Will Apple withdraw the Macbook pro?

[terminator-jq]

As I said in the other thread, when it comes to the Touchbar models, people are complaining about a device that has no reviews, no in-store demo units and has yet to hit stores. All of this negativity surrounding the new MacBook Pros is pointless until people actually get their hands on them. Now, a week from now, if the reviews suck and people seem to hate the new models then maybe we'll see Apple make some slight changes on the next one (perhaps the SD card slot will return or maybe Apple will include a free dongle in the box). However, I don't see Apple withdrawing the Pro line just because people on the internet are complaining about something they haven't even physically touched yet.

The way I see it, the new MacBook Pro's might be a little ahead of time which is causing some frustration in the present. However, I think by this time next year:

1. We'll see a price drop (maybe $1599 for the 13" w/TB)

2. USB-C / TB3 will be more popular (I wouldn't be surprised if the next iPhone ships with a USB-C cable), and having 4 TB3 ports will be more useful. Mark my words, CES 2017 will be filled with USB-C and TB3 devices and wires.

3. The Touchbar will have more software support and hopefully some customization options

Remember, Apple usually only does a major redesign for their Pro laptops once every 4 years. Looking at the new MBP, it certainly looks like Apple has given us something that will age well (P3 color, USB-C, Touchbar, very fast SSD).

 

[protoxx]

If anything they will keep repeating the company and standing their ground.

*Might* as a olive branch start including a cable or dongle and might send one to registered owners before that or give a itunes credit (unlikely but if the heat is on maybe).

Any change (a'la Air 2010/2011) might make some change to ports (if Steve was around more likely) but likely the third year.

Best hope is for a pricing adjustment year 2 or 3 or 4 or 5......

 

[monkeydax]

I short...Apple..doesn't withdraw products. So not sure what the long discussion is about. Sure we'll see some processor or GPU bumps, maybe RAM bumps, SSD capacity increases. But other than that, expect these new MBPs to be selling (well) for the next 3-4 years.

 

[protoxx]

What about polycarbonate macbook to aluminum macbook to polycarbonate macbook?

 

[monkeydax]

Don't think that was them withdrawing products. Just figuring out a polycarbonate macbook would be a good budget computer to launch. Don't recall them removing polycarbonate MacBooks and reintroducing them after.

 

[happyslayer]

This happens every time Apple releases a new product and removes some kind of port or feature... floppy, DVD, Ethernet, FireWire... and now USB-A and mem-card slots, leaving only Thunderbolt3 & USB-C in the current line up. Everyone cries foul, believes Apple is doomed and that they will put back whatever they took off in the next product refresh because people complain. (whine?) Doesn't usually (ever?) happen. This MacBook Pro will sell well and in a year it will be the norm. That's the Apple way. Coming from a person with a rMB with just one USB-C port... you get used to it. Honestly. Not that bad to carry a couple dongles in the ole laptop bag.

 

[monkeydax]

This happens every time Apple releases a new product and removes some kind of port or feature... floppy, DVD, Ethernet, USB-A and now the rest except Thunderboltp & USC-C. Everyone cries foul, believes Apple is doomed and they will put back whatever they took off earlier. Doesn't usually (ever?) happen. This MacBook Pro will sell well and in a year it will be the norm. That's the Apple way. Coming from a person with a rMB with just one USB C port... you get used to it.

Indeed.

 

[protoxx]

Don't think that was them withdrawing products. Just figuring out a polycarbonate macbook would be a good budget computer to launch. Don't recall them removing polycarbonate MacBooks and reintroducing them after.

MacBook early 2008 and earlier White and Black polycarbonate
MacBook late 2008 unibody (aluminum)
Macbook mid 2009 White polycarbonate
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook/index-macbook.html

Late 2008 introduced unibody (Aluminum) MacBook Pro aka classic MacBook Pro

Suspect from a marketing perspective they didn't want the bottom feeder Macbook with the quality case to be confused with the more expensive (premium) MacBook Pro.

 

[PaulWog]

Withdraw? No.

Provide special deals (ex. buy now and get free beats headphones, or free wireless headphones)... probably, around December 26th and onward.

Provide discounts? Probably not for another 6 months at least.

Release a 2017 update about 365 days from now? Probably. But the changes will probably just be improved internals, a 1080p front-facing camera, and similar (maybe $100 less but probs not) on pricing schemes.

 

[MacBH928]

People keep comparing the missing ports to the DVD-drive drop. When Apple dropped the DVD people were already streaming Netflix, and ipod has been released for like 10 years so you won't find many people still ripping tunes on a CD-R. To make a more fair comparison, imagine Apple dropping the DVD-drive in 2003 when most software was still on optical media.

With the drop of the USB-A port, nothing I own functions with the laptop including my backup HDDs and Apple's iphone 7. get the difference?

Doubt anything will change, this change for the 15" MacBook Pro brings it in line with some of the other product lines with an entry level legacy machine.

The old sans-Touchbar mid-2015 machine will likely be around a couple/few years offering legacy ports for those that need them.

The 2015 laptop is only $200 less than the MBP 2016 but you get the slower processor, slower RAM, slower iGPU. Doesn't sound like a good deal.

This MacBook Pro will sell well and in a year it will be the norm. That's the Apple way. Coming from a person with a rMB with just one USB-C port... you get used to it. Honestly. Not that bad to carry a couple dongles in the ole laptop bag.

We will have to see about that, history shows that a bad selling product = discontinued product.

And Personally, even though i use the SD card a lot, I dont want apple to bring back ports. Let the industry move forward. Yes I will be carrying 2 dongles with me all the time, but well sacrifices have to be made.

