Are we on the last generation of Macs?

[thagomizer]

Look at the Apple.com site. There are top-level tabs for "Apple", "Store", "iPhone", "iPod+iTunes", "QuickTime", "Support" "OS X". No mention of Mac hardware at all. "Get a Mac" is buried somewhere below.

Now look at SJobs's recent comments at MacWorld. "Apple Computer, Inc" becomes "Apple, Inc". "That's all we're going to say about Macs today".

He made another comment about upcoming products. Did he specifically say that we would see more Macs in the next few months, or more "Mac products" in the next few months?

There's still no Conroe-based Mac... unarguably Intel's best performing chip. No use of the quad-core Xeon, either.

What I'm getting at is, is Apple preparing to stop selling computers? The OS transition to Intel is complete, so Apple could open up OS X to *all* Intel PCs anytime they want to, and go head to head with Microsoft.

Are we on the last generation of Macs?

 

[iBookG4user]

In a word, no. Computers are what started Apple and they still make a significant amount of money from them, why would they stop?

 

[Eraserhead]

But there was no mention of Mac's before as you can see in this comparison of the UK and US apple links.

 

[AlexH]

It's not often that a company releases a product like the iPhone, or even the Apple TV for that matter. I don't think the lack of Mac computer news is anything to be "concerned" about, I just feel that Apple wanted to concentrate on the big announcement(s).

 

[Le Big Mac]

But there was no mention of Mac's before as you can see in this comparison of the UK and US apple links.

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You don't count "Mac OS X"? Or the Apple itself?

Apple has to continue making (or selling) computers. It can't offer just the OS at a profitable price, nor could it guarantee that the OS would work on a PC box off the shelf.

 

[me_94501]

But there was no mention of Mac's before as you can see in this comparison of the UK and US apple links.

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Yeah, as long as I can remember, the Mac has never had a tab, aside from Switch a few years back.

 

[bartelby]

nor could it guarantee that the OS would work on a PC box off the shelf.

No, they don't want it to work on PC boxes.

 

[Eraserhead]

You don't count "Mac OS X"? Or the Apple itself?

I suppose, but they aren't really want the original poster is getting at, there is no Mac tab, though TBH they could put it in place of the joke that is .Mac .

 

[djkny]

In a word, no. Computers are what started Apple and they still make a significant amount of money from them, why would they stop?

Because computers aren't where the money's at, it's the OS. As soon as SJ decides to license OS X, X1, etc. to the PC's of the world, he will overtake Gates, as the world's richest man, Apple will dump the computer business, and we'll be ebaying our powerbooks for pleasure.

 

[thagomizer]

Granted, there's a lot of work to be done in order to have mass-market PC compatibility... all those vdrivers to write and applications to test. There's no indication that Apple has been secretly doing this.

But... isn't it curious how much the Mac itself is downplayed on Apple's own web site? There is no photo or direct link to any currently shipping computer model on the front page. Not even a tab.

 

[Dont Hurt Me]

For all we know it could be the end of the Macintosh and the start of a all new line or even brand under the apple label.

 

[combatcolin]

Apple still make a lot of money on Mac sales.

 

[mkrishnan]

For all we know it could be the end of the Macintosh and the start of a all new line or even brand under the apple label.

That could certainly happen, but I don't see them getting out of the hardware market or letting their software run on other people's hardware. Not unless there's a massive change in the design principles of the Windows world.

 

[bartelby]

Because computers aren't where the money's at, it's the OS. As soon as SJ decides to license OS X, X1, etc. to the PC's of the world, he will overtake Gates, as the world's richest man, Apple will dump the computer business, and we'll be ebaying our powerbooks for pleasure.

But as Apple Hardware is and always will be the only hardware to run Mac OS. They'll keep producing them.

 

[Antares]

But... isn't it curious how much the Mac itself is downplayed on Apple's own web site? There is no photo or direct link to any currently shipping computer model on the front page. Not even a tab.

The front page has always been reserved for the newest products or what's currently "hot"....now being the iPhone and AppleTV. When new models of a compy are introduced, you bet they'll get that coveted front page slot.

 

[72930]

That could certainly happen, but I don't see them getting out of the hardware market or letting their software run on other people's hardware. Not unless there's a massive change in the design principles of the Windows world.

Design principles, what design principles?

 

[macmike47]

Because computers aren't where the money's at, it's the OS. As soon as SJ decides to license OS X, X1, etc. to the PC's of the world, he will overtake Gates, as the world's richest man, Apple will dump the computer business, and we'll be ebaying our powerbooks for pleasure.

Greenpeace would go mad at the rainforest damage caused by hate-mail to Steve if they stopped making computers

 

[mkrishnan]

Design principles, what design principles?

Well, they seem to have transitioned from, "Put a logo on the front. People love logos. They generate buzz," to "Flashing blue lights. Tons of them. Light up the undercarriage. If it works for that kid who hangs out at the gas station off exit 57, then it'll work for our tower cases too."

 

[Butthead]

There's still no Conroe-based Mac... unarguably Intel's best performing chip. No use of the quad-core Xeon, either.

What I'm getting at is, is Apple preparing to stop selling computers? The OS transition to Intel is complete, so Apple could open up OS X to *all* Intel PCs anytime they want to, and go head to head with Microsoft.

Are we on the last generation of Macs?

NO. Not anytime soon, if ever. Who can say, far into the future, if even there will be an Apple.

No way Apple will open up OSX, not while Steve-O is alive. And even if they did, it would take decades to make inroads on M$, there's not enough of a difference to make the majority already used to using M$ products switch anytime soon. It's not going to happen...rookie mistake on your part .

Apple choose to not use Conroe for the iMac because it was too hot. One can argue about the lack of use in the Mac Pro's but that's a more involved issue, where there are/will be possitives from not using Conroe in that area also. New Merom/Santa Rosa based laptops are in the pipeline, just won't happen until later. Same with newer Intel chips, Apple can only use them when they become available.

 

[Camui]

I doubt they'll stop making hardware anytime soon. I would be very surprised if they did.

 

[SuperCompu2]

The newest plan to take over M$...

"The Empire"

(theres an Apple species named Empire,as there is MacIntosh. Just thought it would br ironic to be overtaking the "empire" that is M$)

And for our older but still loyal customers...

"the Granny Smith" (a Mac Classic running OS X, colored green)

 

[Swarmlord]

I suppose, but they aren't really want the original poster is getting at, there is no Mac tab, though TBH they could put it in place of the joke that is .Mac .

I'd second that suggestion. Just remove the period.

 

[dllavaneras]

You are reading into this waaaaay too much.

SJ has been waiting to show the iPhone for over two and a half years. He said Macs are going to be big in 2007, but that's all he would say about macs at MacWorld. This doesn't mean that the computer line is doomed.

 

[xfiftyfour]

You are reading into this waaaaay too much.

SJ has been waiting to show the iPhone for over two and a half years. He said Macs are going to be big in 2007, but that's all he would say about macs at MacWorld. This doesn't mean that the computer line is doomed.

I agree with this one. I think this whole thread is a little silly. Of course Apple isn't going to stop making computers - duh. They've changed their name to Apple Inc because now computers aren't ALL they make - not because they're not making computers at all.

 

[gavd]

Can't see this happening! I agree that the name has been changed because they are now about more than the Mac's. It doesn't mean they're going to stop making them!