Are We Seeing a New Apple?

[neiltc13]

Apple has gone down the toilet in recent years. One of the things I used to cite as my reason for buying their machines was that they looked fantastic. It's a minor thing but they now only sell two machines which are not completely ugly. I don't understand why they have added all of this black plastic to the metal - it looks ridiculous, especially when you consider how much better it would have looked if it was silver or grey.

Snow Leopard doesn't look very good at all. For one thing, professionals know that if they want decent 3D performance they shouldn't be using OS X. Unless they fix the graphics drivers then this OpenCL thing is going to completely fail.

I'm not seeing anything in this upgrade that is actually making it look worthwhile for users. Rather than praising Apple for making it $29, why not ask why it is that price. Is it really because it is what Leopard should have been? Is it because they know they will struggle to get people to upgrade because of the poor feature set?

People here just look silly when they criticise Windows 7 for being a minor upgrade because Apple is doing exactly the same thing here.

 

[mash]

they will clearly phase out the white macbook, push down the price of the air, till all consumers who dont need the extra power will buy those.

 

[Santabean2000]

... On a different note, I think they are phasing out Macbook completely in its current incarnation and will soon introduce an entirely new product by that name.

Something about what you said makes me think you're right.

 

[celtikmind]

I'm not really sure what Apple has become. I don't like it, but I understand other people do.

I agree yet I don't understand the hype over underperforming pro's looking at the pricetag/tech...

Things have certainly changed a lot since I switched in 2005, and not in a good way. For me, Apple's computer offerings have become steadily less appealing starting with the redesigned iMac in 2007 and it's got to the point where I'm not tempted by any of Apple's lineup. Despite what people say to the contrary, Macs are very expensive, their specs are dramatically lower than PC equivalents (particularly desktops), and the feature set is sorely lacking (blu-ray being one major fail for Apple).

On the flip side, the iPhone is an astounding product and the iPod range is as strong as ever. So, in short - Apple: great for iPhones/iPods, not so great for computers. Ironic really considering how they started.

I agree...

I don't like the "new Apple" at all. They used to be focused on the professional
market, really cared for people using Avid and Photoshop on their Macs.
Now it's all about the new shiny toys, glossy screens and the number of people
they can convert to OS X. They forgot where they came from.
They killed Shake years ago, didn't bring anything new instead.
Maybe it takes them years to develop "Phenomenon", maybe they are not
working on it at all. The professional market is way too small to bother...
They don't sell any professional monitors. They call some of their applications
"professional" even though they are just gimmicks. They don't have
any real professional support anymore. They have "geniuses" instead.
All they have left is Final Cut. It will probably fade away too...
Even CS4 runs better on a PC now.
They should call them an iPod/iPhone company.

...I agree...

Exactly how I feel, glad I'm not the only one. I think the writing was on the wall when they officially dropped 'Computer' from the 'Apple Computer' name. Says it all really, why do that if it didn't indicate a shift in focus?

Windows 7 has me very, very intrigued at this point.

...I agree, and you're not alone...

Apple has gone down the toilet in recent years. One of the things I used to cite as my reason for buying their machines was that they looked fantastic. It's a minor thing but they now only sell two machines which are not completely ugly. I don't understand why they have added all of this black plastic to the metal - it looks ridiculous, especially when you consider how much better it would have looked if it was silver or grey.

Snow Leopard doesn't look very good at all. For one thing, professionals know that if they want decent 3D performance they shouldn't be using OS X. Unless they fix the graphics drivers then this OpenCL thing is going to completely fail.

I'm not seeing anything in this upgrade that is actually making it look worthwhile for users. Rather than praising Apple for making it $29, why not ask why it is that price. Is it really because it is what Leopard should have been? Is it because they know they will struggle to get people to upgrade because of the poor feature set?

People here just look silly when they criticise Windows 7 for being a minor upgrade because Apple is doing exactly the same thing here.

All these posts, and others stating the same actual reasons point to one thing, Apple's shadowed problem and the oncoming trend of "reverse switchers". Are we a number large enough to have an impact on Apple's sales? Who knows, but there's no denying we exist. It's going to be a stormy fall this year.

