Is it even worth it to buy Apple anymore?

[mikef07]

It just works. That used to be the reality for me when I used my iMac and have had an iMac (2 different ones for years). Now the QC of their OS is absolutely horrible. From bugs like not being able to scroll in Calendar (have to reboot to get it to work again) to the computer constantly asking for the yahoo password (for mail) even though it is correct, supposed to be autosaved, and has not changed. Even itunes is so dated and flawed to manage media on the ipad. I used to love photos and/or iphoto but now it is such a disaster and is constantly lagging.

I will need to upgrade soon but am not sure if I should move away from Apple. My fear is that with a new OS coming out more and more bugs can be expected. Funny they release a new OS without fixing the old one.

 

[rawweb]

It just works. That used to be the reality for me when I used my iMac and have had an iMac (2 different ones for years). Now the QC of their OS is absolutely horrible. From bugs like not being able to scroll in Calendar (have to reboot to get it to work again) to the computer constantly asking for the yahoo password (for mail) even though it is correct, supposed to be autosaved, and has not changed. Even itunes is so dated and flawed to manage media on the ipad. I used to love photos and/or iphoto but now it is such a disaster and is constantly lagging.

I will need to upgrade soon but am not sure if I should move away from Apple. My fear is that with a new OS coming out more and more bugs can be expected. Funny they release a new OS without fixing the old one.

Your subject line is a question. To that, yes. It's worth it to buy a Mac.

I bought a late 2015 fully loaded refurb iMac some months ago, and it 'just works'. I use all of the features you mentioned on a daily basis and haven't experienced any of the issues you reported. That's my use case anyway.

 

[shaunp]

It depends upon your requirements. Personally I won't be buying another Mac, but that's because my workloads demand something with a higher spec. Your requirements will most probably be different and a Mac may be fine for what you want.

 

[roadkill401]

Sorry, but NO. it simply doesn't always work. And the attitude at apple is that they have so much money that it doesn't really matter if they ship out the odd one or or multiple million ones that just don't work right.
you stand just the same odds at getting a bad lemon with any manufacturer as you do with Apple. The only difference is you have paid 1/2 the price for the experience from everyone else.

To say that Apple delivers a far superior products is just wishful thinking and lamenting to the ways of the past. I asked apple about when they plan to update the maps to show roads in my area that have been built for years and Google Maps shows correctly. Apple said

Thank you for your email and for being a devoted user of Apple products. At Apple, we take great pride in providing our customers with the best possible experience — one in which our products seamlessly unite form and function while exceeding user expectations.


We are working continuously to elevate Maps to that level. We believe that we’ve built the framework of a great product, but, as your email highlights, we are currently facing some challenges that still need to be fully addressed.


We sincerely regret that your Maps experience has not met your expectations, nor ours. Your report regarding the omitted road network near your Public School has been forwarded to the appropriate internal team for review. Although we will work to resolve the issues as soon as possible, some Maps problems take longer to resolve than others. A complete update for this area’s road network may fall into the category of being a longer-term fix.

I got the same sort of response from how Facetimes shows the wrong person when calling if you have more than one contact with the same address or phone number.. (like you'd get with room-mates that each have their own cel phone, or family that live in the same house)

Or with my issue with contacts where it messes up cropping when selecting a photograph for them. Apple just doens't give a crap about the customer experience and more

 

[oneMadRssn]

I absolutely think it's still worth it to buy Apple.

Apple makes the best all-in-one computer. Apple makes the best laptop. The way iOS and OSX work together is better than anything other desktop and mobile OS integration. OSX has never really been perfect. Even the allegedly perfect 10.6 SL had it's hickups here and there (not to mention security flaws). But it's not about perfection, at least not for me. It's about getting the best overall experience. That is still a Mac.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

I agree with oneMadrssn they still make the best and easiest to use overall computing experience you can buy.

