Retina Macbook Pro for Business !?

[sofianito]

The classic MBP got a good spot in business for a number of Startup, Mid-Sized companies, and even large corporate companies such as Google, Facebook,...etc.

What about the retina MBP? The 2,880 x 1,800 resolution is probably more critical and important to the creative set than it would be for everyday consumers or folks working for high-tech/IT companies.

Steve Jobs vividly explained his annoyance with corporate IT managers who make purchasing decisions in a fireside chat with the Wall Street Journal columnist Walt Mossberg at the D8 conference (source):

What I love about the consumer market and I always hated about the enterprise market is we come up with a product, we try to tell everybody about it and every person votes for it themselves. They vote yes or no,” Jobs said. The enterprise market, it’s not so simple – the people that use the product don’t decide for themselves. The people that make those decisions sometimes are confused.

Will Apple have success with its new pretender? Will it lose business market if the classic MBP disappears?

 

[geoffreak]

That sounds like an interesting documentary? When does it air?

Joking aside, the BYOD movement is picking up speed so IT departments and software venders are adapting to a workplace where any device can run. Especially as many tasks can now be accomplished with web solutions, there is becoming less of a need for a standard issue computer, OS, phone, etc.

The rMBP will certainly be part of the BYOD movement, so don't be surprised to see them in many offices. I don't expect to see most IT departments buying them just for cost reasons alone though.

 

[golf1410]

Apple has never get into enterprise market as the price is the one reason. Windows and IBM own this market. No future for apple.
Many strategies from CIO, always think about standardize the platform, use leverage of old systems to perform strategies, the more they bring down budget each year, the more margin they get, the more likable from CEO and board directors.

More platforms in organization, mean more complex to maintain and organize the update. Choose one and set the standard. They will always choose windows.

 

[AZREOSpecialist]

Windows and IBM own this market.

IBM? Now there's a name I haven't heard in a while.

 

[golf1410]

That sounds like an interesting documentary? When does it air?

Joking aside, the BYOD movement is picking up speed so IT departments and software venders are adapting to a workplace where any device can run. Especially as many tasks can now be accomplished with web solutions, there is becoming less of a need for a standard issue computer, OS, phone, etc.

The rMBP will certainly be part of the BYOD movement, so don't be surprised to see them in many offices. I don't expect to see most IT departments buying them just for cost reasons alone though.

BYOD is just brand new trend pop up recently. Old style desktops will always be around especially those computers in data center. Web solution and cloud computing have a major in security issues as saleforce.com and others are trying to close this gap. Internal servers and clients will be around. They will always be windows platform. Think about developing their own internal application, Mac or Windows as CIO.

 

[iLikeTurtles!]

any computer is fine for business

 

[AZREOSpecialist]

Why wouldn't the Retina MacBook Pro be as good as the regular MacBook Pro for business? I would think it would be even better since it's lighter, thinner and more portable than its non-Retina cousin. The businesses I know make institutional purchases, and those who buy Mac buy from distributors or directly from Apple. For the latter, they get their machines pre-configured from Apple - they don't buy the minimum configuration and then start tearing apart new machines to upgrade them. Those businesses will find the Retina MacBook Pro cheaper feature-for-feature than the non-Retina model, as Apple's pricing is lower on the Retina for the same features.

It can only be a win for business. I'm a small business owner and I find the RMBP to be wonderful for my needs.

 

[golf1410]

IBM? Now there's a name I haven't heard in a while.

Cuz you have been keeping your eyes on consumer market for a while. In Data center, Cisco and IBM own this ground. After IBM lost competition in PC market, IBM went back to where it belong. It has been around in history about 100 years +. It is not easy and it is still big company though.

 

[sofianito]

Apple has never get into enterprise market as the price is the one reason. Windows and IBM own this market. No future for apple.
Many strategies from CIO, always think about standardize the platform, use leverage of old systems to perform strategies, the more they bring down budget each year, the more margin they get, the more likable from CEO and board directors.

