.

Sometimes it begins to feel that really the only ones that are bothered by Apple's product decisions are the ones on tech forums like MacRumors. But after reading the OP, it seems that it isn't entirely a vacuum in these forums. People outside of them feel the same way about Apple's direction (or lack thereof) for the Mac.

I'm one of the angry Mac users to be honest. I'm a Mac Pro user and fcpx user. If fcpx is what makes me money and performance and time is critical, it would be essential to get new Mac Pro out. I have z series as my secondary but my primary work is from fcpx. I don't believe lot of people are angry for no apparent reason. Heck, we have some sort of reasons to state our opinions.

 

[dantastic]

 

[truthertech]

And you missed the fact that just because something sells, doesn't make it great (inserts McDonald's analogy).
The majority of disgruntled Apple fans, have grownup using Apple products that exceed expectations, that just work, that surprises and delights. Macbooks, iMacs and all desktops have failed to deliver on all these fronts. The Apple watch was ill conceived at the outset (pivoting to fitness has helped). It's relative success is more in part to Android's failure.

As for their secret sauce...it's simply locking you into their ecosystem.
So is Apple truly producing exactly what a customer wants, or is it forcing upon them what they're going to get?

Fortunately, this is the land of free enterprise and while most didn't vote in the last election, consumers all still vote with their pocketbook. Bombarded with choices, they get to choose. Just because you get a steady diet of negativity on forums or Twitter, and that sours your mood and outlook on Apple, doesn't mean that the vast majority of people don't get the joy and delight you lack from Apple's products. The Airpods are a great example, I've watched and read multiple reviews. People love 'em. My neighbor just got a pair and he came over to show them off. Says they are the best wireless he's ever used.

Don't ever forget that you are in a bubble of negativity on these comment boards because they attract a disproportionate number of trollers and disaffected folks. Next time you are out, take a stop in an Apple store. You'll see that they are packed with folks who are willing to spend their hard earned money because Apple products bring them that delight.

Oh, and it's easy for you to take a shot at McDonalds, but is there anyone who won't at least secretly admit it that those fries are a delight and joy. Oh, and the Shamrock shakes. Oh baby!

 

[ackmondual]

if they continue like this they will end up like Sony or Nokia (or Nintendo).

I don't know... if I had to pick one, I'd take Nintendo over Apple (even though Super Mario Run requires you to be online )

 

[blinkytoo]

Apple to Pro User: Drop Dead!

 

[Eorlas]

Total loss of focus, lack of leadership. You've got a supply chain guy running the helm, who has no idea how people actually use the product. Complete unwillingness to incorporate the tremendous volume of feedback pro users have provided. Stupidity at best, arrogance at worst.

Strange days have found Apple. Throw Tim Cook out, NOW.

If only massive corporations only listened to keyboard warrior forum users...

 

[MacsRuleOthersDrool]

Apple rose to its current position by having an "ideas guy" at the helm instead of a "numbers guy". Those ideas, along with an amazing ability to look ahead and sometimes ridiculous attention to detail, are what made people switch and become/stay fiercely loyal to Apple. The ideas seem to be running out and Cook doesn't seem to be the type of leader that inspires new thinking. Without that, eventually the numbers will decline. And then what?

Steve Jobs died at just the right time. Tim Cook doesn't have that "out".

What I mean is this: Desktop and Laptop CPU (and to some extent, GPU) performance had just started to seriously Plateau right about the time Jobs Left The Building(tm). This means he was able to march out, year-after-year, and crow about how much faster/better this year's PCs (lap and desk) were than the last go-around. Then, to help him (and the rest of the industry), Apple was able to divert attention away from the fact that desk and laptop PCs were stagnating by wowing the crowds with an impressive array of very innovative (and actually game-changing) mobile products.

Those days are largely at an end. For everybody, not just Apple.

So, although there are still plenty of innovative people at Apple, it is getting harder and harder to provide that "wow!" factor. So, poor Tim gets labeled "dull" and "a bean counter". And I don't for one minute disregard Jobs' salesmanship, which is something that, sadly, not too many people have in the abundance that St. Jobs had. For example, the Touch Bar is actually pretty damned neat. The people I know that have tried one and/or already bought one think that it is quite an innovation. But it was presented so poorly that many people think of it as a gimmick (which it is not). By comparison, Jobs would have had people drooling to get that feature.

 

[MysteriousStain]

A "Plan B" laptop release with a price increase? Brazen.

 

[mkeeley]

People have been complaining and whining since the very beginning. Who knows when they have a legitimate beef with Apple and when they are just complaining for the sake of it.

Oh it's the apple can do no wrong person.

