Popular Mac Developer Slams Apple for 'Sad State of Macintosh Hardware'

[newyorksole]

Honestly I think a lot of people are overreacting. Sure it’s upsetting that the Mac lineup to an extent is being neglected.

However, like some of you have said, Macs hold up over time. My iMac is almost 8 years old and runs just as fast today as the day I bought it.

You also can’t expect Apple to remain exactly the same as they once were 10+ years ago. Things change.

iMac Pro is extremely powerful. MacBook Pro lineup is great. The lack of ports are annoying for some, but not an issue for a lot of people.

I can’t make sense of the Mac mini though Lol.

 

[44267547]

14 pages in this thread and over 350 comments. I think it shows you not necessarily just the disapproval for those that are upset with Apple, but those your truly passionate that want to see the Mac updated/to be more relevant. I think when you read some of the comments about those who are upset with Apple, it’s not that they hate Apple, it’s they don’t approve of Apple as a company today in their focuses and it’s difficult for them to accept the transition this company has become. I’m not A heavy Mac user myself and I don’t rely on it for productivity as some others do in here for work or even personal uses, but I kind understand some of the frustrations reading through various comments.

 

[corebeliefs]

I have posted a few responses about my thoughts as to why the state of the Mac is what it is today. You are free to search my comment history and read them should you so desire.

I don’t think Tim Cook is the problem here. I guess it’s more that Apple’s vision for the Mac (and for the future of Apple) just doesn’t gel with that the rest here want. But then again, I am not as passionate or as reliant on the Mac as some of you evidently are, so I guess my words aren’t going to go down well for many of you here.

You are not wrong to want updated Macs, but Apple is under no obligation to make them the way you want them either, especially when they have more pressing matters on their plate to dedicate resources to. I guess the only thing you can do is make more noise (and annoy many other forum members along the way) and hope that someone at Apple takes notice.

I wouldn’t hold my breath.

There is a fair share of complaining on any forum, especially one for a company such as Apple, which seems to traffic in polarizing decisions as of late. But to click on a link that is clearly critical of Apple and its Mac road map, or lack thereof, when you admit you're not that invested in the Mac, doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

With the advent of the iPad for light computing, the Mac is the machine for serious business use. Anytime a business that relies on a computer or a system sees that in jeopardy, it is a cause for concern. We're well aware of Apple's lack of obligation to us, which is what this article is all about.

 

[cmChimera]

It's a chicken and egg problem, though. Nobody in his right mind would buy the current Mac mini - it's overpriced, under-speced, and non-upgradeable. That's been true from the day it was released. Either update it or do the merciful thing and put it out of its misery.

Yeah I agree with this. Either update the line, reduce the price, or discontinue it. (For the Mac mini at least. They should not discontinue the Mac Pro.)

 

[ShizPadoo]

When I saw the original post about the "Behind the Mac" advert it felt like finally, some attention is being turned to the Mac. Afterall, there is a new OS on the way and we know a new Mac is being developed. I think that from now on, we will start to be drip-fed Mac promotion.

 

[kasakka]

I don't see a need to constantly update the machines as long as they remain relatively current. Mac Mini and the trashcan Mac Pro are woefully dated at this point.

To me the biggest issues are in design choices that are of no benefit to the user. Macbook Pro went from "best laptop made" to "pile of annoyances" in 2016 with the removal of common ports for dongle hell, useless Touchbar and a keyboard that not only feels **** to type on but is also unreliable. Repairability also reduced all the time.

The only Apple devices I can recommend in good conscience are the 27" iMac and the iPad line. Unsurprisingly those are the devices they haven't tried to redesign much.

 

[alien3dx]

I bought a SurfaceBook 2 with Nvidia GPU - amazing hardware. I truly love it. I also have bought Galaxy S8 and S9+ phones. I love them, kinda. The real problem is the ecosystems don't mix. With my iPhone 8, MacBook Pros, and trusty iPad, I have an amazing ecosystem where everything works together nicely.

Apple has made it easier to use Macs with the famously popular iPhones. It really could be so much more, if only Apple would also take a portion of its employees and decide that Macs are a substantial portion of its profits and they could be a larger portion, like services, if it only gave people a real reason to believe.

