Apple's Mac Sales Down in Q3 2018 Amid a Lack of Updates

[The Cappy]

Decent? Are you kidding me? The MacBook(pick any) is still better than all the other windows laptops. Case closed my friend.

You don't like the keyboard? That's your problem. I think it's the best keyboard out there, trying going back to the old keyboard is like cutting the bread into slices again.

"That's your problem." Nothing like argument of hypothesis by logical inference.
His problem is that it *is* a problem to him and to many of us, and Apple gives us no solution. Mocking people just makes you sound juvenile. I have a late 2016 MBP. The keyboard failed 3 months in (space bar stopped working), and Apple had to do an insane replacement of the upper half of the friggin computer, including the logic board. Nobody with more than half a brain would consider that good design. And now the keyboard is failing again. The space bar double taps. I've owned Apple laptops since the PowerBook 100, and in all those years, I only ever replaced a single keyboard — and THAT was a breeze.

 

[bladerunner2000]

Great. You told us. Now we all know. Now go back to your Windows or Linux forum.

He's not wrong.

 

[Dr Kevorkian94]

Really wanting some new AirPods, I broke mine and rather not buy a new pair if updated ones are on the horizon.

 

[Shasterball]

Good.

There is no excuse for the current line-up. It's a pile of crap.

Mac Mini hasn't been updated since 2014, and the 2014 version was weaker than the 2012 version.
iMac hasn't been updated in a while and doesn't have powerful graphics to power its 5K display and doesn't use the latest generation Intel chips.
The iMac Pro is $5000. Although it is fairly priced for what it is, it's obviously not going to move a lot of units.
The Mac Pro hasn't been updated since early 2014, and it's a literal trash can.

The MacBook Air hasn't been updated since 2014 and is woefully out of data.
The MacBook is an extremely underpowered machine that certainly is not worth the money. It's also got a terrible keyboard.
The MacBook Pro is alright, but it's very expensive and I don't like the keyboard.

So yeah, Apple deserves declining Mac sales. Give us something decent already, for ****s sake! We wanna use your OS but there is literally no useful hardware we can put it on. Come on!

[doublepost=1539226421][/doublepost]This is an excuse: the company is worth $1.2T and is the most valuable company in the US. I.e., whatever they are doing is working.

 

[mistasopz]

People are fed up with under-powered, overpriced, non-updated, machines. There is nothing "pro" about any of their computers anymore.

It doesn't help that Apple keeps making their computers worse. Removing useful ports, increasing prices, making the keyboard worse, adding gimmicky touch bars, removing the function keys.

 

[inkswamp]

No surprise. It's a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Sales are down so they focus less on the Mac... which causes sales to drop, etc., etc. But if they'd focus some real attention on the Mac instead of doing so many updates that feel like an afterthought or let perfectly fine products like the Mini wither on the vine, they might see better sales.

Not like Tim Cook is calling me up asking for my advice, but this seems like a no-brainer. I don't get why they treat the Mac—particularly the Mini—like the least favorite child.

 

[Lone Deranger]

Reasons why I haven't upgraded my aging 2013 MBP. Let's see...

• Sh:tty feeling keyboard, already on it's third revision. Long-term reliability still unknown.
• Trackpad on steroids. Now so large you have no convenient place to put your fingers. (Side note: big enough to function as a drawing tablet with an Apple pencil, something creatives would actually love and put to good use, but of course Apple doesn't support that. Gotta drive those iPad sales y'all!)
• Non optional Touchbar. A compromise that many people have no use for, other than what it replaced.
• Non upgradable. You can't offset the cost of additional hardware to a date in the future to save some money. Meaning you have to pay the crippling Apple tax to future-proof your purchase as much as possible and hope it will be sufficient. If anything better comes along during its life-time, you're sh:t out of luck.
• Not user repairable. If a hardware problem does appear that requires a repair, you lose your device for days/weeks because Apple has to send the device to a remote service center. What am I supposed to use in the meantime? Isn't this meant to be a Pro device? You know... for people that use it to earn their living?
• Soul-less design regress with the removal of the glowing Apple logo, start-up chime and Mag-safe adapter. It's like Mercedes Benz removing their hood-ornaments from all cars. Like silencing Big Ben in London's Elizabeth Tower. Both not serving an essential function, but without them something intrinsically expressive of the brand is lost. The brazen, rebellious pride of Apple ownership that it once stood for has been neutered and successfully brought down to Tim Cook levels of dry, boring, dullness.
• Lack of port diversity causing untold amounts of potentially frustrating, awkward moments when you realize you can't connect (an otherwise industry standard) peripheral to your laptop.
• Still no nVidia GPU options.
• Brutally expensive.

Tim Cook, "Are you getting it yet??"

 

[Zdigital2015]

I'm not a high end user. I use it for photoshop and Lightroom. I love the screen and it's big enough for me to watch stuff on it and be happy. If I was to build this in a PC, It would be too expensive I would bet. How much is a 4k screen at 27"?

