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IMO all are still relevant and all sell fairly well for not being refreshed.
It's quite amazing that they actually sell at all considering the overwhelming neglect and bias against these that Apple exhibits.

Is there a single other example in technology where people actively seek to buy a 6+ year old device (Mac Mini) (with even older internals) for present day usage?
A phone that old is barely usable. A TV that old would be noticeably sub-par. A car that old would be a hobby or classic. A games console that old sees no new releases. And a computer that old... I don't think it's possible to find any other such old 'new' device.
 
"Shut [Apple] down and give the money back to shareholders" - Michael Dell, 1997

Maybe he was just ahead of his time?

What do they even do now except push a credible Android alternative that doesn't sell as well and has very limited hardware choice?
 
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A lot of the reported reasoning sounds like excuses. I agree that there seems to be a shift in the priorities from Apple. There is no doubt that they are focused on the iPhone, perhaps too much. As a shareholder, this concerns me, as being so dependent on a single product line is a recipe for disaster. As a user, this frustrates me, as I continue to wait for a decent option so I can upgrade three laptops and several desktop units (we already purchased two 2017 tbMBPs, but only because we absolutely couldn't wait any longer.) It's telling when the kids, who have grown up in the Apple ecosystem, are starting to look at alternatives for both the computers and the phones.

Programmers don’t need much processing power anymore.

I have a problem with this, as it is circular reasoning - programmers don't have the power, so they work around it. You can't tell me that programmers wouldn't be happier with faster compile times, and greater power on the user device (thus the ability to do more, and do it faster). It's not like Xcode has suddenly gotten more efficient and now requires less RAM and can compile faster.

Two very VERY small groups need processing power: video makers and people using a Mac as a server (not counting gamers since they’re not on our platform).

Right. If you don't have the power to run high end games, then nobody will make those games.
On the other hand, give people the power to run those games, and they will do so.
It's not like Mac users don't enjoy gaming...

As for those using it as a server, it's hard to believe that they are focusing on those, as they have essentially killed the whole server line.

Apple is at the mercy of intels slow release cycle. Graphics chips are expensive due to miners. Also, have there been new advances in graphics cards? Not my expertise but I bet it’s as slow as intels cycle.

They may be at the mercy of Intel, but only to a certain extent. There have been several generations that have passed since the introduction of the Mac Mini; does anyone really believe that Apple couldn't have at least done a minor upgrade to use the newer chipsets and processors?

As for the graphics cards, this may not be overly relevant, as many of their products use integrated graphics, thus upgrading the processor and chipset would also upgrade the graphics. For those that use discrete graphics units, I'm sure that AMD would be happy to spool up one of their foundries to supply the parts needed. It's not like Apple was known for using cutting edge graphics units anyhow - typically, the graphics chipset used is a balance of power and heat.

Apple products are in a state that, other than the iMac Pro, they can't be used for functional VR systems. Tim Cook has indicated that AR is the future, but how does he expect users to build these systems without the proper hardware? (I recognize that basic AR apps are appearing on the App Store, however I have not seen too many that provide true utility; I'm also willing to bet that much of the programming for those apps was not actually done on Macs.)

SSD’s and RAM are all basically the same now (newer generations) in terms of speed. Sure some gains here some there but not enough for most people. The gains Apple gets from generation to generation are not enough for some users.

This might be relevant if they actually used SSDs in all their products. They are still selling units with 5400rpm spinners. At the very least, those could be updated to 7200rpm, or SSD.

As for the RAM, this is a bit more reasonable. The tbMBP is GB due to the Intel's delay in supporting LPDDR4. Nonetheless, there is no reason they couldn't give the user the option of putting in 32GB with the understanding that it will cut the battery life significantly. They have so many other SKUs that this wouldn't make a difference, other than giving the user the option of choosing battery life or more RAM.

PC’s are slowing down since hardware has slowed down. We need innovations in hardware. If quantum computing takes off there will be lots of new and exciting things. Right now there isn’t.