Make the hardware far more compelling. Hire an innovator who wants to pull a Mac out of an envelope that blows people's minds. Make the software work flawlessly. Apple is wasting so much money upgrading its MacOS annually, but only upgrading some Macs after four plus years!

Steve Jobs used car and truck analogy for using iPads, but now we are on the cusp of using new technologies that transform transportation and shipping. Apple needs to revolutionize something again. To do that, it needs an innovator at the helm. Sorry, but Tim's social agendas aren't going to grow anything. He maximized shareholder value but not stakeholder value. It's all about money to this CEO, and it all can come tumbling down.

Right now, people simply want a better port selection, the fastest or most updated processor, and a real Nvidia GPU. Forget thinner bezels and revamping everything, just update RAM, GPU and CPU selections annually. Then, bring in an innovator who can help grow Mac sales by innovating and teaching iOS users what's possible by switching to the Mac. The people need to be able to do the same types of things they do on Windows, but much more.

Hire Forestall or Elon Musk, and swing for the fences. Go for stakeholder value rather than just shareholder value. Make an iPhone I want to upgrade to, as I cannot stand using the X ams holding it up to my face and smiling like a jackass in a meeting for my damn iPhone to unlock. Just my gripe, but put TouchID on the back of the iPhone and give people a choice.

To eco system also have it problem

1. Why does i need to on bluetooth at the iphone ?
2. When i delete wifi, the imac also delete the the wifi username and password.. hasih
3. ICLOUD mess-> full,paid -> file cannot retrieve ..

 

[curmudgeonette]

I want a mid tower with some slots and accommodation for MY choice of video cards, i.e. modular and expandable. They have know this in Cupertino for years now. I don't for a nanosecond believe what is coming from them (or the fanbois) about needing years to study workflow... they VERY easily could have produced a machine like that last year, this is NOT rocket science here.

Apple's "study the workflow" comments imply they have no clue what people want:

Marketing: Our pro users say they don't like the iMac Pro.

Engineering: What more could they want? We gave them lots of Xeon cores, lots of RAM, AMD's best GPU, a large fast SSD, and fast ports!

Marketing: They say that's not good enough.

Engineering: Maybe we need to study their workflow to find out why it's not good enough...

...

I bought a 2017 iMac. It is a very very competent machine. However, I felt no excitement, just disappointment. There was sadness that I was forced to use a newer OS version with a damaged UI(*).

...

Regarding the current line up: Intel has no upgrade ready for the MB12. The MBA is stuck in a dead end. MBP's and iMac could get Coffee Lake. However, Intel still doesn't have a full Coffee Lake lineup - and half of it is just relabeled Kaby Lake or Kaby Lake Refresh. Quiet possibly Intel can't meet Apple's pricing and/or volume requirements. Also, AMD has no Polaris replacements.

...

* I want my scroll bar arrows back! I don't like being forced to use a touch device to scroll. Also, the flat window frame coloring makes them indistinguishable from my flat content. Finally 100% of my "any edge" window resizings have been in error.

 

[CE3]

The iMac Pro is having some disappointing and very public issues with product support (or lack-thereof), but I think the standard iMac lineup is fine (sans the fact that they're STILL putting 5400rpm drives in the base models).

The MacBook Pro is another story. We're nearly halfway through 2018 and the last great models were from 2015.

 

[Jim Lahey]

I stopped reading at “forced”. Just another entitled knob-head.

 

[sehns]

I went from being the biggest Apple Fanboy/Stockholder to building 2 Windows machines in the last 3 months. I had been out of Windows for at least 15 years and am simply shocked at the prices I used to so willingly pay. For what I paid for my 8 core 2013 Mac Pro and subsequent 3 month wait for its arrival, I can build a variety of machines that offer superior graphics and support. Tim Cook has a completely different vision for Apple than Steve Jobs. But by sacrificing power users for instant cash, it feels like they have lost the long term vision. I sincerely hope they bring back a visionary like Scott Forstall or the like who can see a creation and purpose first rather than dollar signs.

I didn't abandon Apple. Apple abandoned me.

