Is Apple doomed?

[AgeOfSpiracles]

I don't see this being an issue. There isn't a compelling reason for Mac users to upgrade as frequently as Windows users (see the first few posts of this thread). And Apple, being Apple will figure something out, they always have. Plus, I would suspect, like NVIDIA, they have pre-purchased an expansive amount of RAM and NAND flash for their hardware, and likely have their capacity locked down at TSMC for the next 5 years.

However, Apple will be largely immune from the AI bubble pop that is quickly approaching. I suspect that many companies who have be leveraging it as their whole identity will be in a world of hurt (including NVIDIA), and Apple will be able to weather the storm.

Mostly agree, except about NVIDIA. They've already gotten enough out of the bubble to justify their participation in any boondoggle that results.

 

[AgeOfSpiracles]

I didn't own that 2009 Mac Pro until May/June 2020. Everything was PowerPC from 2001 to 2020. By 2016-2017 Intels did start coming in to the house, but my price range at the time was Macs that topped out at Snow Leopard. Wasn't too helpful.

I absolutely love that you sat out the ENTIRE intel era. Respect 👊

 

[zenmacx]

But where is your off site backup? Most local backups are vulnerable to something as simple as a house fire

I have two off site locations. Most who use NAS supported networks, know this goes without saying. It’s simple common sense, best practices protocol.

 

[zenmacx]

However, Apple will be largely immune from the AI bubble pop that is quickly approaching.

As a shareholder and customer I too once believed Apple would be immune. However with recent developments and reveals at CES, that bubble may not pop.

With the Cupertino companies revenue generating expertise they may survive, but being as far behind as they seem it’s going to be a very competitive and challenging road ahead. Times are changing more rapidly than ever, how Apple responds will be fascinating to watch.

 

[melodibit]

Not exactly. I can connect my MacBook Air to my lab which has 5 computers. I can RDP and have it render a big job if I need it to. I have even used Parsec when I was out of town to connect to my lab. Over the internet connection and I was able to get something done with the power of a 5090 and my two M2 Ultras. I think this is where we are headed (or I should say where businesses WANT us to get to).

But you had to use the Air to do that! And why an Air instead of a Lenovo Thinkpad?

 

[A.W..]

Short answer, no. Nice clickbait title, though...

Very good clickbait.

 

[Ethosik]

But you had to use the Air to do that! And why an Air instead of a Lenovo Thinkpad?

I was simply stating what I used. It could have been my phone. Point I was making was a very low performing device (for my needs) can connect to my lab and perform M3 Ultra or 5090 level work.

 

[Abazigal]

I feel that at worst, Apple is "doomed" to slowly transition into a much more traditional company (one may argue that it already has), and its behaviour will start to match those of a traditional company’s behaviour. If you want to consider that as them “losing their way”, then yeah.

I wouldn’t call it “losing their way”, though. Circumstances changed, and the company changed in keeping with the times, and that’s just the way she goes.

 

[no_brag_just_fact]

I feel that at worst, Apple is "doomed" to slowly transition into a much more traditional company (one may argue that it already has), and its behaviour will start to match those of a traditional company’s behaviour. If you want to consider that as them “losing their way”, then yeah.

I wouldn’t call it “losing their way”, though. Circumstances changed, and the company changed in keeping with the times, and that’s just the way she goes.

I agree with the general trend of your answer.

Apple Corporation is not doomed.

But the Apple company who provided us with a PERSONAL computer,
who empowered us to own, copy and create things
and who we loved is already halfway down the drain.

I am old enough to have worked on an IBM mainframe,
no thank you iCloud.

Maybe Corporate Apple does not require it,
but it is pushing it so hard
it is breaking everything we used to have.

Like you say, it's not alone in this,
we used to talk about the bleeding edge,
now its the trailing edge that bleeds the most.

 

[th0masp]

That used to be true, it no longer is unless you really are a masochist and want to suffer. Linux can accommodate your kink.

I thought so too until recently. Got myself a Mac Mini kind of PC and installed Pop OS.

Yeah, installation is quick and all, granted. Similar to Mac and a world less painful than Windows. But there's just sooooo much friction if you're being at least a little specific about how you want the whole thing to look and feel and behave. If you're cool with the defaults - maybe. Else there's the simplistic default filebrowser for the ipad-generation. You don't like that and want no Total Commander either like it's 1988? - no problem we got several ones with more features.

But now you want Quicklook too? Sorry, have fun looking for obscure packages meant for a different distro - and an old version at that. And so on and so on. Feature X in audio driver Y: we got that - here's how to make this work. Oh, sorry, turns out your distro uses a different type of audio driver altogether...

An endless list of tweaks and hacks and apt-get-this and that.

Even getting just network shares to work so Macs can access the little machine's folders: non-descriptive Finder errors with the out-of-the-box way this stuff is enabled through the GUI. Turns out you have to manually add a Samba-user on the Linux side to make this work. Many a generic how-to had to be skipped to get to this little nugget.

TLDR: I got most of what I wanted to work. System feels ok to use but would probably drive me a little crazy for day-to-day use. I appreciate that it sleeps instantly on a button-press and only ever wakes up when I want it to.

I have a new Mac Mini on order.