 

[Abazigal]

Oh it's the apple can do no wrong person.

I never said that.

Apple can and does makes mistakes, and should rightfully be criticized when they do, but the amount of vitriol I am seeing here is disproportionate and seriously getting out of hand. And that is what I am firmly against, not criticism of Apple.

 

[MacsRuleOthersDrool]

Lightning is a terrible idea in my opinion. They should have pushed a standard port.

I am pretty sure that Lightning's days are numbered, in favor of USB-C.

Keep in mind, Lightning was created because Apple was being pressured by the EU to join the Marching Morons into standardizing on the absolutely horrible micro-USB, which had all the disadvantages of USB-A (rotation-specific design), with the added "benefit" of fragility and insufficient bandwidth.<br><br>
But now that USB-C has become established (somewhat), Apple has very little reason to keep using Lightning, and every reason to switch to USB-C.

So expect to see it on the iPhone 8, at the latest. I would be very surprised if that doesn't happen.

 

[truthertech]

No it is you who is missing the forest. Apple has immense momentum. Consumers are buying anyway and just rolling with some of the hassles whined about here. For example, how many of those who passionately argued against removal of the headphone jack actually voted with their wallets and refused to buy the iPhone? Instead, they buy and roll with the hassle. Why? Because abandoning a whole ecosystem over any one hassle is more painful than just rolling with it and hoping the company comes to its senses in the next round... or maybe "I" can get used to carrying the dongle... or maybe "I" can get used to Bluetooth, etc. Accumulated goodwill plus this "roll with it" mentality will work for a while.

We have seen this over and over and over again. How many companies carve out very successful businesses, get complacent on sales that keep coming in as they burn goodwill and then shrink when consumers finally give up on them? We here have poked critiques at countless Apple competitors who used to dominate businesses for doing exactly that kind of thing as Apple swept in and ate their lunch. Those companies had roaring revenues. They had record profits. They could lay claims that consumers loved what they were (or were not) doing based on the ongoing flows of cash... until their bases gave up on them due to too many disappointments. Can you name any such companies? Do you really believe that Apple's story can't replicate any of them?

The money argument does not prove the point. It just illustrates ongoing momentum. Momentum doesn't last forever unless the consumer side is regularly fed what it wants too. Too much consumer disappointment and they shift to someone else's products... even if the pain of entire ecosystem change comes with it. We've seen it happen over and over with many other companies.

What's more disturbing within our little niche of consumers is the seemingly recurring trend of Apple rolling out a big product update and "us" Apple fans proclaiming the prior generation superior and, apparently, choosing to buy the prior generation before they sell out. In the last few years, that's happened a few times- this rMB pro, Mac Mini, iPhone, etc. Conceptually, newer (tech) should almost always be obviously superior to it's older "parent." But lately, that obviousness seems challenged.

You're making the same mistake. You are trying to transfer your discontent to the mass of folks. The iPhone 7 is a great example. We had many on comment boards and many pundits predicting it's demise, calling it "anti-consumer," etc. You obviously were one of them. But what happened? It turns out that almost two hundred million people around the world are going to buy it in the next 12 months. How could that be if it was such a boring, anti-consumer device? The reason you and others were looking at it through your negative prism. I read all of the tortured reasoning about how this was going to be hated by consumers as you and others tried to justify how stupid Apple was and how they had lost their way..

Of course Apple isn't perfect, but you ignored that most people just used whatever headphones came with the phone, and that those who had another pair wouldn't find it the end of the world to take two seconds and put on an adapter. Or that 95% of all cars being sold had BT or that BT headphones had already taken over the lead in sales, or that BT speakers were common in people's homes. Of course Apple had this research, and while you in hindsight want to dismiss its success as simply "momentum" Consumers love all of the new features they got in return for an relatively inconsequential headphone jack removal like a second speaker, stereo sound, larger battery, waterproofness, etc. along with new screen, new processor, new duo camera system, new larger camera lens, etc., all of which you were blinded too by all of the negativity you read. Apple is far from perfect, but the trolling and negativity for everything they do is by a tiny number of folks.

 

[Mainsail]

I am not a Pro user. Before I retired, I used a Mac at work, but it was for typical office stuff....not high-end creative applications. So, I do not directly feel the impact of delayed release of high end Pro machines.

Rather, I am like the vast majority of Apple's customer base that bought their products for work, school and personal use because they are generally well designed, reliable and provide a solid user experience. For consumers like me, the company has been reasonably responsive. After all, we are not pushing the envelop of technology, so the current line-up of computers are probably not limiting the vast majority of Apple consumers.

