Top Stories: March 8 Apple Event, New iMac Pro Rumors, Universal Control vs. Sidecar, and More

[InuNacho]

First there is no M-series iMac Pro released, you can look at how it runs on a 2021 M1 Pro/Max 14"and 16" MBP for fact finding. Also you could also search against scientific software running on the M1 24" iMac.
Software is either universal (ARM native support) or x86 Mac programs play via Rosetta 2 if they are 64 bit variety.

I know there is no M-Series iMac Pro YET, hence what I'm asking.

I don't know what scientific software is left for or being switched to ARM. I had a brief gig at a govt lab doing setting up lab cameras for testing. They had just switched to the then new Trashcan Mac Pros and there was a bit of a curve for putting software that used to run on internal cards now running on external machines. There was grumbling of switching to Windows then but that was almost a decade ago. I'm no longer working in that field and haven't kept up so I do not genuinely know what scientific software and houses using it will make the switch.

I understand if they're 64 bit but what about plugins, drivers, etc? You can have whatever application you want but if the needed plugin for a piece of external hardware has yet to be updated or is broken by the latest swatch of OS updates, whats the point?

 

[sorgo †]

really hoping for a new purple or green iphone 13 color 😔

 

[JanoschR]

Where‘s the bonus episode? Did I miss it somehow?

 

[reyesmac]

Interested in a Mac mini Pro only if a 32GB 512GB 10-core configuration is only $1600, more than that I'd go with a MacBook Pro 14".

With intel macs the 27in low end model Apple still sells is configured almost the same as an BTO mini. With an actually useful amount of ram, 16gb. The difference between that BTO mini and the low end 27in iMac is $500. Problem is, you have to spend $400 more on a Mac Mini to be on pare spec wise to a base model iMac. The current minis are basically identical to the low end colorful iMacs out now. If the M2 mini is to have the same chips as the 27in prosumer iMacs Apple has yet to release, which would start at $1,800. That means you will need to spend at least $1,500 (no matter if the base price is $1,100 like the intel one was, those are always underpowered and you need to pay up front to upgrade them) to match the base model iMac with an actually useful amount of ram that you need to tack on another $200 for. The current $1,100 has to be upgraded to a $1,500 price tag to match a base model 27in intel imac now. That won't change with the new chips. You will still have to pay this much to match an equivalent iMac.

The current minis need a CPU bump - $200 extra and a ram bump - $200 extra to match a base model iMac bumped up to an actually useful amount of ram. And that probably means the M2 chips are slower than the pro and max ones and if not then its basically a M1 pro chip with most of the GPU's taken away. A maxed out mini will be $500 away from an iMac that is the same speed or $500 away from a Macbook pro that has more GPU cores.

The best we can hope (and pray for) is that Apples minimum ram for faster than M1 chips is 16gb. Because if its still 8gb get ready to spend hundreds more just to make it worth buying.

 

[marklcfc]

delete

 

[SactoGuy18]

I really only see three products being announced: iPhone SE 3, iPad Air 5, and the Mac mini "pro" models with the M1 Pro and M1 Max SoC's. Maybe the M2 MacBook Air if the M2 SoC is based on a modified A15 SoC.

 

[fearless22]

I agree. Mac Mini is due for an update desperately. I'm pretty sure it'll make its debut in the spring Apple event.

It will likely happen in this event

However their "promise" time hasn't expired so they still have a few months to replace the high-end Intel one

 

[fearless22]

I'm ready for a new HomePod.

I admit it Apple. I was wrong. You were right.

I really do want a HomePod based Atmos sound solution that wirelessly works from my Apple TV 4k

Same thoughts

 

[EdT]

I'm ready for a new HomePod.

I admit it Apple. I was wrong. You were right.

I really do want a HomePod based Atmos sound solution that wirelessly works from my Apple TV 4k

When Apple first announced the HomePod they didn’t really specify what they were doing with it. I was hoping that it would be a Sonos/Bose sound bar competitor where you could link 5-7 speakers for Dolby/Atmos surround sound and also use them optimized for music playback. Looking now at “premium sound bars” you see prices around $1800-3000 , so 4 or 5 HomePod’s at $2-2500 wouldn’t be a ridiculous comparison. I really don’t know why Apple was so unfocused about where this speaker could have fit into a home and video entertainment system. WiFi/Alexa/Google speaker competitor, it’s way too expensive. A component to turn your Apple TV into a very good surround Dolby/Atmos Sound speaker AND a home music player- not overpriced and could have competed if the sound really was as good as Apple kept claiming that it was.

 

[JanoschR]

The HomePod problem in a nutshell:

They developed a _really_ good speaker and once they had that they put Siri on top to compete with all the smart speakers that have gotten popular in the meantime. But the usual smart speaker is some low cost trash device that is not only cheap (and subsidised by whatever the company is doing as their main business (e.g. ads)) but has also a better "smart assistant". So, in comparing just the smart speaker stuff, the HomePod is more expensive and not as smart as others. Nobody looked at the sound and that was in part Apples fault (marketing).

That also explains the success of the HomePod mini: Siri has gotten better and now you have a decent price point (still with the Apple premium). The sound is ok-ish but that's not what most people care about. That overall package now compares well with other smart speakers.