This is true, partially. The incremental improvements may be about the same, but perception makes them seem smaller. For example, a jump from 1GHz to 1.2GHz seems much more dramatic to the user as compared to a jump from 2.9GHz to 3.1GHz. That doesn't negate the benefits of the improvement, though. As I noted above, give a bit more power to the user, and the developers are likely to find a way to take advantage, thus the user benefits.

One perfect example of this is Siri. Apple has made a decision to keep information locked down, which is commendable. It does, however impose a greater processing load on the user device. We have seen that improvements in the A-series processors on the iPhones has improved Siri functionality (admittedly very slightly...) If Apple intends to bring a functional virtual assistant to the macOS, then there will need to be a whole lot more processing power locally. The OS itself has become more demanding over time as well, thus slowly decreasing the available CPU processing power available to the user. At the very least, the systems should be upgraded (to the amount possible) to eliminate the impact of increased OS demands.

As for quantum computing, current technology is in its infancy, however everything points to quantum computers requiring extensive cooling systems and high-cost infrastructure, thus making them a long way off for consumers, other than via shared computing systems (like IBM's). While this tech is promising, it is not a reason to ditch the current technology. We don't have ubiquitous high-speed and low-cost internet access, so in general, processing will have to be done locally.

tl;dr -

Apple is highly focused on the iPhones, perhaps to the detriment of the other products.
There have been many opportunities to upgrade several of their product lines (of which there are too many) however Apple has chosen not to take advantage of those opportunities. On the contrary, they have increased demands on the system without upgrading the CPU and graphics systems to keep up with those demands.
Like many users, I am rapidly approaching the point at which a wholesale change in our home and office computer ecosystem is being considered; as a shareholder in Apple, this is concerning.
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iPad Mini's are sold in significant quantities to med schools and hospital organizations. They fit perfectly inside a Dr's lab coat. Nearsighted Macrumors comments will not detract from the significance of this product in the enterprise.

This is true, however I suspect that the newest iPhones have similar if not greater computing power than the 2014 Mac Minis. And they are marginally more portable, with greater functionality (I no longer carry a pager -- if someone wants me, they simply call, and if I can answer then I do, otherwise I get a proper message instead of just a number). For me, carrying a large-screen iPhone eliminates the need to carry two devices.
 
So funny how when Phil announced the Mac Pro he is “can’t innovate my ass.” Took 5 years for their egos to admit they failed and since SJ isn’t there, they need “market research” instead of a visionary mind to figure out what to do.

Doubly funny since I think it was that same event when he uttered the line about how "some people are using 5-year-old computers, and that's really sad".
 
stopped using my AirPort when I purchased a Google WiFi Mesh system. Hate to say this, but it just works.

I have been looking at the various mesh systems - so if you don't mind, I have a few questions:

I take it that your experience with the Google system has been positive?
Does Google track any information or log anything? (i.e. does it "phone home" for any reason?)
Have there been any negatives that you have run into?
Does it cover the area adequately and can it handle a relatively large number of devices? (Our house routinely has 50+ devices logged into the network, with about half of them wireless; the house is about 3000 sq ft plus basement, so it's a fairly large area as well. At present, I have three Airport Extremes covering it, but there are still areas that will only get 2.4GHz, and weirdly, there are a few places near the middle of the house that the signal drops off to almost nothing.)

Thanks for any comments or suggestions -- feel free to PM me if you want to take it outside of this thread to avoid going off topic.
 
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Do you know what they all have in common? The death of Steve Jobs.

Hate to keep kicking a dead horse. But there is a universe of a difference if you compare the innovation between 2003 to 2008 and 2013 to 2018 (not including 2012 because those were likely supervised under him). Why could they deliver on time and pull off the balancing act back then?

They couldn’t.
 
Mac mini

Days Since Last Major Release: October 16, 2014 / 1,268 days ago
Lies and blasphemy!!1! That wasn't an update. That was a overt threat. Apple clearly said, "You wanna complain about updates? You REALLY wanna complain? To US!??! A'ight den. We'll give you something to complain about. Take this soldered POS as an update."