More platforms in organization, mean more complex to maintain and organize the update. Choose one and set the standard. They will always choose windows.

Indeed, Lenovo (IBM), Toshiba, and Dell dominate the enterprise notebook leasing market, but a number of companies offer the MBP as an option to their employees...

 

[golf1410]

Why wouldn't the Retina MacBook Pro be as good as the regular MacBook Pro for business? I would think it would be even better since it's lighter, thinner and more portable than its non-Retina cousin. The businesses I know make institutional purchases, and those who buy Mac buy from distributors or directly from Apple. For the latter, they get their machines pre-configured from Apple - they don't buy the minimum configuration and then start tearing apart new machines to upgrade them. Those businesses will find the Retina MacBook Pro cheaper feature-for-feature than the non-Retina model, as Apple's pricing is lower on the Retina for the same features.

It can only be a win for business. I'm a small business owner and I find the RMBP to be wonderful for my needs.

I was talking about large organizations that I pull out directly from my work experience. As SME, especially the a start up company. The budget is a key word here. It depends on what are you going to perform the job on these computers.

 

[golf1410]

but a number of companies offer the MBP as an option to their employees...

Not so much when you look at the whole picture. Organizations want to control every computers that connect to its network. NAC Network Access Control is one type of product that enforce the policies to make sure that every computer has got last updated OS and virus definition before it connect to its network. Imagine Mac laptop try to connect to this network and always has a problem with compatibility of NAC client which mostly support windows platform.

 

[sofianito]

In Data center, Cisco and IBM own this ground.

Not for long... Oracle acquired Sun, and they are encroaching on that area with the Exalogic, Exadata, and Supercluster...

IBM is very good at Services...

 

[geoffreak]

While those policy enforcers may mostly only support Windows now (a claim that I'd argue actually isn't true), Windows 8 is already getting just as much flack as Vista did (if not more). Due to this, businesses may start to consider alternatives more seriously, leading the manufacturers of compliance software to need to support those OSes if they want to continue doing business.

 

[golf1410]

Not for long... Oracle acquired Sun, and they are encroaching on that area with the Exalogic, Exadata, and Supercluster...

IBM is very good at Services...

I don't see how oracle will take out IBM as it has been in this industry for awhile. Keep in mind that enterprise market is not all about high technology will win. It is about relationship especially excursive managers between vendors and customers. Even the products suck but they make a deal.
I did work on Sun Blade System 6000 in one project. I just don't think it is about technology that takes over the decision. It is about relationship and service between customer and vendors or solution providers. Locked competition in bidding on projects always happen.

 

[sofianito]

I don't see how oracle will take out IBM as it has been in this industry for awhile. Keep in mind that enterprise market is not all about high technology will win. It is about relationship especially excursive managers between vendors and customers. Even the products suck but they make a deal.
I did work on Sun Blade System 6000 in one project. I just don't think it is about technology that takes over the decision. It is about relationship and service between customer and vendors or solution providers. Locked competition in bidding on projects always happen.

Yeah, most of the time decisions are political, and sometimes bribery makes the deal...

Going back to the main topic , the Bring Your Own Device or OS is getting popular. I know many folks who bought and use their own Mac at work, or others who use the notebook pc provided by the company but prefer to install Linux instead of using Windows... I don't think NAC is an issue in a heterogeneous environment...

 

[derbothaus]

Reluctantly I have allowed a few to appear. I'll see how they do. Thanks to having at least a couple more ports it should fare better than the moratorium I placed on the Macbook Air. Most enterprise still don't allow full access over wireless so ethernet is important for network resources. The cost is insane compared to same exact parts in cMBP + the added cost of your DVD drive (yes some content creators still need this) + TB to FW800 + TB to GigE. $4000.00 later...

----------

Those businesses will find the Retina MacBook Pro cheaper feature-for-feature than the non-Retina model, as Apple's pricing is lower on the Retina for the same features.

