Why Apple needs to announce new computer products at events? Can't they just do it ASAP?

[hajime]

As I recall, when Apple was still a computer company, it just released new computers whenever new Motorola/PPC CPUs were announced or when it came out with new products. However, in recent years, it looks like they released new computer products mainly at major events. How come? Can't they just release these products as soon as they are ready? Why do we have to wait for annual events? Is it their way to sell tickets? I don't like to wait for something to come out each June. I want to have it as soon as it is ready. Assuming that a new CPU comes out in July and all other manufacturers have released their new products using the new CPU, do we have to wait for the next June to have our MBP updated?

In the case of laptops, all major manufacturers have already released new laptops with the latest Intel CPU. Yet, we are still hoping that Apple would release new MBP with the new CPU in June.

 

[DeltaMac]

Your assertion is a bit inaccurate. Apple, over its recent history, has sometimes had three releases of new hardware within the same calendar year.
Granted, some of those might have been just speed bumps, although sometimes new processor generations have been released in the same year.

Apple has often used special events, but certainly not every time. Apple does occasionally announce new product, perhaps available that same day, without an event other than a news release.

(Sometimes Apple has released new product before it is ready (at least in some folks opinion) That might be the time you would rather have waited... )

 

[clystron]

Can't they just release these products as soon as they are ready? Why do we have to wait for annual events?

I dont think apple has finished (and mass-produced) products sitting around that just wait for the next event to be released and I also dont think there are apple employees waiting to start a development-cycle so that they dont finish to soon.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

Likely easier to announce multiple products at once, instead of taking down their store over and over again. And flooding the news channels with news on Apple products on the same day is more efficient than announcing a single product once in a while, when it comes to keeping the brand in consumers minds.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

As I recall, when Apple was still a computer company, it just released new computers whenever new Motorola/PPC CPUs were announced or when it came out with new products. However, in recent years, it looks like they released new computer products mainly at major events. How come? Can't they just release these products as soon as they are ready? Why do we have to wait for annual events? Is it their way to sell tickets? I don't like to wait for something to come out each June. I want to have it as soon as it is ready. Assuming that a new CPU comes out in July and all other manufacturers have released their new products using the new CPU, do we have to wait for the next June to have our MBP updated?

In the case of laptops, all major manufacturers have already released new laptops with the latest Intel CPU. Yet, we are still hoping that Apple would release new MBP with the new CPU in June.

Mostly because the chips that Apple uses are only just out as they use the top end with iris graphics for the 13 inch machines and the hexcores have only just been released too. Apple will also make sure these work before releasing and they have to produce enough stock for a worldwide change over.

I doubt we will get an announcement for minor spec bumps on their computers at all this year they be honest. Just a press release and a change of stock.

 

[hajime]

Likely easier to announce multiple products at once, instead of taking down their store over and over again. And flooding the news channels with news on Apple products on the same day is more efficient than announcing a single product once in a while, when it comes to keeping the brand in consumers minds.

Probably. The good Apple I remember was in a world where there was no www, google, online store, smartphone. It was just a computer company serving some of those belonged to the less than 10% of the population who knew computers.

 

[techwarrior]

Apple has a knack for flair, goes back to their history of Jobs showmanship introducing "game-changing" products like Mac, iPhone, iPad. Do they overdo it? Certainly, but, it is part of their DNA nonetheless and folks have come to expect it. It is, in a Marketing sense, an effective method to promote brand loyalty, something many other companies desperately try to do, but often fail because it just seems too "me too" when it is out of character. Apple is a rare bird in the tech industry, garnering a more loyal "Cult" than most other brands and it just feels unnatural when others try to copy the methods. I mean, really, how excited do folks get when Asus or Lenovo come out with a new model?

When minor speed bumps occur, they just put the new models on the web and keep going. When they come up with something new, they hold an "Event". It gives them the opportunity to sell users and more importantly, tech writers on the merits and use cases of new features, and builds up some hype and thus demand (I gotta have that, if just to try it).

Would we all like to see them be more aggressive with updating certain models? Most definitely. But Apple is challenged by the fact that they are beholden to supplier update cycles, which rarely align with their own. This is a big part of the rumors that circulate around them developing their own CPU chips, to break free of the Intel update cycles.

They seem to be more effective than many at timing their releases in order to maximize ROI. Churning products too fast eats at profits, allowing products to run a more natural course before becoming obsolete maximizes profits.They tend to view product cycles as something they have more control over than competitors who are trying to keep up. Again, right or not, that is their DNA.

 

[kohlson]

"Nothing happens without a trade show." Words which I attribute to Nolan Bushnell, whom I sheepishly have to explain to an increasing younger conference call crowd, is the inventor of Pong....an early video game. Which is to say, you need a forcing function to ensure that everyone - software, hardware, design, manufacturing, marketing, incoming and outgoing supply chains, channel readiness, etc - all know that they have to hit a scheduled date in order to get a product ready for an announcement. This is the orchestration of perhaps hundreds of global teams. Without this deadline, it's not hard to envision, say, s/w engineering, at the behest of marketing, chasing a just-over-the-horizon set of requirements.

 

[ActionableMango]

Can't they just release these products as soon as they are ready? Why do we have to wait for annual events?

I don't think there's a pattern or rule. I've seen several Macs released at media events, but also many Macs released without media event at all, and on rare occasion some Macs even announced at a media event before they are ready for release.

 

[960design]

As I recall, when Apple was still a computer company, it just released new computers whenever new Motorola/PPC CPUs were announced or when it came out with new products.

Apple keeps us guessing by quietly pushing out updates and other times throwing the extravaganza.