However many people will want specific things from a computer huge specs, specific software or a niche or focused use case that requires specific specs or OS characteristics. Unfortunately for these people Apple may not be for you, of course Apple was NEVER for you, they have always used proprietary software and hardware, they have never made the most powerful machines performance wise and you have always been able to beat their specs with custom pc's.

That's what I don't understand about all these posts "are you still with Apple" or "have Apple lost it". Nothing has changed all these posts are the same as a decade ago, apples way is just that THEIR way always has been always will be.

As for buggy software just go over to the Microsoft site and read the threads on the surface book from when that came out with Windows ten. It makes an apple software/hardware release look like plain sailing.

 

[Razzerman]

I think it depends how much you're tied in to the apple eco-system and how much it's worth to you to stick with apple. Personally I'm leaning away from todays mac os based offerings and towards good ol' windows. I'd suggest trying to put bootcamp on your current imac and see how you get on with windows, and decide from there.

Razzer

 

[maflynn]

I think the value of the worth is subjective it, and while my 2015 5k iMac was expensive, I got value for my money.

With that said, I also opted for a SurfaceBook a few weeks ago, and found that I got more value with that over the MacBook Pro

YMMV, but buy the tool that best fits your needs.

 

[Fishrrman]

I'm a Mac user. Since 1987.

I've never owned an "iOS product" -- probably never will own one.
Approaching age 70, not interested in "being connected" everywhere I go.

I don't do Windows. Getting older, simply can't understand it.
The Mac OS I know.

I won't say that the Macs I've owned through the years never had glitches, but I was able to figure them out. I can almost count on my fingers the number of times I've had to resort to a tech support call in the last 29 years.

I wouldn't be able to say that about moving over to a "Windows experience" at this stage of life.

I'll stick with the Mac.

 

[cynics]

Raw specs might not be worth it, that is debatable. But for me the user experience is absolutely worth it. Assuming you are leveraging Apples ecosystem.

Windows is just such a disconnected experience for me. I often use handoff, continuity, AirPlay, Airdrop, a lot of the iCloud services like iCloud Photo Library, etc etc with OS X.

Just not being able to make and receive phone calls out of the box seems like a huge step backwards for me. The same applies to SMS. I consider those very basic task anymore. And I'm sure as hell not buying a Windows Phone if that's what it takes to get back to the same convenience level.

 

[MCAsan]

Lets see....fear of software bugs = leaving MacOS. Gee for exactly what....Windows? ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Pakaku]

I'm pretty simple-minded when it comes to laptops: I think Macbooks are still worth considering over other laptops just for the trackpad. The size and weight are nice too, and a metallic case seems very satisfying. Everything else is comparable to other laptops, asides from actual computing power and price-per-specs. But as soon as those hideous shallow "Retina Macbook" keyboards become standard, the Macbook line is absolutely dead to me.

For desktops, I don't think Apple is worth it in most cases. I personally need something that's possible to build in a PC case. But if you think an iMac looks nice and it works for your use cases, go right ahead.

 

[mikef07]

Thanks for the replies. Have not used windows for years (about 7 or 8) so I have no idea if it has improved or gotten worse. I do like the iMac looks wise and I love that it is about as silent as can be. I am embedded in the Apple ecosystem but did get a Galaxy S7 edge and have to admit I like it much more than any iphone I have ever had (although I would not consider myself a power user). I still have my iPad (which I love). I still do believe Mail is terrible and calendar is full of flaws and bugs but if the windows offering is not much better than it probably makes little sense to move away from an iMac. I likely will also end up with a Macbook of some type that work will pay for in the next 90 days so I'll have to decide what to get there also.

Iguess what made me second guess was that I used to love iphoto, Mail, itunes, and safari. Now I can't stand any f them. Safari always freezes so I can't use it anymore, Mail is a mess filled with flaws and bugs, calendar is a mess also, and itunes is not what it used to be to manage media content, and iphoto is so laggy.

