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Has the iPhone now become the Mac?

prospervic

prospervic

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Observing this years bifurcated iPhone release, I was struck how familiar this scenario was. At WWDC 2012 Apple announced a new 15" MacBook Pro which, as we later found out, would be the last ever model with a spinning hard drive and a CD/DVD drive. After this, Tim Cook pulled a "one more thing" and announced the first ever MacBook Pro with Retina display, boasting an all-new, thinner, lighter design incorporating blade SSDs.

The base-model price was $2199 for 256gb of storage, which was a bit of a shock since this was the same price as the previous high-end cMBP with 1TB of (much slower hard drive) storage. The new high-end config, with doubled RAM, faster processor and 512gb storage jumped the price to $2799. And if you really wanted to go all out, you could cough up a cool $3199 for the 768gb SSD model. Just like today's iPhone X, many wailed about the outrageously high prices (the base cMBP was still available for $1799). But still they sold, and sold well.

In 2012, the iPhone was 51% of Apple sales, while Mac was 15%. Yet, the Mac was a far more prominent product in Apple's lineup than it is today. Now that the current revenue mix is 70% iPhone, and 9% Mac, it's not surprising that Apple is giving the iPhone the focus and prestige that once belonged to the Mac, and is re-using the 2012 rMBP script for the iPhone 8/X.

Those upset by the iPhone X pricing might be comforted that Apple lowered the price of the rMBP's standard high-end config by $200 (to $2599) in 2013, and another $100 (to $2499) in 2014. Here's hoping they follow this pattern with the iPhone X.

It would seem the iPhone X is now Apple's premium portable computer.
 
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A few years ago I would have described Windows as my primary OS and iOS as my mobile platform. These days I still use Windows at the office and on less frequent occasions at home. I wear an Apple Watch, carry an iPhone, and use an iPad throughout the day and night at work and at home. I take the iPad to meetings and anywhere I need to work away from my desk. We use Office 365, which works great on iOS.

So yeah, I’d say the iPhone is at the heart of the iOS platform, and I’d say iOS is the platform I rely most on these days for work and personal stuff. The Windows Computer on my desk is a specialty machine. I could also do my work at the office from a Mac, but I’d need parallels to run some Windows specific software. I can also do a lot of my work from an iPhone or iPad. When I travel, I’m using only iOS 100% of the time. I no longer have need for a laptop.

Sean
 
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I know it sounds like a gimmick, but these phones are so fast now.

Apple could totally make an iPhone X with more RAM, a dock, sell a screen, and you could have a competent desktop computer. Again, I know it sounds like a gimmick, but we spend $1400 a year on these phones now, so it would be nice if it was dual purpose.

And I did learn from Nintendo Switch you can do 2 things very good, portable gaming and console gaming.

I know Apple will never do it, but have your computer everywhere, come home to your dock, I think in 2018 it might not have to be such a gimmick. Still, I know, I am being silly in this.
 
My iPhone and iPad are already the computers I use most of the time.
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powerbook911 said:
Apple could totally make an iPhone X with more RAM, a dock, sell a screen, and you could have a competent desktop computer. Again, I know it sounds like a gimmick, but we spend $1400 a year on these phones now, so it would be nice if it was dual purpose.
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An iPhone size device is always limited by its screen size. For more serious work, a bigger screen is always preferred. Therefore Apple sells the iPad Pro - it is an iOS device with more RAM than an iPhone, with a very nice keyboard accessory (I love the Smart Keyboard), can connect to an even bigger screen if you need. It is already a very competent every day computer - and I can say that it's one with very powerful specs, and a very nice screen with superb color accuracy.
 
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haruhiko said:
My iPhone and iPad are already the computers I use most of the time.
[doublepost=1510812148][/doublepost]

An iPhone size device is always limited by its screen size. For more serious work, a bigger screen is always preferred. Therefore Apple sells the iPad Pro - it is an iOS device with more RAM than an iPhone, with a very nice keyboard accessory (I love the Smart Keyboard), can connect to an even bigger screen if you need. It is already a very competent every day computer - and I can say that it's one with very powerful specs, and a very nice screen with superb color accuracy.
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I have one of those too. The biggest one. I agree it's good, but I like an even bigger display on a desk. I think people like me are not common though.
 
dumastudetto said:
Apple isn't going to cheapen the iPhone X brand by slicing the price down next year. I'm expecting even higher prices with the iPhone X Plus in 2018, and I'll be first in line to buy it.
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I second this. They obviously are not afraid to charge the market what they deem necessary. But given that they have such an expansive iPhone lineup, there's a price point and iPhone model for everybody. The iPhone X is not meant for everyone either. But I also highly look forward to a larger rumored 6.5 iPhone X next year.
 
powerbook911 said:
I know Apple will never do it, but have your computer everywhere, come home to your dock, I think in 2018 it might not have to be such a gimmick. Still, I know, I am being silly in this.
Click to expand...
Reminds me a bit of Microsoft Continuum, where you can plug your Windows Phone into some sort of dock that is connected to an external display, keyboard en mouse. 😛
 
Apple will never cannibalize the ipad. Or the mac (remember touchbar instead of touchscreen?)
So, powerful and expensive Iphones? Yes!
Extended functionality? Nope!!
 