Maybe I don't need a k4 screen, but I like this all around. Ive been using a 21 inch iMac at work for 7 years and it's the only computer left not replaced. All other PCs crapped out.

I'm not a computer person that tinkers. Give me something nice and I'm good for a while.

Dell P2715Q is $385.00 at B&H - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1106149-REG/dell_p2715q_27_3840x2160_dh.html?sts=pi

 

[Ankaa]

He's not wrong.

Frankly, he is. It's typical Apple bashing.

Let's see:
Overpriced: highly subjective. Yes, the price is premium. Doesn't mean it's >overpriced<.

Overyhyped: By whom? Oh right, only hipsters and people who want to show off buy Macs. Funny how Macs dominate computers at every scientific seminar and conference I went to.

Underperforming machines: This is simply a lie.

You can get a quality laptop with the similar specs for 1/3 the price.: Of course you can get better hardware for the same price or the same hardware for less. No-one ever denies that. But can you get this amount of fine-touned hardware-software synthesis? Can you get this level of ecosystem integration? People buying Macs don't buy them for the hardware alone.

All my windows computers died within 2 years. I had absolutely no issues of using all my Macs 4-6+ years.

But who am I trying to explain this to. You have an Hackintosh ...

 

[BWhaler]

no, they just updated the MBPro line.

The problem is junk keyboards. Nests of Dongles-x expensive dongles. And cost...they are expensive which used to be ok when there erect crippling trade-offs.

My guess is a big rebooot is coming with Apple chips in 2019 or 2020

 

[citysnaps]

Not like Tim Cook is calling me up asking for my advice, but this seems like a no-brainer. I don't get why they treat the Mac—particularly the Mini—like the least favorite child.

I suspect it's pretty tough to make a decent business case. Even if the Mini were updated every year, the appeal to Apple's customer base would be minimal, outside of tech enthusiasts, many of whom hang out on forums.

The Mini was developed to economically lure Windows users to the Apple camp; with customers already owning a display/keyboard/mouse/printer. Hard to say if that case ever panned out in a major way. Only Apple knows the answer to that.

 

[ibivibiv]

Sure, it has zero to do with putting out products with key features removed, lower quality, and higher prices. Oh wait, but there is a Touch Bar.
[doublepost=1539228231][/doublepost]

Nobody wants that annoying AF touchbar. It's literally a reason NOT to buy a Mac.

Also, how long can it take to design a new Mac Pro? It's been almost six years.

WINNER!!!! That and no useful ports and a @#$@% keyboard? Great work Applle. Notice the 2 LLLL's? yeah... great keyboard.

 

[Tozovac]

Apple sells computers ?

With the iPhone, I thought that making computers was only a hobby for Apple now .

Maybe disinterest in updating their computers is leading to lower sales.
Maybe lower sales is leading to disinterest in updating their computers.
Maybe disinterest in updating their computers is leading to lower sales.
Maybe lower sales is leading to disinterest in updating their computers.
Maybe lower....

 

[bigandtasty]

Speaking for everyone, now?

I certainly like mine. Faster and more accurate typing.

Different strokes for different folks (no pun), It's all about preference. I mean, your signature says you live in the recently named "doo doo capital" of the USA. But not everyone lives there

 

[DevNull0]

So yeah, Apple deserves declining Mac sales. Give us something decent already, for ****s sake! We wanna use your OS but there is literally no useful hardware we can put it on. Come on!

Apple could not possibly be more clear that they don't want to sell computers. They want to sell iToys and services behind them.

 

[dotnet]

All my windows computers died within 2 years. I had absolutely no issues of using all my Macs 4-6+ years.

That's where Apple ****ed up, and the reason they haven't received a Mac dollar from me in years. That 2014 MBP is just so damn good. Absolutely nothing wrong with it. I can live with replacing a worn-out battery every four or so years.

 

[citysnaps]

Different strokes for different folks (no pun), It's all about preference. I mean, your signature says you live in the recently named "doo doo capital" of the USA. But not everyone lives there

Such a childish characterization. Especially since if California were a country, itts economic output would rank fifth in the world, behind the United States, China, Japan, and Germany.

 

[IlluminatedSage]

I’ll say it, Apple’s lack of yearly refreshes at this point is pathetic.

They are awash in profits, the least they can do is basic updates. The replacement models are a joke when they take years to hit market, look at the Mac Pro and Mac mini. It’s sickening how little they re-invest in their Mac product lines

 

[bladerunner2000]

Frankly, he is. It's typical Apple bashing.

Let's see:
Overpriced: highly subjective. Yes, the price is premium. Doesn't mean it's >overpriced<.

Overyhyped: By whom? Oh right, only hipsters and people who want to show off buy Macs. Funny how Macs dominate computers at every scientific seminar and conference I went to.