Only if you are planning on throwing down SSD's to all your staff. Otherwise the cMBP is quite a bit cheaper. I am still trying to convince people it is a good use of money (and it is). In a couple years it will be a no brainer and prices should plummet if 2012 decreases are any indication.

 

[AirThis]

Where's the NBD support?

The classic MBP got a good spot in business for a number of Startup, Mid-Sized companies, and even large corporate companies such as Google, Facebook,...etc.

What about the retina MBP? The 2,880 x 1,800 resolution is probably more critical and important to the creative set than it would be for everyday consumers or folks working for high-tech/IT companies.

Steve Jobs vividly explained his annoyance with corporate IT managers who make purchasing decisions in a fireside chat with the Wall Street Journal columnist Walt Mossberg at the D8 conference (source):

What I love about the consumer market and I always hated about the enterprise market is we come up with a product, we try to tell everybody about it and every person votes for it themselves. They vote yes or no,” Jobs said. The enterprise market, it’s not so simple – the people that use the product don’t decide for themselves. The people that make those decisions sometimes are confused.

Will Apple have success with its new pretender? Will it lose business market if the classic MBP disappears?

I have only one question: as a business user how do I get a NBD support plan for the rMBP? That question, in itself, tells the whole story. AC is OK for enthusiasts, small businesses, and vertical markets. But once you have a large fleet of machines it just doesn't cut the meat. Six months ago, the Windows laptop my company provides to me broke down when I was on a business trip. I called the support line and they sent a technician to my hotel the next morning. The computer was repaired in less than 45 minutes (motherboard swap). This service was provided at no extra charge as it was covered by the standard 8hr/NBD support contract. The contract in question actually costs 20 dollars less than AC for a 3 year period.

Frankly I don't think we will ever see this level of service with Apple and the rMBP. Every time I've tried to get professional-grade support for Apple notebooks, I've been redirected to 3rd party companies which either a) didn't have competent staff or b) couldn't provide mission-critical services in a timely manner. If Apple wants to crack the enterprise market in a big way, it needs to build a robust business support plan.

 

[sofianito]

If Apple wants to crack the enterprise market in a big way, it needs to build a robust business support plan.

They have the ingredients to do so but Steve Jobs strategy was to focus well in one thing: consumer market.

I can see the MBP 13", 15", and the MBA cracking the enterprise market with a robust business support, but I don't think the rMBP would fit in that model since it would be too expensive...

 

[borisiii]

IBM? Now there's a name I haven't heard in a while.

Dinosaurs like myself still tend to refer to Lenovo products as IBM

 

[sofianito]

Dinosaurs like myself still tend to refer to Lenovo products as IBM

IBM still provides support and maintenance services for Lenovo's PCs. Their relation is still tight

 

[gokart mozart]

If Apple wants to crack the enterprise market in a big way, it needs to build a robust business support plan.

Why would they bother now? They're products are too expensive for most IT departments. A large quantity of Macs would cost way more than an army of Dells or Lenovos. Apple seems quit comfortable with its high consumer market niche. And what's more, there is the BYOD movement brewing with many companies and IT departments in which employees simply bring their device of choice to work. Not to mention they'd have to train and pay the service staff to do the repair work outside of their usual Apple store work benches and repair depots. The profits aren't as good for Apple. It simply isn't there business.

Small businesses get left out in both scenarios. Its still a non starter because business products such as the high end versions of Quicken and QuickBooks aren't even out for Mac. They only have the dumbed down home editions. And then there's Lotus Notes . Without the support of these products, Apple computers don't make much sense for small businesses in a lot of cases. And again, that is assuming the small business chooses to spend more on the Apple over a PC counterpart that does have the business software support.

 

[AirThis]

Why would they bother now? They're products are too expensive for most IT departments. A large quantity of Macs would cost way more than an army of Dells or Lenovos. Apple seems quit comfortable with its high consumer market niche. And what's more, there is the BYOD movement brewing with many companies and IT departments in which employees simply bring their device of choice to work.