One good thing about having been in Apple's corner (still am in many ways), all those years overpaying has made Window's "high" prices easily swallowed. Seriously, the difference in prices for top tier power supplies are almost nothing compared to "bottom" tier. I can get the best stuff and it comes to $1500. That is amazing. It was scary at first, but I am already planning the next build for my nephews.

Do what I did - build a $1600 PC thats Hackintosh compatible and can dual boot into windows. Can't beat it. Just remember to turn off auto updates.

 

[halluxsinister]

Rogue Amoeba developer Quentin Carnicelli, who works on Mac software like Airfoil, Audio Highjack, Loopback, and Fission, this week penned a critique of Apple's Mac lineup and the company's recent lack of Mac updates, and that missive has been gaining some attention from Mac fans.

Using MacRumors' own Buyer's Guide, Carnicelli points out that it's been more than a year since any Mac, with the exception of the iMac Pro, has been updated.

It's been 375 days, for example, since the iMac, MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air machines were last updated, and it's been 437 days since the Mac Pro saw the price drop Apple implemented as it works on a Mac Pro replacement.

The Mac Pro has not seen a hardware update since December of 2013, more than 1600 days ago. Apple has promised its professional users that a high-end high-throughput modular Mac Pro system is in the works, but we thus far have no details on when it might see a release.

The Mac mini, Apple's most affordable desktop Mac, has gone 1338 days without an update, with the last refresh introduced in October of 2014. While Apple has made promises about a refreshed Mac Pro, no similar statement has been provided about a future Mac mini, aside from a comment from Apple CEO Tim Cook stating that the Mac mini continues to be important to Apple.

According to Carnicelli, the state of the Mac lineup is "deeply worrisome" to him as a person who works for a Mac-based software company. Customers are, he says, forced to choose between "purchasing new computers that are actually years old" or "holding out in the faint hope that hardware updates are still to come."As Carnicelli points out, Apple could reassure its Mac users with updates and speed bumps to its Mac lineup on a "much more frequent basis," calling the current lack of updates "baffling and frightening to anyone who depends on the platform for their livelihood."

Apple in 2017 refreshed much of its Mac lineup (iMac, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and MacBook) at its Worldwide Developers Conference, but this year, Apple opted to focus instead on software, with no new Mac hardware announced. With no new hardware in June, based on past release history, we could be looking at an 18-month upgrade cycle this time around, as pointed out by iMore's Rene Ritchie, with new Macs making an appearance in September or October.

Some of the blame for Apple's lack of updates can perhaps be placed on its reliance on Intel, and in the past, some Mac refreshes have been pushed back due to delays with Intel chips. This is likely one of the reasons why Apple is planning to transition from Intel chips to its own custom made Mac chips as early as 2020.

MacBook, MacBook Pro, iMac, and MacBook Air upgrades are not in the dire state that Mac Pro and Mac mini upgrades are in, but increased attention on issues with the MacBook and MacBook Pro keyboards has left Apple customers eager to see those machine updated, especially as Apple has not acknowledged these keyboard issues despite their prevalence in the media.

"Apple needs to publicly show their commitment to the full Macintosh hardware line and they need to do it now," writes Carnicelli.

Carnicelli's comments on the state of the Mac lineup came just before Apple released a new Mac advertising campaign. Called "Behind the Mac," the campaign highlights creators who use their Macs to "make something wonderful."

The first ad spots in the series focus on photographer and disability advocate Bruce Hall, who uses his Mac for editing photographs, musician Grimes, who uses the Mac "from start to finish" to write all of her music, edit music videos, and more, and app developer Peter Kariuki who used his Mac to code the SafeMotos app, which is designed to connect passengers with safe motorcycle drivers in Rwanda.

These ads, while inspiring, may be seen as too little too late by those who have grown frustrated with Apple's Mac lineup and have come to see the lack of updates as an indicator of a lack of commitment to the Mac.

Article Link: Popular Mac Developer Slams Apple for 'Sad State of Macintosh Hardware'

Yeah, but he’s only just saying that because it’s true. Apple hardware has been subpar for the money since the change to Intel PC hardware, possibly before. You’ve been paying a premium to pay for Apple’s corporate bigwigs’ coke-habits, for them to buy a huge plot of some of the most expensive land on Earth and erect a big, gaudy, gauche, unecceasary building on top of it, etc. But you can feel good about that because of the little white decal of a silhouette of a piece of fruit with a bite taken out of it that you can stick on your car to warn others you’re a cultist, which come in just about every package they sell.

