iMac Pro Appears to Include A10 Fusion Chip for Always-On 'Hey Siri'

[DeepIn2U]

That's an incredibly powerful CPU to run just a "Hey Siri" interface. It would be nice if they also allowed the A10 to run iOS. They could use for an "internet appliance" mode that boots instantly and lets you run Safari without concern for viruses. Throw in App store compatibility and you'd have a killer iOS/Mac OS convergence device.

iOS does not and never has booted “instantly”. Why do people falsify and keep thinking iOS boots instantly?

Boot: is the time an OS is readily usable starting off from a fully powered off system state.
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heh, i used to use Siri only for timers but it's getting better..i've been giving it another go and surprisingly, Siri is getting a lot better than i remember..


on the iPhone X with the side button Siri (which eliminates "hey Siri".... just press&hold the button and start talking then let go when your question is finished.. walkieTalkie style).. i've been giving it another go and surprisingly, Siri is getting a lot better than i remember..
one example:
on Friday, i get this from an interior designer:

View attachment 736942

..while there are some dimensions on there, it's missing some that a CAD designer / Builder would use.. such as overall height.

to get the height, i needed to add:

24 + 17 + 2.5 + 17 + 2.5 + 17 + 2.5 + 6

..so i used Siri and got the answer.. very quickly.
try it.

You should be learninto do simple math in your head easily and rapidly! Those late night TV informercials from the 80’s must’ve escaped you - showing off the human computer mathematician (can’t recall his name but he’s on TedTalks).

Where is the quoted Idiom from Dune book written by Frank Herbert about making a computer to do what the human mind should be doing?!! Would’ve been apt here.

 

[Zwhaler]

A separate processor that has access to your microphone even when your compuer is off isnt creepy in the slightest.

My thoughts exactly. More and more devices have the ability to record and transmit our conversations even when we don’t want them to. Sadly it is an inevitability as long as we continue purchasing web-enabled smart devices.

 

[doelcm82]

You are right , of course it should be there , part of the os. Though on a pro machine focus should be on Cooling and performance , this iMac is only "pro" in price and name. It's going to be a sexy desktop , call me negative though the CPUs will be under clocked and thermal will be an issue .

Among the specs we know about:

• Xeon processors, up to 18 cores
• Radeon Pro Vega graphics
• Up to 4TB SSD
• New thermal architecture

It's disingenuous to suggest that this is just a regular iMac with a higher price tag and a cool new color. Always on Siri is apparently a feature, but it's not THE feature, or the focus. If all you want is something to listen for you to say "hey Siri", you can get a HomePod in a couple of months for quite a bit less.

I'm not chomping at the bit to buy the iMac Pro. I expect it will be better for the things I bought my two-year-old 5K iMac to do, but that turned out to be an aspirational purchase. I don't have the time to do the things I wanted to do on the iMac, and with my Apple Watch, iPhone, 12.9" iPad Pro (1st gen), and MBP, I rarely even turn the iMac on. So I'm not anxious to replace it with a more expensive idle box.

But I guess we'll see how popular it turns out to be with "pros" and whether other "pros" think buying an iMac Pro makes you no true Scotsman.

 

[44267547]

How about this.. There will likely be a lot of misguided people who will buy the iMac Pro despite it being silly to consider a $5k+ all-in-one.

So you generate a falsely asserted scenario because the iMac Pro doesn't meet your expectations, even though it might meet others. Got it.

 

[curtvaughan]

add in facial recognition to unlock the computer. Just sit down, move the mouse and if you are facing the screen, your computer is unlocked.

And your eyeballs are irradiated with IR for hours on end. No thanks. I don't mind typing in a password, even with double authentication, on a desktop. Been doing it for decades. For mobile devices, the jury's still out. Finger print authentication might be nice, though.
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Among the specs we know about:

• Xeon processors, up to 18 cores
• Radeon Pro Vega graphics
• Up to 4TB SSD
• New thermal architecture

It's disingenuous to suggest that this is just a regular iMac with a higher price tag and a cool new color. Always on Siri is apparently a feature, but it's not THE feature, or the focus. If all you want is something to listen for you to say "hey Siri", you can get a HomePod in a couple of months for quite a bit less.

I'm not chomping at the bit to buy the iMac Pro. I expect it will be better for the things I bought my two-year-old 5K iMac to do, but that turned out to be an aspirational purchase. I don't have the time to do the things I wanted to do on the iMac, and with my Apple Watch, iPhone, 12.9" iPad Pro (1st gen), and MBP, I rarely even turn the iMac on. So I'm not anxious to replace it with a more expensive idle box.

But I guess we'll see how popular it turns out to be with "pros" and whether other "pros" think buying an iMac Pro makes you no true Scotsman.