Another thing I find interesting is how anyone praising the last line of updates give little reason to anything other than the hype of it being new. Or come to the realization Apple actually raised prices, again, outside the US.

 

[iMacmatician]

delete

 

[duncanapple]

Fyi - apple didnt delete the audio in jack from the 13inch. The original unimacbook 13 had 2 separate ports (headphones/out and audio/in) while the new one has 1 port that does in AND out.

Pretty cool consolidation... though i can hear the complaints now about people not being able to use headphones AND input their guitar/piano/whatever into garage band...

 

[L0s7man]

they will clearly phase out the white macbook, push down the price of the air, till all consumers who dont need the extra power will buy those.

At least Air still looks damn good. When they "update" it to look like other Macs, it's going to be a sad sad day...

 

[Winni]

What I'm basically trying to say that I'm glad that Apple is really focusing on stuff that an everyday user would really like to have.

That is only true for everday CONSUMERs. Apple doesn't care at all about the everyday PROFESSIONAL anymore. Their software portfolio for PRO users is aging and their choice of available hardware is tiny.

I also firmly believe that Macs are being sold because they can also run Windows - and not because OS X is so great. In fact, in a business environment, OS X is not great at all (unless, maybe, you work for the one or two pure Linux or pure Mac shops on this planet).

For consumers, Apple's products are nice - but pricey - choice, and most consumers are probably not really hurt by the (artificial) restrictions in and limitations of Apple's hard- and software products. But for people who make their living with their IT equipment, Apple very often is a bad choice.

Professionals usually don't care for the compass feature of the iPhone are some silly ringtones that they can make with Garageband. Professionals also don't care to have a (castrated) version of Microsoft Office or Apple's toy edition of an Office Suite. A crappy and buggy implementation of Java and not knowing when -- IF -- the next version of Aperture if Final Cut Studio or Logic Studio will be released also does not help either. But the killer argument still is all the business/professional software that ONLY exists for Windows.

I doubt that Apple has serious long term plans for the Mac division. In the consumer market, the end of the Personal Computer as we know it is approaching. A lot of consumer-related stuff will move to 'the cloud' and the successors of today's netbooks, consoles and toys like the iPhone will be taking over the niche that personal/home computers are occupying today.

Apple is transforming to become one of those gadget producers and they are quickly moving away from the traditional computer business. They only produce new Macs because their current set of gadgets still needs real computers to obtain new content. You cannot yet rip CDs or DVDs directly to an iPhone and you also cannot yet print directly from an iPod Touch. You also cannot write software for the iPod on an iPod. (Which is a bit like it was with the original Mac - you needed an Apple Lisa to write software for the first Mac.) I am convinced that later versions of the iPod Touch and iPhone will have the capability to connect external input and output devices (like keyboards, mice, beamers and real computer screens) directly to them, they will also get the ability to run their development environments directly on them. That'll be the end of the traditional home/personal computer in the consumer market.

However, when this time will be reached, the most open company will eventually win all the market share. And that won't be Apple. People want choice. Nobody wants to be forced to purchase movies from the iTunes store. They want to be able to rip their purchased DVD to their device. They want to install whatever software and content -- including porn and online gambling -- to their devices. Apple does not allow this, and this will eventually be their downfall. Unlike everything Apple and most Americans seem to believe, the world does not want to be like Disneyland.

 

[mscriv]

Apple doesn't care at all about the everyday PROFESSIONAL anymore. .... I doubt that Apple has serious long term plans for the Mac division. In the consumer market, the end of the Personal Computer as we know it is approaching. .... Apple is transforming to become one of those gadget producers and they are quickly moving away from the traditional computer business. ....