The dissatisfaction seems to be largely coming from the Pro users that are pushing the envelop and would like next generation machines. This is unfortunate....but here is the rub: While I believe Apple wants to continue to sell computers to keep consumers in their ecosystem, truly Pro level computers are probably a very small fraction of their revenue stream. Computers are only about 10% +/- of revenue, and Pro level machines are probably only a small fraction of that number.

From a purely business perspective (and this is a business), Apple should be more concerned about selling a quality entry level laptop to college students and families to keep them in the ecosystem......and I think they are vulnerable here BTW....Apple needs to offer an updated $1,000 laptop IMO.

Bottom-line: Revenue and profits drive business decisions and resource allocations within a company. Sad but true.

 

[truthertech]

I haven't seen anything that has mentioned "record". And the revenue is high, not necessarily the numbers, which is not surprising because of the price hike.

You've got to get out and read more then

 

[drewyboy]

If only massive corporations only listened to keyboard warrior forum users...

Ah, typical deflection. You didn't address a single issue that he raised in his argument.

 

[drewyboy]

You've got to get out and read more then

Well, we have yet to see any number. Just old boy Tim saying that they're "astounded" and "amazed" by the sales. That's it. Not in any context, just "amazing sales numbers". Good grief, business 101, keep things vague so you can spin any which way you want.

 

[MacsRuleOthersDrool]

Four USB-C that they use for adapters. In a year, 80-90% of all USB connections will still be USB-A. Current devices and laptops/desktops won't stop existing just because Apple removed their connectors.

You are incorrect; but even if you are, requiring a simple $7 passive USB-C to USB-A adaptor is a pretty cheap way to "future proof" your current products.

 

[CharlesShaw]

...So is Apple truly producing exactly what a customer wants, or is it forcing upon them what they're going to get?

If everyone who constantly threatens to stop buying these inferior products would actually do so, then maybe we could finally get Apple to make them the way you want! /s

 

[truthertech]

I think services is the biggest area Apple must improve though. From a US perspective probably not, but in other countries (Italy for example) still must improve: no public transport in Maps yet, Siri is way less capable than other competitors... the real problem I don't think this is a priority for them, because Apple said before, these services are operating at pure loss because they don't generate revenue. Again, focus is money, not products or services.

Yes, Apple needs to continue it's worldwide expansion, but you are way off on your understanding of where they are with services. It's one of those Internet myths that gets repeated that Apple is bad at services. You couldn't be more wrong that they don't generate revenue and are operating at a loss. Or that Services is not a priority for them.

Here's some basic info for you from their last quarterly report.

• Services saw revenue soar 24% to $6.3 billion. In an earnings call after Apple announced its results, CEO Tim Cook highlighted the Services business, saying that it’s nearly doubled its revenue in the last four years. Better yet, it’s on pace to be the size of a Fortune 100 company sometime during Apple’s next fiscal year.

• Apple Services revenue is now higher than Facebook's revenue from all sources!

• Services business is now in second place, ahead of the iPad, Mac, and all other hardware.

 

[matjamca]

Apple needs to wake up and realise it's taking on water. Rushed product launches and quality issues is going to ruin the brand and fast - if it continues. Apple needs to get its focus back and only deliver products that are ready.

 

[truthertech]

Well, we have yet to see any number. Just old boy Tim saying that they're "astounded" and "amazed" by the sales. That's it. Not in any context, just "amazing sales numbers". Good grief, business 101, keep things vague so you can spin any which way you want.

Speaking of context, the post discussion was about the Macbook Pro sales.

 

[drewyboy]

Yes, Apple needs to continue it's worldwide expansion, but you are way off on your understanding of where they are with services. It's one of those Internet myths that gets repeated that Apple is bad at services. You couldn't be more wrong that they don't generate revenue and are operating at a loss. Or that Services is not a priority for them.

Here's some basic info for you from their last quarterly report.

• Services saw revenue soar 24% to $6.3 billion. In an earnings call after Apple announced its results, CEO Tim Cook highlighted the Services business, saying that it’s nearly doubled its revenue in the last four years. Better yet, it’s on pace to be the size of a Fortune 100 company sometime during Apple’s next fiscal year.

• Apple Services revenue is now higher than Facebook's revenue from all sources!

• Services business is now in second place, ahead of the iPad, Mac, and all other hardware.

Without apple's hardware, there are no services. By skimping on their hardware, they force users into services (iCloud storage). Also, I believe apps falls under the services banner, which again is tied to their hardware.

Really what this tells me is they are relying on their current customers becoming bigger spenders rather than acquiring new customers. As they neglect their hardware, people will leave taking increasingly larger numbers of their revenue, meaning each lost customer is larger lost revenue than before.