No Mac Pro: Not Fair

[PeterQVenkman]

The astronomical laptop sales are not due to enterprise/government clients, but rather the average Joes.

As it was said before, the majority of laptop users do not telecommute, or bring their "toolbox" with them to worksites. They are consumers who buy laptops based on popular trends or a desire to use the computer in the living room, not because of any actual need for mobility.

I guess that's also true from what I've seen - people like them because they are small, and can take them along if they have to for surfing the net on vacation, right? When I go on vacation, I go off the internet entirely. It's rough sometimes.

Most laptops are bought for the chance of mobility.

I really like this phrase. I think it accurately describes many purchasers.

Funny when they are needed for an actual mobile job, the battery craps out due to two years of constant charging

But Apple batteries are good for years, which is why we can't switch them out now, right?

 

[lPHONE]

Ok i really need to say this:

Dear Steve...

Is the 8-core 2.93GHz Xeon is not fast enough for you, or am I missing something?

 

[Digital Skunk]

Is the 8-core 2.93GHz Xeon is not fast enough for you, or am I missing something?

Yes, yes you are missing the price of said machine after a year and a half.

I would never say that that machine or even the Mac Pros before it aren't fast enough, just that after a year and a half it's not worth the price unless you need that much power.

I still recommend users buy used if they do need a Mac tower.

 

[deconstruct60]

The question is: do you really think Apple lacks foresight to the point that they drop the Mac Pro, thus creating an entire generation of pros in industries that cannot use OSX and thus wont be switching over to Apple's mobile pro devices of the future? I'm no expert, but that seems absolutely ridiculous.

Folks need to seriously separate the needs from the specific implementations. If it was easy to add a modular box to your main box that gave a linear increase in I/O would you care it wasn't inside the main box?

If focused on "it has to look like what I'm used to buying" then, yes. If focused on whether you problem got solved or not then probably, not.

An iMac with three 4-8Gb/s connectors on the box wouldn't work ? For everyone in all cases. no. For more than a few? yes.

Mainframes existed and along came the mini computers (really midsize) and some folks peeled off. Minis computers existed and along came micro computers and some folks peeled off. Micro (slots ) computers existed and along came more closed systems and some folks peeled off. This isn't new.

What makes it "Pro" is that you can make money using the tool. Not the specific form factor or the specific implementation. Does it solve the problem or not.

The question is more so two fold.

on the customer side whether they will choose to buy Mac OS X based solutions or not. That was always a choice. It is not new.

on apple's side if they want to go flat on system pricing the question is can they add enough value each year or so to justify the price remaining the same. If customers get more value for same amount of money the market shouldn't entirely collapse. It may shrink because there were folks in it that really shouldn't have been there anyway, but will stabilize if offering right value to right customers.

 

[nanofrog]

... can they add enough value each year or so to justify the price remaining the same. If customers get more value for same amount of money the market shouldn't entirely collapse.

This is definitely the real issue IMO. Technology wise, Apple's stuck with what Intel's architectural changes are over time, as they're not adding in other features that are available from other vendors (i.e. built-in hardware RAID in server/workstation systems for example). Ultimately, it's still on Apple, but the majority is a lack of choice on their part (i.e. PPC was EOL for future products, and Intel was the best alternative to continue to offer a product for the workstation segment). The lack of any additional features however, is solely on them, and could have been rectified with any subsequent system development (i.e. released with a new architecture).

That in it's own right isn't that bad, but at current pricing, the perception of value has dropped vs. previous models. Given the current economy, independents to the largest of entities are scrutinizing the bottom line for anything that can be done cheaper (i.e. hardware + software in this case), and may begin to consider other alternatives if the software licensing isn't a hindrance (i.e. software upgrade cycle is reached or exceeded, as some have stretched the time frame on such purchases).

 

[thermodynamic]

Ok i really need to say this:

Dear Steve, you have proven to be a very bright mind, so you should be more than aware of the fact that we, the Pro consumers segment, have a different set of needs and behavior, compared to the the average "home/individual" consumers you serve. We are not (only) driven by the hype of the latest cool device in town, or the actions of trend-setters... no, we actually make budget plans and forecasts in order to buy new hardware.

We love Macs, we even depend on Macs, but we not only LIKE them, we actually NEED them, so we can get some work done.

As individual consumers, we can afford the wait. We actually love it, the whole drama and suspense around it; as individual consumers, we can do fine with our current hardware until the next big thing hits the market; we're just concerned about having to delay the showing-off of our new iPhone 4 to your friends for the next two weeks. no biggie; but pro-sumers.... man we need our stuff, and we need it ASAP.

If the main focus of the company (Apple) is now deviated from us pro users, to the trend-setting "gadgeteers", and now everything revolves 100% on gadgets such as iPads, iPhones and iPods, it would be advisable to use a different, parallel and completely divorced strategy for us Pro consumers; in other words, dear Steve:

WE NEED TO KNOW IF THE NEW MAC PRO IS COMING OUT OR NOT, AND IF SO, WHEN WILL IT BE RELEASED.
I love Macs, always have, and probably always will, but i just can't afford this enigma anymore.

Pro gear is for people with schedules, keep the suspense for the people who can afford it.

He's a shrewd marketer. Bright, but not always for benign reasons.

I too love Macs, but love doesn't put food on the table.