Who wants the next line of imacs to have 3tb?

[motulist]

I don't think it's most people I think it's about half...

Hmm, hard drive capacity doubles every year, and I'm pretty sure that most types of users haven't had their storage needs doubling every year during the past few years.

When simple text editing evolved to more complex word processing, it significantly multiplied storage requirements. When apps started using graphic interfaces instead of command line interfaces, it significantly multiplied storage requirements. When computers let you do low res black and white graphics editing and adding clip art into your word processing documents, it significantly multiplied storage requirements. etc... When CDs came out you could install much larger programs... When broadband came out people were able to easily download lots of music and multimedia files... When digital cameras out... When easy home video editing came out... etc.

But in the past 3 years, what major new computer-use change has happened that multiplied most people's storage requirements? The only major change I can think of that's happened to most people's computer usage over the past 3 years is that everyone is using "the cloud" now (gmail, google docs, netflix, hulu, youtube, Steam Cloud), all of which *decrease* the amount of local storage that most people need.

Sure, video professionals are now doing more HD editing, and other similar types of very small niche populations will have increased their storage needs over the past 3 years. But unless you can think of some other cause of a major increase in most people's local storage needs that I happen to be forgetting about, then this means that the vast majority of people have had their local storage requirements grow very slowly over the past 3 years, or maybe even shrunk.

 

[mayhone1]

You've got a point by saying that. Honestly, I just picked some random numbers to illustrate what I meant. When I was choosing my iMac I considered even the 500GB drive large for my needs (coming from a laptop with 320GB of which I used no more than 100GB) but a year later I don't think such drive is 'large' as 1/3 has already been filled. For a home computer it satisfies my needs as the only user of the computer. Had I been to choose a new computer now I wouldn't have preferred an iMac with a HDD maller than 1GB. I expect 1GB will be the offering for the entry-level 2012.

I'm guessing you mean 1Tb?

Another factor to point out is that for some people imac's are family computers, so they need more space for a big media library, that has media for many different tastes and other things beyond media.

Anyway I really hope they put a 3tb drive in the mac, because the imac is for myself mainly, but my wife also uses it.

 

[mayhone1]

Hmm, hard drive capacity doubles every year, and I'm pretty sure that most types of users haven't had their storage needs doubling every year during the past few years.

When simple text editing evolved to more complex word processing, it significantly multiplied storage requirements. When apps started using graphic interfaces instead of command line interfaces, it significantly multiplied storage requirements. When computers let you do low res black and white graphics editing and adding clip art into your word processing documents, it significantly multiplied storage requirements. etc... When CDs came out you could install much larger programs... When broadband came out people were able to easily download lots of music and multimedia files... When digital cameras out... When easy home video editing came out... etc.

But in the past 3 years, what major new computer-use change has happened that multiplied most people's storage requirements? The only major change I can think of that's happened to most people's computer usage over the past 3 years is that everyone is using "the cloud" now (gmail, google docs, netflix, hulu, youtube, Steam Cloud), all of which *decrease* the amount of local storage that most people need.

Sure, video professionals are now doing more HD editing, and other similar types of very small niche populations will have increased their storage needs over the past 3 years. But unless you can think of some other cause of a major increase in most people's local storage needs that I happen to be forgetting about, then this means that the vast majority of people have had their local storage requirements grow very slowly over the past 3 years, or maybe even shrunk.

Have you forgotten that most if not all media now is digital and within the past few years dvd's are being succeeded, there are people that keep not only there iTunes content in storage, but also there whole lives and whole media collection including their own DVD and sometimes blueray, not to mention music and photos, to name just a few.

Not to mention you have to remember there are many different types of users, not only are there people who love movies, there are people that make them, make videos, and artists like myself who save all of their creations, these types of people would probably see their need for storage double more than you think and there are many of these people are there. I am an artist and I do see my need for storage doubling almost every year. And lets not forget about the people in the arm forces. I know a few and literally they get by by watching as many movies as possible, which mean a lot of storage. I think you are under estimating the need for storage.

 

[Schranke]

I hope they will get a bigger SSD before the go for a bigger HHD.
I can see the reason why some would want 3TB of data in their iMac ( i would to) but when it come to using it, i will be good with a 512gb SSD for anything else.
My plane for when i will get a iMac (2012) will be that i use the HHD as a shared drive for my computers at home, sharing music, pictures, movies and so on so i don't need to have it multiple places.

 

[GeekGuys]

Considering the iMac is sold for it's form factor and all-in-one design I for one don't want to have to connect large bulky disk arrays to my iMac. I like the simplicity of the iMac.