Sounds like a great desktop to me. You apparently no longer require a desktop, so hang on to your old iMac and let it slowly die. I just bought a new iPad Pro, likely will not buy another iPhone or MBP due to lack of ports (phone jack, USB/SD slots, resp.), but iPads and iMacs still provide me with good, quality value - even for Apple prices (so far).

 

[springsup]

I'm a developer. Having a machine that can run natively both ARM and Intel binaries would be a plus for me. It would allow me doing very useful things, such as running virtual machines of ARM operating systems natively. Or, if Apple wishes to implement the iOS simulator with support to that A10, one could simulate iOS apps more realistically.

The iOS simulator is typically as fast, if not faster than a real device. Graphics performance could be improved a bit, but creating a dual-brained Frankenmac would be a disproportionate fix and probably wouldn't work anyway. Then you also have to account for input latency. Basically, it's not a solution to anything. Your Mac can run iOS just as well as an iOS device can; precisely because it's not an emulator.

Regarding ARM MacOS apps, I'm not a friend of Intel. I came from RISC, and I always loved RISC. I consider a plus having an Intel chip, because you can run natively Intel OSs on a virtual machine (Windows, Linux,...). But I wouldn't care if MacOS apps were ARM in the future, provided there's an Intel CPU or Intel board to also run such virtual machines.

Nobody is going to create such a dual-brained machine simply for people who prefer one implementation detail over another. CISC vs RISC has basically no impact on the overall machine. If Apple did switch, it wouldn't be because of such an irrelevant detail - issues like controlling the product roadmap, improving power efficiency, and having exclusive, better products would be more important. Then they would have to judge whether or not it's worth investing so much effort in another major transition.

I suspect - even though it may disappoint some - that it will never actually be worthwhile to transition the Mac away from Intel chips. I don't think it's going to see investment on that scale ever again.

Where's the slot for upgrading the GPU?
What's the procedure when you suffer the failure of a component that you should be able to service it yourself (display/PWS/SDD/GPU...)?
I'm sorry but AiO toys are not suitable for professional environments.

- Display obviously must be replaced by Apple, but external displays are supported.
- GPU cannot be upgraded, but external GPUs are supported (via Metal 2 - see https://9to5mac.com/2017/06/05/appl...it-with-support-external-graphics-vr-headset/)

 

[jasonsmith_88]

Will launch next month and not ship until well into 2018, effectively screwing anyone who has been waiting to make purchases for the 2017 tax year. One would think at a $5k price point Apple would be more cognizant of how business purchasing works.

There are plenty of countries where the financial year doesn't coincide with the calendar year.

 

[chucker23n1]

I'm a developer. Having a machine that can run natively both ARM and Intel binaries would be a plus for me. It would allow me doing very useful things, such as running virtual machines of ARM operating systems natively.

No it wouldn’t. Even if VMware were to provide tooling for ARM virtualization, and if ARM were to come out with VT-x-like extensions to make virtualization performance non-horrible, and if Apple were to implement such extensions on their Ax line, that’s still a far cry from them letting developers use them.

Apple doesn’t even let you set up dual-boot on your iPhone or iPad. Now you expect them to allow virtualization?

Regarding ARM MacOS apps, I'm not a friend of Intel. I came from RISC, and I always loved RISC.

The 90s called.

Look, RISC and CISC haven’t been meaningful terms in a long time. Intel chips internally have had a RISC-like instruction set for quite a while now. These days, “I want RISC” is a thinly-veiled way of saying “I don’t like Intel”.

I'm sorry but AiO toys are not suitable for professional environments.

And now you’ve gone off the deep end.

 

[springsup]

The main problem I have is Apple's ginormous markup for RAM. It is at least double the normal cost, if not approaching triple the cost. I want at least 64 GB of RAM now, but I might want 128 GB of RAM in 3 years. For starters, I think it's insane to pay an extra $1,200-$2,000 premium for this kind of RAM and I think it's insane to pay $9,000-$12,000 for a machine that is not user upgradeable. You do make a point that we might be able to make some upgrades by taking the screen off, but that is not easy or quick.

I say this in a humble way, but I am a working pro. And as someone that relies on this to literally put food on the table and keep a roof over my head (although I do enjoy the outdoors), I expect a $10,000 machine to at least grow with me for 5-6 years. If Apple buries the RAM away where it is no longer easily accessible, then I will turn elsewhere for my professional computing needs.

How often do you change your computers RAM? I would be surprised if you even did it once a year.

It doesn’t need to be “easily accessible”, just possible for an average person, following instructions, to do without soldering or breaking the machine.

RAM isn’t easily accessible on any packaged PC. It’s always inside an enclosure. Some reasonable effort is okay for such a rare thing.

 

[PowerMacBook]

I swap my RAM on a weekly base, just to check why it's still working....