Wow! Pretty doom and gloom don't ya think? Technology is always advancing and sure products are going to get smaller, faster, and more mobile, but predicting the end of the personal computer is a little premature I think. I tend to believe the next evolution of the market is more likely to be network based yet still personal. In today's world and even more so in the future, the entire family is computer literate and therefore we are seeing a dramatic increase in the desire for home networks which is a definite expansion on the traditional "home computer." However, this is still a closed private network because despite "cloud" technology, users still want to own their products and information. Additionally, there is still a lot of mistrust out there regarding the internet. I have no doubt this market will grow and at some point could easily become the standard, but it's going to take time and some people will never fully get on board.

 

[nuckinfutz]

Apple are not making sense at all......

1st No Firewire on the Macbook, now no Express Card slot, no audio in on the 13", SD Card slot .... on a "PRO" machine?? seeing as THE standard for D-SLR cameras if CF the SD Card slot is useless to any "Pro"

Apple are only bothered with the iPhone and they don't seem to have brought anything revolutionary to the table with the IPhone 3G S that would make people splash the cash, especially in these economic times. OSX has been vastly over-shadowed with the hype of Windows 7, Microsoft, I believe, has beaten Apple to this game.

You started off ok and then descended in into blithering logical fallacy. I think you should focus more on your sphere of influence particularly with regard to making better sense in your own post.

 

[Shiner]

I agree yet I don't understand the hype over underperforming pro's looking at the pricetag/tech...



I agree...



...I agree...



...I agree, and you're not alone...



All these posts, and others stating the same actual reasons point to one thing, Apple's shadowed problem and the oncoming trend of "reverse switchers". Are we a number large enough to have an impact on Apple's sales? Who knows, but there's no denying we exist. It's going to be a stormy fall this year.

Another thing I find interesting is how anyone praising the last line of updates give little reason to anything other than the hype of it being new. Or come to the realization Apple actually raised prices, again, outside the US.

+1 to everything you said.

I find myself using Windows 7 more than my beloved leopard on a daily basis. My laptop just can't keep up with my true desktop. And if you flame, realize apple does not even offer a desktop computer. The Macpro is a workstation and not a desktop.

 

[MattZani]

The New Features are welcome, but on the Laptop Front.

The Unibody Line ADDED a Price Increase, so really the Rev B Line is just bringing the line back into where it was.

BUT, the 13" Base MacBook Pro is a really good deal, if they dropped the price by £50 or so on the whole line, i doubt as many would be saying its too expensive.

 

[clockworkorange]

BUT, the 13" Base MacBook Pro is a really good deal, if they dropped the price by £50 or so on the whole line, i doubt as many would be saying its too expensive.

But we STILL would be getting last year's components.


Sorry Apple, I'm sick and tired of paying for old tech for premium prices.

 

[villageindian]

While I agree with your assessment that it looks as if Apple was behaving differently, Apple is still the same as it was early on. But it is leveraging on the power of the internet and mobile platform and successfully re-defining the market to suit itself.

Apple is first and foremost, a hardware company. It makes laptops and desktops catered towards the consumer segment. It has ventured into the mobile domain revolutionizing the market and redefining it by their products. It is now committed to NOT making the same mistake it did with its desktop (the MS fiasco). To that effect, it has completely focused on getting the leading position in the mobile market. But to get there, Apple has slowly built it up in the past 3 years. It introduced the devices, set the platform and now is consolidating with hardware changes. It did the same things with the Macbook line where the platform was set sometime back and now it is making changes under the hood (after switching to Unibodies).

Apple realizes that traditional computers will never go away. But instead of eliminating them, it is continuing to keep them by making them irrelevant. In the future, you might see an iPhone or iPod touch with tons of HD space that it can make its own backup and install a newer version of the OS. Until then, you need to get used to the fact that the Mac is the bread and butter for Apple and will be used for syncing their mobile devices. But I believe that Apple is precisely working on a device that will help to consolidate the Macbook Air and Macbook into a "funnest" consumer platform while pushing the Macbook Pros to the professional line. This is similar to the iPod Touch and iPhone demarcation.

But Winni is totally missing the point. Apple is not intent on getting all the marketshare. It is comfortable in letting others play with it as long as Apple sets the rules. It has done that with the mobile devices (1% of the global market ambitions). It realized that it couldnt do that with the Mac given how it was languishing all the time. But it has corrected it with the Snow Leopard release. Also, Apple pleases only the consumer market who is focused on getting the best performance on its systems. Corporates need standard systems with little upgrades on a yearly basis. Therefore, Apple will never go corporate. Apple went partly corporate with the iPhone because of the Exchange requirements.