Neither has nor hasn't , but the opposite. 😀

Hasn't: I can't program or design interfaces (ui) on an iPhone. I need a Mac.

Has: I've been reading blogs, watching videos, using Facebook entirely on ios since 2011. I've not touched a computer for that ever since.
 
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My 15” rMBP still handles better for me with deeper research and writing projects, and for TV viewing as “.com” network connections work more consistently than apps on 1st gen iPad Pro. Spouse uses iPad for sports viewing apps.

“interPersonal politics” affects usage in that my iPhone X video/surfing use is less interruptive/annoying to spouse during after-dinner couch time. I just need a tiny effective left-ear Bluetooth device!
 
Yes, it has been for some time. Their bread and butter. The iPad is now better than the Mac in my opinion. iOS is the future for Apple.
 
Personally what I think Apple really needs a device equivalent of Microsoft’s Surface Pro with a full version of OS X. The iPad Pro whilst a nice device just doesn’t compare when it comes to functionality.
 
Mr.C said:
Personally what I think Apple really needs a device equivalent of Microsoft’s Surface Pro with a full version of OS X. The iPad Pro whilst a nice device just doesn’t compare when it comes to functionality.
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I hope it never does and I don't think Apple would be that dumb. The surface is just like any other laptop, nothing really special there. A $300 laptop does the same thing. For me, I don't see why Apple would even bother with this. macOS is stale as it is. They might as well just continue to develop iOS for the iPad and keep adding more and more desktop-like features over time. The power is there, the multitasking is there, and slowly but surely, more and more apps are taking advantage of the iPad platform. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple were working on a replacement for macOS though, optimized for their own A-series chips.
 
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Jan 9, 2007 (the day iPhone was first revealed)

Don’t call it a computer company. Speaking at Macworld Expo today, Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced that Apple is dropping the word “Computer” from its name to become “Apple Inc.”

“The Mac, iPod, Apple TV and iPhone. Only one of those is a computer. So we’re changing the name,” said Jobs.

Formerly Apple Computer, the name change reflects the company’s newfound emphasis on consumer electronics. Jobs revealed the change following announcements on the new Apple TV and iPhone, with no new Mac configurations announced whatsoever.

​
(that said.. i may be missing the point of the OP.. but for me in my particular usages, no, the iPhone isn't the new Mac.. not even close to being a replacement.. maybe one day but for the foreseeable future, no)
 
I use a Windows desktop (dual display) and a Windows laptop at work. I really like my Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Yoga for work, and won’t give if up anytime soon. But my iDevices are my go to still personally, and for my personal business. I do though use my iPhone a lot during my workdays for work purposes as well. Like another member mentioned, Microsoft Office 365 (and being very reliant on clouds) makes it pretty easy for me to be able to move between both Windows and iOS. So, I suppose I still have a foot in each camp, but I no longer feel they are necessarily at odds with each other.

While I do consider my iPhone a bit of a mini computer in many ways, I don’t think it would replace my actual computers anytime soon.
 
Given the emphasis Apple is putting on health these days, the iPhone is becoming an even more important personal device for many... especially those of us who own an Apple Watch. Even if you don't own the watch, many health and fitness apps write to the Health database on the iPhone. Soon other devices that can measure vitals, including blood sugar and oxygen levels, will write to the Health app as well. That's elevating the importance of the iPhone and making it, more than ever, the center of the iOS ecosystem... which for many of us is becoming the center of our technology ecosystem.
 
prospervic said:
Observing this years bifurcated iPhone release, I was struck how familiar this scenario was. At WWDC 2012 Apple announced a new 15" MacBook Pro which, as we later found out, would be the last ever model with a spinning hard drive and a CD/DVD drive. After this, Tim Cook pulled a "one more thing" and announced the first ever MacBook Pro with Retina display, boasting an all-new, thinner, lighter design incorporating blade SSDs.

The base-model price was $2199 for 256gb of storage, which was a bit of a shock since this was the same price as the previous high-end cMBP with 1TB of (much slower hard drive) storage. The new high-end config, with doubled RAM, faster processor and 512gb storage jumped the price to $2799. And if you really wanted to go all out, you could cough up a cool $3199 for the 768gb SSD model. Just like today's iPhone X, many wailed about the outrageously high prices (the base cMBP was still available for $1799). But still they sold, and sold well.