Underperforming machines: This is simply a lie.

You can get a quality laptop with the similar specs for 1/3 the price.: Of course you can get better hardware for the same price or the same hardware for less. No-one ever denies that. But can you get this amount of fine-touned hardware-software synthesis? Can you get this level of ecosystem integration? People buying Macs don't buy them for the hardware alone.

All my windows computers died within 2 years. I had absolutely no issues of using all my Macs 4-6+ years.

Nope.

The imac pro is clearly overpriced. Macbook pros don't deserve the 'pro' name. You can't upgrade anything in any of them. The Mac pro is just as good as a trashcan now. The hardware across the board is gimped junk because apple refuses to implement any proper airflow. People like you and many others hype the hell out of their products now matter garbage they are. At the very least you defend Apple like it's your best friend just as you're doing right now. It's not, it's a brand, stop being so devoted, Apple sees you as a pawn and a dollar sign. I gotta ask; why are you so angry when someone calls out apple products for what they are?

But who am I trying to explain this to. You have an Hackintosh ...

What's that supposed to mean?
[doublepost=1539232032][/doublepost]

Reasons why I haven't upgraded my aging 2013 MBP. Let's see...

• ****** feeling keyboard, already on it's third revision, that is still unproven to be trustworthy over time.
• Trackpad on steroids. Now so large you have no convenient place to put your fingers. (Side note: big enough to function as a drawing tablet with an Apple pencil, something creatives would actually love and put to good use, but of course Apple doesn't support that. Gotta drive those iPad sales.)
• Non optional Touchbar. A compromise that many people have no use for, other than what it replaced.
• Non upgradable. You can't offset the cost of additional hardware to a date in the future to save some money. Meaning you have to pay the crippling Apple tax to future-proof your purchase as much as possible and hope it will be sufficient. If anything better comes along during its life-time, you're sh:t out of luck.
• Not user repairable. If a hardware problem does appear that requires a repair, you lose your device for days/weeks because Apple has to send the device to a remote service center. What am I supposed to use in the meantime? Isn't this meant to be a Pro device? You know... for people that use it to make money with?
• Soul-less design regress with the removal of the glowing Apple logo and start-up chime and mag-safe adapter.
• Lack of port diversity causing untold amounts of potentially frustrating, awkward moments when you realize you can't connect (an otherwise industry standard) peripheral to your laptop.
• Still no nVidia GPU.
• Brutally expensive.

Tim Cook, "Are you getting it yet??"

You need to ask that question to all macrumors member, writers and mods.

The longer you guys keep letting apple off the hook with these shady scumbag tactics, the longer Apple will continue to screw you as a consumer.

Hold Apple accountable.

Instead have die hard apologists making excuses on apples behalf.

 

[oldmacs]

This is Apple's strategy, don't update products, for the products that are updated, make them compromised. Demand goes down and then the line can be canceled.

 

[iPadified]

Apple is since years back a consumer company and with the increasingly competent iDevices, the questions arises for the consumer why buy a mac/PC at all. The PC companies need to sell PC or stop existing.

That being said, Apple is unecessarily dragging their feet in the Mac business. For a company devoted so to perfectionism, this is strange.

 

[CaptainPrice01]

I still do not understand the attractiveness of AIO design for desktop computers (especially for the high end).

AIO are great at space and keeps cord space at a minimum. They are still powerful enough to do all tasks effectively. Apple has been making AIOs ever since the first Mac. It's brilliant. I love them.

 

[Lone Deranger]

This is Apple's strategy, don't update products, for the products that are updated, make them compromised. Demand goes down and then the line can be canceled.

For over 30 years Apple has never been able to topple the dominance of Windows PCs and never will. Now that their iOS products dominate the world they have a vested interest to sabotage the market they could never truly compete in.

 

[ThatGuyInLa]

The iPhone is a computer. One that fits in your pocket. (sort of) Apple has very little interest in clunky luggable (laptops) and chunky desktops. They're averaging 5+ years in between updating their Mac Pro lineup, and we only get the MBP updates that we get as they're like large iPads with keyboards and a broken touch screen.
[doublepost=1539234760][/doublepost]

Their most powerful pro machine, the iMac Pro, is completely un-upgradeable.

Not true. The ram and cpu are socketed. You can, people have, it does kill warranty of course, but it IS possible.

 

[Virinprew]

Here is what you do to improve Mac. You update the MacBook Air to Retina display, use the latest cpu of its class, keep USB-A, add USB-C, keep the price. Mac mini uses at least 4-cores, upgradable RAM, get rid of the spinning drive, use only ssd, keep USB-A, add USB-C, keep the price.
Mac Pro uses the tower setup. Let the pros upgrade to their heart content. iMac get rid of the HDD, make RAM upgradable again. MacBook Pro revert to earlier keyboard, get rid of the Touch Bar, get the entry price down, provide dongle in the box at least. Forget the underpowered MacBook.