That's how it went down in my head. Since we live in a era when we can simply make up anything and challenge any contrary view as fake news, my version is the version we will adopt. ;)
 
I use the Back to My Mac feature often. It’s fantastic for tossing files onto the Time Capsule, or my other connected drive and grabbing things from my iMac while I’m on the go. It will be a shame if Apple drops the Airport line, as no other routers work with it.
 
Apple was the company that redesigned the iMac from the ground up 4 times in the space of 8 years, and all 4 of those were amazing groundbreaking redesigns in my view that are design classics. 3 of those major redesigns were done in the same time frame that the trash can Mac Pro has been left without even a spec bump. And Apple was a fraction of the size back then. I know their main product is the iPhone these days, but you can argue their main product was the iPod and variants back then, and they still took time to innovate on the Mac side. I know the Mac is a fraction of the market the iPhone is, but Apple themselves have said that the Mac alone is a Fortune 500 company in itself. Can you imagine any company other than Apple leaving a Fortune 500 tech company's product line untouched for so many years. It's ridiculous. They probably are gearing up for a change to ARM or other Apple created CPU architecture, but just like Apple kept releasing new PowerPC products right up until the Intel switchover, they should do the same here! They're just looking lazy and unfocused at this point.
 
Apple found a big cache of old TN LCD panels in a rundown warehouse in Taiwan. When they get down to the bottom of the pile where the moldy ones are, they'll finally stop making the MBA.
 
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This article/essay/topic reflects comments posted in just about every thread in the MR forums. Apple may have gotten rich beyond imagination- but they had to trash the Mac to do so. If someone isn't a fan of all-in-ones or laptops (or super computer iPads...) they're out of luck.
 
worst is that they finally killed the use of macs for CG (computer graphics) now. the fact that they need ANOTHER year, means that they (as expected) dont just want to do the obvious, to give us a modern tower with standard pci ports, hds, memory, but they AGAIN want to invent another abomination. i already see them marketing some weird new computer, shiny and beautyful but ignoring any standards. another exotic which will live a few years, most likely wont get upgraded much, leaving us with the same UNCERTAINTY if apple is going to provide high performance computers in the future. if you do CG or any business needing high end machines, apple is not a reliable partner. it wasnt already, the last 5 years, and at some point you need to let it go. macos is a good system, but apple transitioned from a a computer manufacturer to a mainstream-only oriented company.
 
I love my 5th gen 2GB Time Capsule. I’ll keep using it until the day it dies or the next compelling WiFi standard. While backup is much slower than just using wired external drives, it’s just a really convenient solution. I hope they reconsider and start making routers again.
 
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Apple was the company that redesigned the iMac from the ground up 4 times in the space of 8 years, and all 4 of those were amazing groundbreaking redesigns in my view that are design classics. 3 of those major redesigns were done in the same time frame that the trash can Mac Pro has been left without even a spec bump. And Apple was a fraction of the size back then. I know their main product is the iPhone these days, but you can argue their main product was the iPod and variants back then, and they still took time to innovate on the Mac side. I know the Mac is a fraction of the market the iPhone is, but Apple themselves have said that the Mac alone is a Fortune 500 company in itself. Can you imagine any company other than Apple leaving a Fortune 500 tech company's product line untouched for so many years. It's ridiculous. They probably are gearing up for a change to ARM or other Apple created CPU architecture, but just like Apple kept releasing new PowerPC products right up until the Intel switchover, they should do the same here! They're just looking lazy and unfocused at this point.

The difference is that desktops and even notebooks just aren’t that important in this era like they still were in the naughts. This is even more true depending on your career. If you work in the tech then yes, you need power. If you don’t not so much. Apple revenue is at an all time high. Enthusiasts would like to see certain things, but mainstream customers just don’t care. They want good looking, well built products and no one does this better than Apple.

Most people once out of school don’t need real computers for much more than Office. Those who never went to college don’t need anything more than a phone and tablet which can handle all of the basic functionality they would use a computer for.
 
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