In 2012, the iPhone was 51% of Apple sales, while Mac was 15%. Yet, the Mac was a far more prominent product in Apple's lineup than it is today. Now that the current revenue mix is 70% iPhone, and 9% Mac, it's not surprising that Apple is giving the iPhone the focus and prestige that once belonged to the Mac, and is re-using the 2012 rMBP script for the iPhone 8/X.

Those upset by the iPhone X pricing might be comforted that Apple lowered the price of the rMBP's standard high-end config by $200 (to $2599) in 2013, and another $100 (to $2499) in 2014. Here's hoping they follow this pattern with the iPhone X.

It would seem the iPhone X is now Apple's premium portable computer.
Click to expand...

Great post yet I’m not sure about Tim Cook using the One More Thing intro back in 2012; cannot recall.

One thing I will disagree on is the shock of pricing for he MacBookPro Retina upon introduction. This is THE Same pricing scale as the Ti Book G4 (Titanium PowerBook G4) when it debuted. Many people here seem to forget that.

Any major technological advancement in a product that separates it from the norm will normally be higher. In terms of the X we’re paying for the TrueDepth sensor not the OLED screen (I still say this is an AMOLED variation but I submit).
 
prospervic said:
It would seem the iPhone X is now Apple's premium portable computer.
Click to expand...
Id say the iPad Pro is Apples premium portable computer. The iPhone X is Apples premium toy.

(And before anyone gets mad at that statement. What I mean is that underneath all the new gestures is pretty much the exact same iPhone we've had for years. And the differentiating features (Dual OIS lens, Animoji, improved App Switching) are artificially implemented in this model in order to give the illusion of an enhanced experience.)
 
urkel said:
Id say the iPad Pro is Apples premium portable computer. The iPhone X is Apples premium toy.

(And before anyone gets mad at that statement. What I mean is that underneath all the new gestures is pretty much the exact same iPhone we've had for years. And the differentiating features (Dual OIS lens, Animoji, improved App Switching) are artificially implemented in this model in order to give the illusion of an enhanced experience.)
Click to expand...
I'm not mad at this statement, just don't agree with it. My definition of a toy is something that someone uses for enjoyment, and most importantly is not essential. But in today's world, a smartphone is almost a necessity. I don't know very many people who don't have a smartphone, or would be able to get through the day without one, both for social and business purposes.

On the other hand, I have no desire to use an iPad (apart from perhaps getting an iPad mini in the future to use as a display for my quadcopter remote). I also don't know many people who (even with the means) use an iPad Pro. It would seem that the iPad Pro is much less of a necessity and is closer to my definition of a toy. The only time I've seen someone use an iPad Pro in a mobile/portable setting was a little girl who was playing games on it at the art museum.

As much as Apple wants to push the iPad Pro as a "computer," I think most consumers, both for personal and business use, would prefer the MacBook Pro.
 
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myscrnnm said:
I'm not mad at this statement, just don't agree with it. My definition of a toy is something that someone uses for enjoyment, and most importantly is not essential. But in today's world, a smartphone is almost a necessity. I don't know very many people who don't have a smartphone, or would be able to get through the day without one, both for social and business purposes.

On the other hand, I have no desire to use an iPad (apart from perhaps getting an iPad mini in the future to use as a display for my quadcopter remote). I also don't know many people who (even with the means) use an iPad Pro. It would seem that the iPad Pro is much less of a necessity and is closer to my definition of a toy. The only time I've seen someone use an iPad Pro in a mobile/portable setting was a little girl who was playing games on it at the art museum.

As much as Apple wants to push the iPad Pro as a "computer," I think most consumers, both for personal and business use, would prefer the MacBook Pro.
Click to expand...

I'd say the difference between a toy and a tool is not the build or the feature set, but how you use it. If I need to, I can make a bottle opener out of my kids' legos. 😀

I agree that a smartphone is very much an important tool for our modern world. It's also becoming an important tool for tracking health and fitness, especially when paired with devices that automatically track such things. The GPS can also be viewed as a safety feature. I like to go for hikes and mountain bike rides by myself, and I feel much safer doing so with a smartphone and GPS.

I know a lot of people use iPads for nothing more than browsing the Web and playing games, but I have one purchased by work that I use for a lot of work. We use Office 365, and it works great with the Office 365 apps. I also wear an Apple Watch. I wouldn't describe any of my iOS/watchOS devices as toys, because they are so useful to me for both work and personal life management. My Windows desktop computer at the office is a tool, but if anything is a toy it's my Windows desktop computer at home. I only use it for editing photos and playing games.

Sean
 
Yeah. According to Apple's CEO...

tim-cook-ipad-pro-pc-dead.jpg


^ Said that two years ago.
 
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