 

[New Apple]

It just works. That used to be the reality for me when I used my iMac and have had an iMac (2 different ones for years). Now the QC of their OS is absolutely horrible. From bugs like not being able to scroll in Calendar (have to reboot to get it to work again) to the computer constantly asking for the yahoo password (for mail) even though it is correct, supposed to be autosaved, and has not changed. Even itunes is so dated and flawed to manage media on the ipad. I used to love photos and/or iphoto but now it is such a disaster and is constantly lagging.

I will need to upgrade soon but am not sure if I should move away from Apple. My fear is that with a new OS coming out more and more bugs can be expected. Funny they release a new OS without fixing the old one.

im still running a 2011 model (16 gb ram and ssd), and i have no issues whatsover and dont need any upgrade-update

 

[grahamperrin]

Is it even worth it to buy Apple anymore?

Yes and no.

A few weeks ago I purchased a 2012 Mac Mini as a wedding gift to friends.

I would not buy an Apple product for myself.

I do see (and support) the purchase of Apple hardware by, and for, colleagues at work.

… Now the QC of their OS is absolutely horrible. …

I do find some horrors, but I reckon that the vast majority of customers either don't realise, or blithely brush away the effects of, those horrors.

That's not to devalue the negative effects that can be felt by the minority.

I will need to upgrade soon but am not sure if I should move away from Apple. My fear is that with a new OS coming out more and more bugs can be expected. …

Ahem: https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/23353701 (red alerts, but I can't tell whether the data losses are a late consequence of very early, troubled, seed testing).

I already moved away: https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/20230685

… not being able to make and receive phone calls out of the box seems like a huge step backwards for me. …

Apple did seem rather behind the times in not allowing calls to be swiped from one type of device to another.

Last year: Multi-platform continuity – Siemens Project Ansible; Unify OpenScape, Circuit; etc. – a rather messy opening to the topic (sorry), some key points:

… about continuity; moving or transferring a conversation without interruption.

For example, uninterrupted continuation of:

• a voice call that begins (or is answered) on a notebook or desktop computer, on an Android handset or iPhone
• a voice call that begins (or is answered) on an Android handset or iPhone, on a notebook or desktop computer …

 

[campyguy]

OP, I feel your pain but take issue with some of your problems. My only qualifier is that I do not understand, for the life of me - metaphorically put - why users do not choose apps and an OS based on a platform. I've got myself and 63 employees for personal and business use, and have zero/none/nada/zip problems 100% of the time.

My perspective for services choices? Choose Google/Gmail - use their web interface, it's what they push. Choose MS Office 365/Outlook Cloud Services (Outlook.com) - MS wants to sell ads or services, so use Outlook as Exchange IMAPI is not fully supported by Apple's stock apps. Choose iCloud - use Apple's stock apps. Choose Yahoo - you're an idiot, given their history of SQL injection and account hacking that goes back over a decade that they just can't seem to stop (never mind the Zimbra fiasco...).

Google's "services" push you toward ads - duh! - and contain many data fields that don't sync to Apple's apps. Ditto for MS and Yahoo services. Even Apple's own iCloud services do not conform to "standards".

I used Yahoo until my contacts complained they were getting spammed, and they don't subscribe to any "standard" for IMAP or CalDAV. Ditto for Apple. Google's services for calendaring and contacts is a dynamic (read: continuously changing) hot mess and their IMAP service conforms to what Google decides that month (this, from a former Google Apps paying customer...).

I could rant some more, but I can only offer that, I have zero issues if I use a client produced by that same provider. I use Gmail for junk (IMHO that's all it's good for for my needs), Outlook for Office 365 and Outlook Cloud Services, Apple client apps for iCloud stuff, and Yahoo for nothing as it's pretty much a POS ad-optimsed platform that needed to die years ago.

I use Win 10 - it works well. I use OS X 10.12, it works well. Both OSes get out of my way. My only issue with Win 10 (Pro and Enterprise) is all of the data collected from my PCs and VMs that's transmitted to MS in encrypted packets - my attorney has asked them what they're collecting from us, but they just aren't getting back to us...

 

[mmomega]

It is completely worth it for me.
The Mac fits what I need it to do.

