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Mac Shipments Estimated to Be Down Over 20% While Demand Surges in Q1 2020
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That’s more up to Intel (and their ability or lack thereof) to produce suitable processors. If ANYTHING is going to be updated regularly, it’s their top selling laptop line. Anytime one of those are getting stagnant, it’s likely due to Intel. For Desktops, yeah, they couldn’t care less.
For now
Just the understanding that, as software, Apple could port Xcode (and any other important macOS software) to run on ANYTHING other than macOS... including Windows/Linux, shows how Apple has effectively marginalized the Mac. Folks SAY that the Mac is in it’s decline, but when you see Xcode running anywhere other than macOS, that’s when it’s assured.Steve energized the teens of his tenure and Tim is energizing the teens of HIS tenure. Seems the way of business generally if you want to stay IN business (I’m looking at you still-focusing-on-the-wrong-demographic JCPenny!) I would imagine any future CEO would attempt to do the same. It builds a base of folks just going into their purchasing years, BUT also generates a bunch of unhappy folks when you shift focus to the NEXT set of teens going into THEIR purchasing years. People upset about the the Mac decline now can take solace in knowing their kids and grandkids will bemoan how Apple seems to be sidelining iOS for whatever the next thing is
I would never categorize the Mac Pro of the 2000's as a "consumer / enthusiast" machine, but it certainly could cater to a much wider audience than the current offering.
Reasonable hardware for a reasonable price.
Hope springs eternal.
Azrael.
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It covered consumer, enthusiast, gamer, creative, prosumer, 'pro' back in the G3 Tower days when you could get one inbetween £1300 and £3k. Now? It's just 6k. :O
I miss those days.
Azrael.
You might have noticed that the "new mac mini" has already arrived. It's sold with a different OS as the Ipad 11 Pro.....
The thing is, with the Mac Mini being such a little performance beast, the use cases (see what I did there) for the Mac Pro are very specific. Most users and institutions simply have no need for that much power when a Mac Mini, iMac, or MacBook Pro can suffice.
With eGPUs and Thunderbolt 3 peripherals there is even less need for the Mac Pro.
They jacked prices up in the 2008 recession. And that was under Job's leadership. :/ I recall the iMac going from a starting sticker price of £695 to £999.
If they keep jacking up prices every time there is a 'crisis' then only the millionaires on the Apple campus will be able to afford them.
Azrael.
Yep, I installed 100's of them (G4,G5,MacPro) in various professional industries and the versatility was quite special.
Yeah, imagine that. Apple Stores are closed.
And a lot of people who would normally buy an Apple computer in an Apple Store, and would rather buy an Apple computer in an Apple Store, instead of online, will simply wait the virus situation out.
As an aside, that certainly describes me.
And a lot of people who would normally buy an Apple computer in an Apple Store, and would rather buy an Apple computer in an Apple Store, instead of online, will simply wait the virus situation out.
As an aside, that certainly describes me.
There's every need for a G3 blue and white style or G5 alu tower. I've bought two iMacs in the last 12 years. I'd have prefered a proper Mac tower at a rational price and with a 4k monitor. But after a soul sucking wait of 6 years? I get a 6k price for a bare bones tower. And a 6k monitor.
Instead of 'fry your components thin' computers. Relax the designs somewhat and put superior cooling in. They can still be stylish.
Some computers suffice for some. Many others will not be sufficed by those.
eGPUs. I'm glad their out there. But the chasis and gpu adds expense to a eg. Mini. I felt let down by the launch of this. I was expecting far more with the 'pro' rumours. For a computer that doesn't come with a monitor, k/b or mouse?) is already pricey. It only has 6 cores. By the time you get it to the standard of a 'standard' PC tower, it's not that great. Decent. Not great value. It could be that 'middle' option that many are after but it's the size of a biscuit tin. Great for server racks and the undemanding. Has a bit of punch. But it's no knock out. Maybe an Apple an Apple eGpu dock for it with an Radeon 5700 XT. It was an opportunity to replace the Mid tower. Some may argue it's the ultimate modular Mac. And from a certain point(S) of view that may be true.
Azrael.
I'd take a versatile tower design over a thermally challenged mini with a bunch a 'stuff' hanging off of it most days of the week. At least for the type of environments I use to work in.
*Drools.
One box to rule them all. It would really streamline things. You just pay for your specs.
That's the thing for me. If you had one well designed Apple box...say...the Mac Pro chasis...all you need are different m/bs for the 'mini/imac/imac pro/Mac Pro' market. And a 'Pro' style monitor/size/style that supports each of those '3' tiers.