My next computer will run GNU/Linux, not AppleMacOS-X/10.10.10.10.X os...

Yeah, I’m getting sour on Apple again. What of it. They need to offer a real computer that doesn’t come with a monitor glued to the front of it, not the same old decrepit crap they’ve been selling for YEARS without an upgrade or update of any kind. Christ, most iPhones sold today are more powerful than the Mac Mini, and they’re not that damned powerful.

 

[Exile714]

Not taking a side or anything, but I love how 90% of the comments here go something like this:

Apple is ignoring the Pros who need the latest and greatest hardware, updated regularly. That’s why I stick to my 2014 MacBook Pro, because the Touchbar is for consumers.

If you absolutely need a top spec machine... how do you get by with a 2014?

 

[Dana C]

I think the MacRumors buyer's guide speaks for itself. Any average person clicking through that guide would assume that Apple has abandoned computer development. Heck, I as a tech geek think they've abandoned computer development. We're all sitting here waiting for a speed bump. Most would expect more after more than a year.

I don't really need a huge speed bump but I would like to buy an up-to-date laptop to replace my mid-2009 Macbook Pro. Have the money, just not looking to spend it on something dated. I get that plain old computers aren't 'sexy' like skinny phones and watches and earbuds, but I love my laptop and hate feeling abandoned.

 

[Cardino]

Honestly I think a lot of people are overreacting. Sure it’s upsetting that the Mac lineup to an extent is being neglected.

However, like some of you have said, Macs hold up over time. My iMac is almost 8 years old and runs just as fast today as the day I bought it.

You also can’t expect Apple to remain exactly the same as they once were 10+ years ago. Things change.

iMac Pro is extremely powerful. MacBook Pro lineup is great. The lack of ports are annoying for some, but not an issue for a lot of people.

I can’t make sense of the Mac mini though Lol.

Honestly I think a lot of people are overreacting. Sure it’s upsetting that the Mac lineup to an extent is being neglected.

However, like some of you have said, Macs hold up over time. My iMac is almost 8 years old and runs just as fast today as the day I bought it.

You also can’t expect Apple to remain exactly the same as they once were 10+ years ago. Things change.

iMac Pro is extremely powerful. MacBook Pro lineup is great. The lack of ports are annoying for some, but not an issue for a lot of people.

I can’t make sense of the Mac mini though Lol.

The problem is that we need the latest hardware to improve single-core performance. For example, in order to compile latex in real time, we need to drain every single-core performance. I just need a mbp13 or 15 with 8559u/8950hk which can boost to 4.5/4.6g. I think I am not the only one.

 

[Dana C]

Agree or disagree, Mac value holds up extremely well and lifespan are increasingly pushing the boundaries...Look at MacBook Air from 10 years ago still fetching over $100 dollars on eBay. People are keeping their devices longer and longer no need for product refreshes every year. IMO.

I'm running a mid-2009 Macbook Pro, partly because I can't get a *new* laptop from Apple. Worried about the aging hard drive, not enough ram to run the latest goodies. This thing is near end-of-life and Apple is thumb-twiddling, trying to make my next laptop more like a friggin cell phone?

 

[zooland]

Consumer kids, just relax.

 

[ruka.snow]

I sadly have to agree. I have a 2010 Mac Pro with no upgrade route and a 2010 Mac Mini my partner has connected to his Wacom with no upgrade route. We did look at the iMac Pro our screens are already really good and iMacs don’t lend themselves well to having multiple monitor setups(All on the same stand, level, colour, pixel count, contrast)

 

[interessiert]

This MAC disaster is caused by a self-loving Jony Ive and a weak Tim Cook who is finally responsible for this mismanagement.
Apple lost much manpower to technical newcomers (Google, Amazon...) - the same in software engineering (FaceBook, Google...).
Competition is the only way - open macOS to other computer companies!