Personally, I would love to see a MBA style 128GB solidstate boot drive with 3-5TB internal disk options for storage.
iCLOUD will help with backups (help commercially for Apple that is) and the ability to have two 3TB internal drives would be fantastic. One for data, one for TimeCapsule backup.

I have had my last iMac since early 2008 and starting to think an upgrade would be worth doing. No real need, just desire really. However, I have had to install a 2TB drive in mine for all the online storage, and I have a 2TB TC attached for backup, and finally Dropbox for online backup of critical stuff. Very happy with local HDD as my broadband sucks so I need all my data available. Cloud working is a distant dream for anyone in the UK I feel !!!

 

[mayhone1]

Considering the iMac is sold for it's form factor and all-in-one design I for one don't want to have to connect large bulky disk arrays to my iMac. I like the simplicity of the iMac.

Personally, I would love to see a MBA style 128GB solidstate boot drive with 3-5TB internal disk options for storage.
iCLOUD will help with backups (help commercially for Apple that is) and the ability to have two 3TB internal drives would be fantastic. One for data, one for TimeCapsule backup.

I have had my last iMac since early 2008 and starting to think an upgrade would be worth doing. No real need, just desire really. However, I have had to install a 2TB drive in mine for all the online storage, and I have a 2TB TC attached for backup, and finally Dropbox for online backup of critical stuff. Very happy with local HDD as my broadband sucks so I need all my data available. Cloud working is a distant dream for anyone in the UK I feel !!!

I really like your reply, I agree with you too by the way, 3-5 Tb is needed because the iMac is suppose to be an all in one, if we have to include a huge drive array system apple might as well sell the power mac for a cheaper price.

 

[TrollToddington]

I'm guessing you mean 1Tb?

Correct, I meant 1TB. Sorry for the typo.

 

[mayhone1]

Correct, I meant 1TB. Sorry for the typo.

It happens...

 

[srxtr]

...for now. In 5 year's time there will be people complaining their machine is equipped with only 5TB disk space. Remember 10 years ago 10GB wes considered plenty...

People upgrade more frequently compared to those from 10 years ago. Most people upgrade every 3 to 6 years now.

You're right in saying that 10GB was considered plenty TEN years ago... but in the last 10 years I went through 4 computers and have about 3 external hard drives.

For 99% of the people (most MacRumors members don't even fit in this category) 2TB is plenty for the next 3+ years.

 

[smashdev2011]

The more space, the better...

 

[motulist]

Have you forgotten that most if not all media now is digital and within the past few years dvd's are being succeeded, there are people that keep not only there iTunes content in storage, but also there whole lives and whole media collection including their own DVD and sometimes blueray, not to mention music and photos, to name just a few.

I didn't forget that, in fact I specifically mentioned that - but those leaps happened several years ago for most people. The significant increase in storage requirements come from the adding of new usages, not from continuing to use computers in the way you used to. In other words, when you first get a digital camera all of a sudden you have a large new storage requirement, and then people have to buy additional storage capacity to handle that extra need for the foreseeable future, so just continuing to take pictures at the same rate you've taken them in the past won't lead to you needing more storage space than you've already got for a very long time. Same goes for the other things you mentioned like people putting their music libraries onto their computer. That happened many years ago for most people, so the extra storage space needed for those activities has already been added.

there people who love movies,

Yes, and more and more those people are REDUCING the amount of movies that they store locally because now they're doing much more video streaming instead.

there are people that make videos, and artists like myself who save all of their creations, these types of people would probably see their need for storage double more than you think and there are many of these people are there. I am an artist and I do see my need for storage doubling almost every year.

Again, I already specifically mentioned this. Major HD video production pros do need more storage space, but very, VERY few people are video production pros. The most video production that 99.9% of users do is simply downloading an occasional video from their camera and posting it to facebook.

And lets not forget about the people in the arm forces. I know a few and literally they get by by watching as many movies as possible, which mean a lot of storage. I think you are under estimating the need for storage.

Again, you are talking about an EXTREMELY small number of users. You're talking about people who're in the armed forces that have access to a personal laptop yet who are also able to use it regularly when they're away from a base (since many bases have broadband) and who're also away from base for many months at a time which requires them to need thousands of movies and TV shows available on their laptop at all times (because any laptop from the past couple of years will already be able to hold at least a couple of hundred compressed movies and TV shows.)

People upgrade more frequently compared to those from 10 years ago. Most people upgrade every 3 to 6 years now.

