My problem with this line of macbook pro is not the computer per se.
It is quite well designed, powerful enough to do tasks, the usb-c is a bit problematic for now but the situation will change in the upcoming months. The lcd bar it can be a convenience, a distraction or something completely useless, it depends how it is used / implemented. (Emoticons and a pathetic Dj demo were the highlights to outshow the potential of this feature. That didn't really help. Is this how Apple envision us?)
But apart from minor differences, this new line is not that different from the previous generation. It's conceptually old.
Yes it is more refined, granted... but it's far from being revolutionary.
The previous design is 4 years old, and this one is just a new expensive refinement. This new object is supposed to set a new standard, open new ways for the upcoming years, that is why professional users are willing to invest in such a premium price. To get a unique hardware/software experience, projected into the future.
If it were a true revolutionary product all the complains regarding dongles, ports and such would become secondary. Cause we could see clearily where all of this is leading.
This would have been a remarkable opportunity, the right time to shake the market again and Apple has been usually incredibly good in the last 10 years in TIMING.
Competitors are coming up both on hardware and software.... they are not quite there yet but some of them are really pushing hard on finding new ways (microsoft, google etc)
I was shocked during the presentation of this new line for the lack of vision and focus; they also used a showreel of the portables of the past to introduce this new line: that is already a bad sign, when you have to leverage on your heritage in order to promote something.... to me it means you are not that sure about it.And since is not that revolutionary as product it's actually a bit arrogant.
This plus the inconsistency of their proposals (what is an ipad pro exactly for? / why if you say function keys are obsolete you still use them in a brand new macbook pro? / why the iphone you just introduced doesn't have a usb-c if that is the new standard? ), plus the stagnation of their software side, makes me very worried about the future of this company.
After 25 years of using apple products I'm looking around...seriously evaluating for the very first time... if it's the case to invest my money in another company / product.
For now they still have a bit of an edge.... but it's getting so dangerously close.