 

[whirldy]

Apple should just start licensing/selling Mac OS on standard PC hardware and stop fooling themselves and everyone else with hardware. No reasonable person would buy a brand new Mac mini today and think to themselves that they made a smart purchase.

Being able to use macOS on an Intel NUC, without having to hackintosh, would be WONDERFUL!

 

[CE3]

When you have to buy an adapter in order to connect your iPhone or iPad to your MacBook, something is off.

 

[Abazigal]

There is a fair share of complaining on any forum, especially one for a company such as Apple, which seems to traffic in polarizing decisions as of late. But in terms of annoying someone, to click on a link that is clearly critical of Apple and its Mac road map, or lack thereof, when you admit you're not that invested in the Mac, doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

With the advent of the iPad for light computing, the Mac is the machine for serious business use. Anytime a business that relies on a computer or a system sees that in jeopardy, it is a cause for concern. We're well aware of Apple's lack of obligation to us, which is what this article is all about.

And you see the same comments being recycled here. Lots of venting, anger and frustration. Lots of finger-pointing (which seem to suggest a fundamental lack of understanding about Apple’s organisational structure). And you see this vitriol spill over to other threads about Apple watches and Animoji (which again shows a lack of understanding about Apple’s business model, and frankly, says more about the critics than it does about any shortcomings on Apple’s part).

I guess my point is that because I am not so invested in the Mac (I upgraded to the 5k iMac last year, but that will likely be my last Mac purchase for the near foreseeable future), I am able to take a step back and appreciate the “bigger picture”, so to speak.

I see and appreciate Apple’s continued efforts at expanding and adding value to their ecosystem. I look forward to future products such as the AR glasses, self-driving cars and continued watch updates because I know that Apple’s design-led culture will be able to do them justice in a way that no other company can.

And you start to see a common trend - these new products have everything to do with iOS and little / nothing to do with the Mac. iOS is the future, not macOS (though admittedly, we may still require macOS as a stepping stone for that much longer).

And as such, I can understand, even accept, that in order to keep certain hot products like the Apple Watch updated on an annual basis, it means that other less popular products inevitably fall by the wayside, because Apple is clearly going at full throttle to get all this done.

I realistically don’t expect the Mac to be updated annually (maybe closer to every 2-3 years). That ship has already sailed, and that’s just the way she goes.

 

[Cyprusian]

I believe this article adds weight to my earlier post on the Mac Rumors article about OS X Mojave not being available for Macs older than 2012.

Reports that Apple intends to drop Intel processors in 2020, coupled with the apparent lack of development on the current Mac range, do not encourage investment in new Macs at this time if there's a risk current models could become obsolete within two years.

I hope that Apple is not neglecting its Macs roots in the pursuit of continuing iPhone development and new opportunities.

 

[ChrisA]

I was in an Apple store the other day. I looked at Macs and decided my older MacBook Pro and iMac where better suited to my needs. If I need another Mac I will certainly buy a used one.

My other idea is to run Mac OS in a virtual machine on my Linux system. The linux system is an HP Z420 workstation with 12-core Xeon

If Apple is unable to make computers why don't they partner with HP and offer HP workstations with Mac OS installed. Apple could get into the Hackintosh business. It would make everyone happy

 

[zen]

Apple should just start licensing/selling Mac OS on standard PC hardware and stop fooling themselves and everyone else with hardware. No reasonable person would buy a brand new Mac mini today and think to themselves that they made a smart purchase.

I completely agree. I switched to a custom-built Windows 10 gaming PC this year, and I got an insanely powerful, 8th gen rig that also looks amazing as a desk object. Yes, it runs Windows 10, and macOS is still better, but the equation I ran was, how many times better is it? It used to be a hundred times better, so you'd put up with substandard hardware to enjoy the far superior OS. But now it is maybe... twice as good? Not quite even that?

In which case, the compromise with the OS (Win 10 versus macOS) is more than made up for by the exquisite hardware I was able to put together.

Which goes back to Apple hardware: they need to license macOS, abandon their own hardware, and let people build crazy good PC rigs that run macOS. Then everyone will be happy - macOS will become a gaming platform again, and pro users can build the most capable, advanced rigs they like.