Sadly it seems there is a growing number of Apple users who have [regrettably] come to similar conclusions. I've been using Apple systems since the 90's, and I'm sure others much longer. Most of us are power system users, having to contend with a now consumer market driven company. Yes, it's made them a powerhouse, which we are very grateful. However, it's come at a cost to us who rely on pro-systems for work, et al.
I'm disappointed Apple went from a company with a stellar line of CCFL LCD's, affordable and well equipped power systems, all for roughly the cost of a reasonably equipped Mac Pro (which is in dire need of hardware upgrades, mine is "current gen" but dates to Oct 2010). Consumer market saturation levels are plateauing and Apple has faced difficulties breaking into the Chinese market.
Neglecting the pro and business markets, which many deemed too "niche", is slowly biting Apple in the rear. Many colleagues jumped ship after the Final Cut Pro X fiasco for Windows or Linux systems, using Avid or even Adobe CS as they stepped up their game. If Apple is smart, they'd take advantage of Adobe's shift towards a pay-as-you-use system by focusing energy back into what made OS X and hardware so great: quality, stability, cutting edge or at least current hardware, and a full range of displays. Businesses from design to editing firms have ten's if not hundreds of thousands of dollars set aside for hardware and license upgrades. That adds up to a good amount of profit, enough to drive the market.
There are only so many iPads and iPhones a consumer can entertain themselves with before it gets dull. I've yet to see the corporate sect adopt iPads/tablets as a primary or even quasi-centric device of choice. Generally it's in addition to desktop systems. A quick glance in the top ten paid and free iPhone or iPad apps and you'll see mostly games and media apps. I couldn't imagine working mainly on an iPad, dissertations or casual work on a small screen taken up by the keys, no thanks.
Stop shifting an already stressed engineering dept bet iOS and OS X as Steve Jobs insisted, usually resulting in OS X being shelved. Hire more engineers, get a hold of the departments lacking S.V.P.'s by hiring or moving the right people into those positions. It's mind boggling that Cook is taking over for Browett, who lasted only a few months, as S.V.P. of Retail Operations, and Ive taking over design after Forstall's firing the same exact day as Browett's last Nov. Bertrand Serlet was excellent as S.V.P. of OS X Software Engineering. Since his departure, Craig Federighi's work in Lion and Mountain Lion has been less than stellar (Serlet did not work on 10.7 as some have stated, he was brought in from NeXT and responsible for 10.4, 10.5 and 10.6).
It seems to many that Apple has been treading water recently, and faith in the company's future seems shaky as stock analysts and future traders to die-hard Apple users generally feel underwhelmed. I hesitate writing this as I'm certain it will be shredded by some, but it's how I feel and how many I know feel at this moment. Whether genuinely warranted or not, it's been harder to maintain faith in Apple for some. I'm hopeful that 2013 is a return to pro and business markets, with a new Mac Pro, displays and pro-App updates. If not, I don't know what will happen for us.
(go easy on me guys, simply my 2 cents)
USED to provide that.