You've raised some interesting points and they are certainly valid. However, Apple needs to broaden the acceptance of OSX in order to gain market share. Microsoft is currently a bit vulnerable so it makes sense to go after their turf. It wouldn't take that much effort either. Produce a cheap desktop machine, adapt the business support model, write some new software, etc. When you have a product or service, you always need to think about where you're going to find new customers... IOS is currently generating a lot of revenue, but it's always wise to diversify the source of your income. The reason Apple is successful today is because they seized new opportunities that others failed to act upon (Itunes, App Store, iPod, etc.). I've worked in IT for over 30 years and I can tell you that the cost of running Windows is far too high. As an example, my company has two people working full time to manage GPOs and policies. Most of these GPOs serve no purpose other than to restrict the user from performing mundane tasks such as changing the desktop background or adding items to the start menu. There's clearly room for a system that's easier to manage...

 

[gokart mozart]

Again, why should they? They're the third largest computer manufacturer (not talking about OS) in terms of market share, and top manufacturer when you're talking about the $1000+ market. They're the wealthiest tech company in the world at the moment. Investing money to create infrastructure for the enterprise crowd, when the IT departments are still going to turn their noses up at the sticker prices, only seems like a massive waste. A cheap desktop machine goes against what they stand for, and would only hurt their image in the high end consumer market that they've cultivated. They would have to spend R&D dollars on the cheaper line of machines, then invest even more time and money on the support techs. And all for a smaller profit margin, while damaging their current market image. They don't want to be the next Dell or Compaq. Look how those companies are doing financially.

They're the Mercedes Benz of the computer industry. They could make themselves more accessible like the Fords, but why should they if it wont meet their corporate and investor goals?

Apple long ago gave up on that demographic. They make consumer products, because that is what they're good at. There's a good quote out there by Jobs talking about focusing on what you're good at. They will expand, but they'll expand in different consumer tech arenas. TVs are the most obvious next target, for example.

 

[AirThis]

Again, why should they?

Profit, diversity of income, and market share. Why leave such a large part of the pie to Microsoft? I'm not saying that they should go after the whole pie, but simply that they should take advantage of certain business opportunities.

There are two distinct and separate points here:

1) There's a market for high end portable computers and Apple has certainly produced such a machine in the form of the retina. When you purchase a mobile workstation from Lenovo or Dell, you can get professional-grade support. But not with the retina. A starting point for Apple would be to offer a business-support plan which is equivalent to that of its direct competitors. In other words, why not offer premium services for premium machines?

2) Strategically speaking, Apple has managed to conquer large segments of the business market via iPad and iPhone sales. According to me, the next logical step would be to include OSX devices in this strategy. Apple already has a foot in the door, why not use this momentum to gain some extra market share? The stranglehold IT departments have had over users is slowly weakening. Managers are becoming more and more permissive as to the types of devices which can be used. Some people think that there is no business strategy behind the success of IOS, and that Apple was simply "lucky". But I disagree. IOS has been very carefully tailored to meet certain needs. It's extremely easy to use, the devices it runs on are not overly expensive, and it enhances productivity.OSX has many of the same qualities. Why not take advantage of these?

You've compared Apple to Mercedes Benz. That's a very interesting analogy because Mercedes has vested interests in some of the lower segments of the market. Smart is a branch of Daimler and Mercedes produces the class A which isn't really a luxury car (but nevertheless has many of the Mercedes qualities). Mercedes also produces trucks and buses. Yet, curiously enough, all of this diversity does not harm the image of Mercedes. If you say "Mercedes Benz" to me I will immediately think of an SLK. The thought of a bus, a truck, or a Class A wouldn't even cross my mind. Of course, that's only a personal appreciation. I can't deny that other people might think of a nice big Benz truck.

 

[twiggy0]

Pretty sure the entire line up will be 'retina' within the coming year. As usual, apple one up's everyone else.