I also have 2 built PC's that are used for different purposes but my Macs are my daily driver go to machines.

I run 30+ Win 10 Enterprise machines at work with a handful of Win Server 2012R2 and while I do like Win10 much more than Win7, 8 I just prefer a Mac with macOS personally and to me that's all it is about.

 

[simonsi]

LOL - if you actually look at all the unresolved KB articles (ie unfixed bugs), in all Windows releases then you will see that is the way of the world and ALL software from ALL manufacturers, OS, Apps, all of it.

In comparison I find OSX stable and no problems or issues that I'm unwilling to live with - tbh no problems I would remotely be concerned about.

 

[Angelo95210]

For me it is not worth it any more. I switched to Windows 10 one year ago and I never looked back. My Macbook is in the closed and I don't use it anymore. Windows 10 has everything I need to work and all the software I use is available on this platform. And moreover, I have a great choice of laptops to choose from, whether I want to focus on weight, power or screen etc. Lenovo and Microsoft now make great computers, including for design.

I am a bit sad to say this, because as you can see with my post numbers, I was a huge fan of Apple products. But now to me Apple is a phone company. Their products are just too expensive for what they are, I feel ripped off. The design and performance is as good if not better with Microsoft, Dell and Lenovo computers...

 

[sunapple]

If I connect Bluetooth speakers to my MacBook there's a certainty that at some point while playing audio the entire Bluetooth system will freeze. Keyboard and mouse stop working and audio is gone. System preferences on Bluetooth don't respond and I can only reboot and start using an audio cable to get rid of the problem. (Funny how wireless audio is the subject of the year with Apple!).

You could argue that this "should just work", but in reality, while that may be true, bugs just exist. They can easily make you forget what actually is working and I don't think there's a way of avoiding bugs on any system.

 

[Joxaren]

I recently blamed apple for a number of kernel panics and misbehaving. This was due to a number of forgotten Jobsian truths at Apple that had put me off. for instance The notification center that slows down user switching and pushes notices I don't need on the screen and stops me from a clean user experience. A copy from windows! All made me a little ticked off. I decided to try windows, something I do now and then.
Anyway I took home a very expensive elite book (and I mean expensive beyond any apple) to try out where Windows was. I had a deja vu of all old windows experiences. After spending 2 solid days and nights trying to install the right dlls for the software I use, upgrading, using the recommended methods from microsoft KB that included several pages of command line text that I had to input to kill stuck process etc. I also found that windows users only talked about solutions to these horrible user problems. They did not bash MS, but took a weird pride in their ability to solve these manufacturing errors!!!
Finally I discovered my mac problems was due to faulty memory!!! one of the original 2gb simms had broken.
So yes I think that the overall user experience has degraded somewhat without Captain Jobs at the helm. But the alternative I only use for specific tasks that apple or software manufacturers does not offer.
Mac is so worth it.

By the way I consider myself the owner of a road apple at home. It is a mid 2011 21.5 inch iMac with
AMD Radeon HD 6770M 512 MB (never had) It can't even play mystonline.
It has no graphics performance at all. I'm sure it is a hardware design flaw. This machine is way outperformed in graphics by an almost 4 years older 17" c2d iMac that the kids use. An old hp laptop from 2007 that my daughter use for legacy educational software. As soon as any realtime 3d rendering happens it just goes to a grind. Bootcamp does not help. The gpu underperforms for these simple games I'm talking about. Any old onboard intel gpu outperform this machine. I have seen a number of posts at different places of people complaining on both iMacs and Mbps with this setup. If you have it, Give up. CPU wise this is a workhorse, just don't do anything that involves 3d rendering that need gpu calculations. They get told on forums it is OS X or that it is a too weak gpu for gaming. But I see the same story, these are not gamers trying out new games. These are folks like me who want's to run a few old titles. And any test site says that an i5 or i7 combined with this gpu should easily afford these titles.
At work I have a six months newer otherwise similar iMac with no problems running unreal at mid/lower settings.