Apple released Snow Leopard for $29 because it needed to follow the same accounting principles it is following for the iPhone. Otherwise, they could have given it for free. Apple is focused on providing the best user experience for its products. This is why they have not so far advertised the speed of the iPhone and iPod Touch though it has emerged later. They dont plan to for these devices because it is not the same as the desktops and laptops where MHz and GHz speeds were touted as important. What is important is to give a rich user experience without users worrying about the underlying hardware.

 

[Shiner]

But we STILL would be getting last year's components.


Sorry Apple, I'm sick and tired of paying for old tech for premium prices.

This is exactly what I am upset about. I have always been ok with buying apple products knowing they were behind the tech curve but other things usually made up for it. I am really starting to realize that my apple computers are being used solely for internet, email and iphoto for my wife. She laughed the other night and said thanks for buying me a new laptop! I told her I wanted to use it but I also didn't want to have the encoding and folding program, I needed for work the next day, go all night. I used apple computers my entire time in grad school and now I use windows or linux for real computing. It sucks. I am saving for a Macpro currently but I really don't want to waste my grant money on that behemoth when my $1,200 dollar desktop I built works just fine.

 

[jkimbro0316]

Well thank you for all of your posts. A lot of you believe that they are the same Apple but they are making smarter choices, and they absolutely are. The reason I believe this is a "new" Apple is because in the past few years of me following and being an Apple enthusiast, I rarely see them add features due to demand. They usually add features that they see fit for the device, but that's not necessarily what the customers ask for.

For example, last year when they announced the iPhone 3G, they still didn't add basic features such as MMS and Copy/Paste. But now back in March, they added these features into the 3.0 software in which all devices can be upgraded to, not to just an exclusive device that would force people to upgrade.

These are just my opinions and I welcome anyone who sees the changes Apple has made over the past few months as different to say their own opinions. Keep posting!

 

[emt1]

I love what Apple has become over the last year. I expect them to start to obliterate the marketshare scores.

 

[celtikmind]

@ Winni, interesting post. I think there's lot to it but perhaps in a larger timeframe.

@ villageindian, I can see a lot of Apple's marketing shining through in what you're saying. I.e. how can you claim they're pushing the MacBook Pro to the professional line when the posts about them axing/removing/neglecting one pro feature/hardware/software after another are increasing?

Sorry Apple, I'm sick and tired of paying for old tech for premium prices.

I agree. And they're not going to listen to anyone else either. I guess I've had it with Apple unfortunately. They were great when they were the "goth kid" (odd kid out) on the schoolyard. Now, in trying to be everyone's friend I just lost interest I guess. I'm going back to a PC for a while. Here's to hoping the sales of Windows 7 can slap them back (at least somewhat) into a realistic bother.

Please postpone any flaming, it won't change anything and will only take up everybody's time. Not that it will stop anyone...

Please continue the thread as normal - I'm out.

 

[nuckinfutz]

I agree. And they're not going to listen to anyone else either. I guess I've had it with Apple unfortunately. They were great when they were the "goth kid" (odd kid out) on the schoolyard. Now, in trying to be everyone's friend I just lost interest I guess. I'm going back to a PC for a while. Here's to hoping the sales of Windows 7 can slap them back (at least somewhat) into a realistic bother.

Please postpone any flaming, it won't change anything and will only take up everybody's time. Not that it will stop anyone...

Please continue the thread as normal - I'm out.

This explains why you were never really a Mac user.

The platform has never been about "counter culture" and sticking out. The DNA of the Mac user is a "can do" person that wants to get **** done with their comper. It was propelled by people that said "I can publish from my desktop". It has always been an empowering platform that has appealed to creatives.

The downsides of Apple recent popularity is the influx of users who are neither creative or special in any intrinsic manner. They don't get the platform or why it's more expensive because they bought into Macintosh for all the wrong reasons.