 

[jasonsmith_88]

I will turn elsewhere for my professional computing needs.

Apple doesn't care. MacBooks received the same complaints, but a few hundred people complaining on a forum has absolutely no impact on the millions of units shipped to people who've couldn't care less because they've never opened up a computer in their life anyway. Not to mention most of these "I'm going to leave Apple" comments are nothing but empty threats. But if you really are willing to switch to an inferior product on an inferior OS because Apple is making it more difficult to do something you'll probably never need to do, I wish you all the best.

 

[c0ppo]

I'm thinking you are also probably pretty useless on an iPhone too. wink wink

Good one? wink wink

 

[Bryan Bowler]

How often do you change your computers RAM? I would be surprised if you even did it once a year.

Certainly not once a year. Generally, if one of my computers is not well-specked with RAM, I find the need to increase it every 3-4 years. Currently, I use 32 GB of RAM, but I am already running out of headroom and prefer to be at 64 GB.

Apple doesn't care. MacBooks received the same complaints, but a few hundred people complaining on a forum has absolutely no impact on the millions of units shipped to people who've couldn't care less because they've never opened up a computer in their life anyway. Not to mention most of these "I'm going to leave Apple" comments are nothing but empty threats. But if you really are willing to switch to an inferior product on an inferior OS because Apple is making it more difficult to do something you'll probably never need to do, I wish you all the best.

I'm not concerned if Apple doesn't care, nor is it an empty threat. I must create, process, and deliver on-time while keeping within a certain budget. I don't mind spending $10,000 on a tool that helps me do my job better, but I must also weigh just how far that $10,000 will carry and what it will produce in the end. I'm very down to earth and successful in what I do...and I'm not bothered by the drama in your post. Everyone has different needs and mine are almost certainly different than yours.

 

[PowerMacBook]

Not a "Pro" when it comes to using a Mac for my business, but a pro in engineering, I was wondering if they are going to use the A10 to re-direct the hot air which is going down according to their "air-flow-movie"?

 

[otternonsense]

What a waste of resources and Orwellian use of the microphone simply to pander to the product owner of the ever-failing personal assistant.

Apple, just stop trying to make Siri on the Mac happen, it's not going to happen.

 

[femike]

This very expensive iMac Pro will be dated soon as its only a stop-gap measure. In 2018 there will be a redesign for the iMac, and there will also be a new Mac Pro and hopefully a new Mac Mini.

 

[chucker23n1]

I doubt they'll kill off the iMac Pro just because there'll be a Mac Pro. It'll be interesting to see how they differentiate the two, though.

 

[Wahlstrm]

Siri? Useless on iPhone, so why would I use it on a 'pro' machine?

"Hey Siri, please have all my work done by 4PM"

 

[DeepIn2U]

Yeah... Just like when the first iPhone was introduced with a touch screen keyboard, instead of mechanical keyboard like the others. I remember all the outrage when that was announced.

Seriously?

Microsoft was the leader with virtual touch screen keyboards for 3-4yrs prior to iPhone (PocketPC and PocketPC Phone Edition) - made by then OEM HTC for Vodafone, O2, Orange in Europe.
SonyEricsson has UIQ (Symbian based in china with minor league success.
Nokia had released 2 tablet like phones 7700/7710.
Motorola also used UIQ on a few phones and they had their 5th Java based phone as well.

Sure they all had styli but you could use finger for basic functions like phone, sms , and minor functions. They where smartphones ALL of them.

Where have you been?!

Apple brought multitouch THAT was the game changer in 2007, App Store took more than 1 yr to be released and with it the 3G model.

Siri is the best. You Google fanboys are so sad, trolling Apple sites LMAO.
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Do you listen to yourself saying that?
You need it try Google Now and test against Siri. Heck even Alexa washes Windows with Sori and it’s on an appliance. Yes typo on Siri was intentional cause she or Apple should be sorry.

 

[PowerMacBook]

I doubt they'll kill off the iMac Pro just because there'll be a Mac Pro. It'll be interesting to see how they differentiate the two, though.

Just checked the Mac Pro - page: https://www.apple.com/mac-pro/ = empty?

 

[shaunp]

If true that's a very good reason not to buy one. Not that I would buy one anyway.

 

[bice]

I finally realised what Siri on a mac can be used for!

- Hey siri, hit escape button for me!

 

[newyorksole]

A separate processor that has access to your microphone even when your compuer is off isnt creepy in the slightest.

If it’s so creepy then disable it.

 

[everythingapplerainbow]

Native iOS apps

they first need to get UIKit on Mac

 

[urtules]

Please just leave the ****** mobile apps to mobile, I want my Desktop to be left alone.... Microsoft did this and ruined Windows.

Saying this implies Windows was decent before, it was not, it was not acceptable from the start.