 

[maflynn]

Raw specs might not be worth it, that is debatable. But for me the user experience is absolutely worth it. Assuming you are leveraging Apples ecosystem.

Agreed, and this is where Apple does do a great job. I've found myself personally not as much relying on their ecosystem as I used too. I find OneDrive to be a better solution, since I can use Excel online and edit my documents easily from any computer, buy as with anything YMMV

Lets see....fear of software bugs = leaving MacOS. Gee for exactly what....Windows? ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I find Windows 10, to be very stable, and the Anniversary update that rolled out is extremely stable, at least that's been my experience. I use windows every day, on both servers, and desktops. I find myself in Windows more then OSX these days for a number of reasons and its just as stable as OS X. In some ways MS has a leg up on Apple, because they're much more transparent about the issues, and problems and fixes come very quickly.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

Have been using Windows for decades. Never been a fan, and never will be.
For personal use I prefer Macs, though there are still some tasks I fulfill on a Win-based machine.

 

[Lesser Evets]

It just works. That used to be the reality for me ... Now the QC of their OS is absolutely horrible.

I feel the same, but I would still have to buy a Mac, because I cannot stand the competition THAT MUCH.

I've been using Apple since 1980 (though I have used Windows as well, since the mid-90s), and it has been an ever-improving ride until Jobs died. Since 2012, Apple has flung itself down a dark hole of hack-computing; their business is most likely caught between the typical hacks (Jobs would scream at, to get them off their asses and stop cheesing out) and the excellent programmers with their minds on their consumers' needs.

Between 2000 (OS X beta) and 2011, the OS X experience was extremely slick. It was better before 2005, but it was still really good in latter days. Nowadays, I have troubles with Calendar, Contacts, sharing between the desktop and several iDevices, Mail, and other native Mac programs. I think Logic Pro and Final Cut are still their best software, but I also dig the iWork suite these days. The rest is half-way to crap.

There IS a gigantic QC issue at Apple. It isn't broadcast anywhere but through their slap-crap product. Cook came along and the focus of the company shifted to shotgun PR and dancing on Ellen; Jobs was primarily concerned with the users and their needs, but also on company image which he displayed in a very concise and classy window of public media. The company needs a shakeup and it need a REAL ***** at the top again--not an ***** that is just an *****, but a ball busting visionary that concentrates on the right issues and beats the laggers and hacks into line with his vision.

I would give Apple a chance, still. I use Windows stuff at times, and it is far worse, for me. There is a mild chance that the investors and board at Apple unseat Cook and find a proper replacement that cares less about the beans and more about the quality of produce out in the field.

 

[Fishrrman]

Angelo wrote above:
"For me it is not worth it any more. I switched to Windows 10 one year ago and I never looked back. My Macbook is in the closed and I don't use it anymore. Windows 10 has everything I need to work and all the software I use is available on this platform."

I envy the people who can switch back-and-forth at will from Windows to the Mac OS without problems. I'm going to -guess- that most of them are younger folk. Perhaps when you're young you can "pick up" the rigors of a second OS with the ease that kids can learn a second language.

But at age 67, it's too late to learn it now to anywhere the level of competence I've developed on the Mac (Mac user since 1987).

Any time I've touched a Windows system, regardless of which version, I've come away from it frustrated and unable to do much of anything at all (this includes running Windows XP via emulation on my Mac).
It's essentially incomprehensible to me.

So... I'll have to stick it out on the Mac. It's what I know.
Aside: I've tinkered with Linux a very little, if the Mac OS died that's where I'd probably go.

Is it "worth it" to buy Apple any more?
For me, yes, of course.
BUT -- I will add that I don't toss my money away on "maxed out" Macs, because
1. They're not a good value to begin with,
and
2. Of all the Macs sold, the high-end models seem to be the least-reliable over time.

"Buy basic or midrange", and you can do better when buying a Mac.

Final thought:
One can look at the recent Intel "Skull Canyon" NUC, or the HP "Slice" (I think that's what they call it), and wonder, "why doesn't Apple release hardware like that?"...