I can't say I'm sorry to see the posers go. I hope there is an exodus of Mac posers back to windows where they can veg out on their PCs and watch Blu-ray movies and play games and get nothing done.

The platform has certainly been diluted with your boorish ilk. Whining about hardware as if you have some existential link to a freakin' component.

Apple doesn't attempt to be all things to all people. If you don't understand the Mac DNA then perhaps you should leave.

 

[iSlave]

@ Winni, interesting post. I think there's lot to it but perhaps in a larger timeframe.

@ villageindian, I can see a lot of Apple's marketing shining through in what you're saying. I.e. how can you claim they're pushing the MacBook Pro to the professional line when the posts about them axing/removing/neglecting one pro feature/hardware/software after another are increasing?




I agree. And they're not going to listen to anyone else either. I guess I've had it with Apple unfortunately. They were great when they were the "goth kid" (odd kid out) on the schoolyard. Now, in trying to be everyone's friend I just lost interest I guess. I'm going back to a PC for a while. Here's to hoping the sales of Windows 7 can slap them back (at least somewhat) into a realistic bother.

Please postpone any flaming, it won't change anything and will only take up everybody's time. Not that it will stop anyone...

Please continue the thread as normal - I'm out.

+1 on that. In fact, I'm already researching components for a blu-ray enabled, quad core desktop with a matte screen.

 

[mgridgaway]

I think I've heard more preaching on this thread then at a Baptist Church.

Let's all take a breath and get over ourselves here.

 

[317342]

To me, it looks like Apple is expanding their customer base, and not just increasing customers--their tent has definitely gotten bigger.

I guess you could say Apple (intentionally or unintentionally) did have a sort of counter-culture attitude (ie. switch campaign), but I'm glad their arms are open now to Windows converts instead of looking down their nose at them; there was certainly a bit of that during the switch campaign, and before.

 

[nuckinfutz]

To me, it looks like Apple is expanding their customer base, and not just increasing customers--their tent has definitely gotten bigger.

I guess you could say Apple (intentionally or unintentionally) did have a sort of counter-culture attitude (ie. switch campaign), but I'm glad their arms are open now to Windows converts instead of looking down their nose at them; there was certainly a bit of that during the switch campaign, and before.

Yes ..older Mac users have been attributed to having a sort of arrogance which there are many elements of truth.

However the price premium of Apple is overblown IMO. OS X isn't serialized so really the difference between purchasing a $129 OS X version and the more expensive family pack is one of honor and integrity on the end users part. They don't force you to activate consumer apps nor do they have anything like Genuine Advantage.

You really do get what you pay for. Some people elect to save money up front and put up with these minor annoyance but others do not. Macs are a good platform to test out and see if the fit is right. If it's not...hey that's ok ..it just didn't work out.

 

[Shiner]

Well thank you for all of your posts. A lot of you believe that they are the same Apple but they are making smarter choices, and they absolutely are. The reason I believe this is a "new" Apple is because in the past few years of me following and being an Apple enthusiast, I rarely see them add features due to demand. They usually add features that they see fit for the device, but that's not necessarily what the customers ask for.

For example, last year when they announced the iPhone 3G, they still didn't add basic features such as MMS and Copy/Paste. But now back in March, they added these features into the 3.0 software in which all devices can be upgraded to, not to just an exclusive device that would force people to upgrade.

These are just my opinions and I welcome anyone who sees the changes Apple has made over the past few months as different to say their own opinions. Keep posting!

I see what you are saying but that is a horrible example.

The iphone should have had those things before being released as a smartphone. The fact that it took three years to get the basics down is sad. If they charged for that upgrade the apple base would revolt.

I think you might be better with the express card debate.

 

[J&JPolangin]

for $30, who wouldn't upgrade to snow leopard. its gonna supercharge my computer.

That's the idea! Someone would be dumb NOT to upgrade.

Snow Leopard is like a steal IMO. It's WAY better than the $129 usually associated with a new OS...

...where are you seeing this $30 price tag for SL?