Azrael.
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You had me at 'Hello' AlumaMac.
Azrael.
I've read that sentence 10 times and I still can't grok it. And I'm a CPA.
Maybe it would have been better to say "In spite of falling shipments in the first quarter, demand has now soared heading into the second..."
No matter - Apple has no legal need to tell you anything resembling truth about the 2nd quarter. They could be just 'window-dressing' - as a signal (prayer?) to analysts, or as a signal to potential customers FOMOing about that new iPad Pro.
No matter what - that 'Apple Tax' makes macs more expensive/more a luxury than your windows/linux counterparts. I'd think customers would be wanting more value for their buck right now. They'd want the Apple products from 2015 - that were solid in terms of what you get, and built to last. Recent Apple products have not been that - and I'd think that would cause customers to further question any Apple Tax in the covidepression. I know it hangs over my decisions (do I need a new xxx?)
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I think 08 changes were more an issue of exchange rate fluctuations... Feel free to blame Apple for the exposure.
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I'll bet Apple wishes that had a reasonably priced expandable desktop for users right now. People are chained to their desks at home. It would be nice to be able to have a device configurable like a mac pro for 'most people'. Mac Pro Mini? Mac Mini Pro? Take your choice!
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I have easily adapted to using Windows 10 Pro for my work, and have no issues with it. Runs very fast,
very stable, and **** just gets done. It's not as pretty, but that doesn't really matter much at this point.
very stable, and **** just gets done. It's not as pretty, but that doesn't really matter much at this point.
Few people want a desktop (even if you take the current crisis, surely you’d keep around that computer for 3-6 years, when most have long gone back outside), and extremely few care about expansion.
I don't understand the logic behind wanting more frequent hardware updates. Sure, we might see a 5-20% performance boost on some tasks, but we are talking about a device with an effective lifespan of 6 to 10 years. This is double what other Window's devices get, and far longer than consumption-first platforms. I get that it sucks if you need a new mac and your option is to buy a device that was released 2 years ago, but even in that situation you are going to get more productivity out of it than a newly released Windows machine.
That was a very different market where high-end components were more necessary, and laptops were pricy, underpowered, and not the default.
Today, almost everyone buys a laptop.
I'd say that many 2nd computers are desktops compared to laptops (or vice versa). One thing we can agree on is that fewer people care about mac computers, given the numbers.
This belief seems predicated on the fallacy that history is an inexorable march of progress toward a higher good. Anyone with a passing knowledge of technological, economic or political history of the past century (let alone the past few millennia) should laugh at how foolish that assumption is.People upset about the the Mac decline now can take solace in knowing their kids and grandkids will bemoan how Apple seems to be sidelining iOS for whatever the next thing is
A friendly warning for all: Don't confuse your desires with facts.
This belief seems predicated on the fallacy that history is an inexorable march of progress toward a higher good. Anyone with a passing knowledge of technological, economic or political history of the past century (let alone the past few millennia) should laugh at how foolish that assumption is.
A friendly warning for all: Don't confuse your desires with facts.
Right. Apple is welcome to cede the pro laptop and desktop market, but just means their customers move to Windows, Linux, or ChromeOS.
It's corporates that purchase the majority of computers. Here in the UK there was a big demand for Dell, HP and Lenovo laptops as the Coronavirus lockdown occurred and companies needed to get their office based employees working from home. Distribution stock that would normally last a month+ was cleared out in a matter of days. In Europe, very few companies purchase Macs for employees.
Not a chance. They need the Mac to develop for those platforms.
Tim is an idiot for pricing these things so high, however - part of the reason I believe we keep seeing these "Mac sales are down" reports (and yes, I know, the current economic climate may have something to do with this... but it's by no means the primary or only cause).
The difference between Steve and Tim is that Steve actually respected the intelligence of the average Mac user (20 years ago the stereotype was college-educated & creative). We didn't always agree with him, but there was a mutual respect. Tim seems to imagine an entirely different demographic (teenagers, "old folks") and along with Ahrendts, tried (and mostly succeeded) in transforming Apple into some sort of boutique brand - higher prices for no particular reason. (Not to mention the older generation today include some of the very people who catalyzed the personal computer revolution in the 60s, 70s and 80s.)
In short, out of touch is the common parlance.
cant agree more. But that’s how the world is today. Rich old folks going for the brand no matter what it costs and youngsters who need it to be (c)kool, and don’t care either for the money as the further mentioned have to pay.