You're right in saying that 10GB was considered plenty TEN years ago... but in the last 10 years I went through 4 computers and have about 3 external hard drives.

For 99% of the people (most MacRumors members don't even fit in this category) 2TB is plenty for the next 3+ years.

Completely agree. There definitely are some users who have had large increases in their storage needs that exceed the amount of storage they already had (like video professionals), but for the vast majority of users their storage needs have remained pretty constant for the past few years and all signs point to that trend continuing or even strengthening for the foreseeable future.

Of course there's nothing wrong with including higher capacity storage drives, if it's cheap then why not? But the iMac isn't intended for high end professional video producers. You can use an imac for video production, but it makes no sense to complain if the imac doesn't meet your professional high def video production needs, because that's not what Apple designed the machine for, and they never marketed it as such. If you're an HD video production professional, then the iMac doesn't need to change to suit your needs, rather you need to get a different machine that's suited to your needs.

 

[Hexley]

I would prefer it has 5TB. Seagate is already selling drives with 1TB platters.

 

[TrollToddington]

People upgrade more frequently compared to those from 10 years ago. Most people upgrade every 3 to 6 years now.

I agree with you 3 to 6 years is a realistic period one can expect to be productive on their new computer. However, I think it has always been like that and I disagree in the past most people used to upgrade their machines less frequently than now.

For 99% of the people (most MacRumors members don't even fit in this category) 2TB is plenty for the next 3+ years.

We still don't know what software/hardware will appear during the next 3+ years. 10 years ago digital cameras and camcorders were not so common. Now there are talks of 4K screens and whatnot which will come with their needs for more space. It's inevitable.

 

[mayhone1]

I would prefer it has 5TB. Seagate is already selling drives with 1TB platters.

Seagate also have 4tb drives available now, But I have called all over no one will upgrade iMacs drives if there still in warranty.

 

[flynz4]

I didn't forget that, in fact I specifically mentioned that - but those leaps happened several years ago for most people. The significant increase in storage requirements come from the adding of new usages, not from continuing to use computers in the way you used to. In other words, when you first get a digital camera all of a sudden you have a large new storage requirement, and then people have to buy additional storage capacity to handle that extra need for the foreseeable future, so just continuing to take pictures at the same rate you've taken them in the past won't lead to you needing more storage space than you've already got for a very long time. Same goes for the other things you mentioned like people putting their music libraries onto their computer. That happened many years ago for most people, so the extra storage space needed for those activities has already been added.

I do not agree with all aspects of your assessment.

First... what I do agree with: There will be a big trend away from "hoarding movies"... instead toward "streaming movies". Given that video has the highest potential of filling your available storage... this has a huge affect on one's storage needs. Still... there will be a huge number of people who feel compelled to have a large digital video collection and for them, they will need some solution that is more expandable than what an integrated iMac would likely offer.

Second... what I do not agree with: In the bolded section above, you state that once a conversion to digital (music, movies, photos, etc) is completed, then the storage space grows at a manageable pace. I think you are underestimating the how the data sizes change over time as equipment improves. Ex: my personal digital cameras have gone from 0.5 mp -> 1mp - 2.1mp -> 4.3mp - 6.3mp -> 14mp -> 16.3mp. Over that time, an individual image has increased in size from ~100KB -> 25MB. Add in the fact that converting from film to digital... the incremental cost of taking the next picture has approached $0.00 which drives us to take more pictures than ever.

In my first 10 years of shooting 100% digital photos... my entire photo library was only about 50GB. Last month I had a daughter who was married, and we shot 165GB of photos a single day. That single day was greater than 3X my first 10 years of shooting digital. Granted that is an unusual day... but nevertheless... even if you remove the "unusual days", my yearly photos now grow at a current rate of about 100GB/year. That is a huge change.

Likewise, I recently converted 25 years of old 8mm SD camcorder movies to digital, and their entire size was about 20GB. Now with an HD 1080p camcorder, I can easily shoot that much in a single day.

The good news is that storage capacity has been growing faster than our usage. Hence, for most people (myself included)... the natural increases that come with each product generation are outpacing our needs (which I think was the main point of your post).

Personally... I have broken through the 1TB mark, so I am very glad that I chose to upgrade my 2009 iMac to 2TB. It is possible that 2TB will suffice for my next machine (2012 iMac)... but I am not 100% sure. If a 3TB (or higher) model is offered, then I will surely CTO that option. I'll also be getting an SSD... the lack of which is my biggest disappointment with my current iMac.

/Jim