I don't get it, why are you happy that you will have to always carry a dongle that have the SD port built right in?

 

[maflynn]

Given how much backlash the Macbook Pro got in its first 10 days, Apple might not withdraw it per se, but they could release an "updated" model within 6 to 12 months with higher specs, more ports, and lower price?

I think Apple may be more inclined to update the MBP sooner then later if the latop does not sell.

Yes, there is a lot of backlash in the internet, be it MacRumors, YouTube, Reddit, or what have you. In a sense that doesn't matter if the sales of the laptops go through the roof. If sales peter out and are not sustaining, then Apple may be forced to rethink their strategy. To summarize, people voting with their wallets will be cause of apple changing its ways, not complaining on the internet

 

[Capt T]

Nearly every conference room I've been in for years has had HDMI hookups for the viewing monitors. I can't think of one that had a Display Port cable.

In the last year when going to a client and using their conference room, I have hooked into, DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, and even VGA.

 

[dapork]

I kinda skipped over most of the thread. I also think people are judging prematurely... They are expensive, but seeing as they're selling so well, it's a success from Apple's perspective.

I personally hope they don't release any updates FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS

Because I plan on buying one and I can only imagine the disappointment of spending all this money only to get stepped over so soon.

 

[hj576]

I don't get it, why are you happy that you will have to always carry a dongle that have the SD port built right in?

Because this will move the industry in the right direction, towards a single universal port. Cant i be happy for a better future and some one is taking the step to achieve it?

 

[aristobrat]

People keep comparing the missing ports to the DVD-drive drop.

It wasn't just a DVD_drive drop in 2012.
It was also an Ethernet drop.
... and a FireWire drop.
... and a mini-DisplayPort drop.
... and an optical out drop.
... and the first time RAM couldn't be upgraded in a Pro

And FWIW, the forum was fulllll of posts from people bemoaning the loss of the SuperDrive, so I'm thinking it was more impactful than your "everyone was on Netflix by then" thought.

With the drop of the USB-A port, nothing I own functions with the laptop including my backup HDDs and Apple's iphone 7. get the difference?

Right, just like how Ethernet and FireWire didn't "function" back with the 2012 MacBook Pro. There is no difference. Ports get dropped.

And UNLIKE when the Ethernet port got dropped back in 2012 (which resulted in people carrying around something extra they never had to carry before), you <for your iPhone and backup HDDs> won't have to carry anyone anything extra than what you carry today. You just need to replace your USB-A cables with USB-C cables. Extra cost to you? Yup. $19 for the iPhone cable (giving you the benefit of being able to plug directly into the MacBook Pro USB-C charger) and what ... $6-8 each for your backup HDDs?
[doublepost=1478612340][/doublepost]

I don't get it, why are you happy that you will have to always carry a dongle that have the SD port built right in?

Because many of them transfer data faster than the controller Apple used for it's in-built SD slot.
Because many of them have additional ports/capabilities besides just a SD-slot.

 

[zhenya]

People keep comparing the missing ports to the DVD-drive drop. When Apple dropped the DVD people were already streaming Netflix, and ipod has been released for like 10 years so you won't find many people still ripping tunes on a CD-R. To make a more fair comparison, imagine Apple dropping the DVD-drive in 2003 when most software was still on optical media.

With the drop of the USB-A port, nothing I own functions with the laptop including my backup HDDs and Apple's iphone 7. get the difference?

When Apple dropped the floppy disk on the original iMac, there was literally no other way the vast majority of users had to move or backup their data. The options were basically buy an external floppy drive for about $70, or a ZIP disk or equivalent for $200 or more. That same iMac dropped every other legacy port for the then brand-new USB port. Nobody had usb peripherals and adapters were not generally available - especially for a Mac!

You seem to think that Apple has gone off the deep end because you have to buy a couple of inexpensive cables! I'd maintain it's you that is completely out of touch with what makes Apple Apple.

 

[EnderBeta]

In the last year when going to a client and using their conference room, I have hooked into, DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, and even VGA.

I'll put it this way. The Crestron DM switchers being sold and installed right now that I have seen are not using display ports. However I see lots of 4K HDMI transmitters and receivers being used across the county in Universities, corporations and government facilities. Dropping HDMI now is premature and a step backwards to the days of using a thunderbolt to HDMI adapter.

 

[zhenya]

I'll put it this way. The Crestron DM switchers being sold and installed right now that I have seen are not using display ports. However I see lots of 4K HDMI transmitters and receivers being used across the county in Universities, corporations and government facilities. Dropping HDMI now is premature and a step backwards to the days of using a thunderbolt to HDMI adapter.

What you are missing is that DisplayPort on a computer could be seamlessly converted to any other display connection. HDMI to VGA requires an active adapter that is often flaky, and HDMI to displayport just flat out doesn't work.

That is why professional level laptops have often included displayport, rather than HDMI outputs. TB3 extends that kind of flexibility. Output to any kind of monitor type is trivial.

 

[Capt T]

I'll put it this way. The Crestron DM switchers being sold and installed right now that I have seen are not using display ports. However I see lots of 4K HDMI transmitters and receivers being used across the county in Universities, corporations and government facilities. Dropping HDMI now is premature and a step backwards to the days of using a thunderbolt to HDMI adapter.

And many companies still have legacy gear installed...so HDMI is not the end all be all. I travel across the country as well as globally for my job. So what I see may be different from what you see and that will be different from what the next person sees. It means one more dongle to carry...and reality is I already carry an HDMI adaptor so for me same amount of dongles....

 

[0x100]

Apple did bring the buttons back on the iPod Shuffle. They won't do anything until the next update.

And they added back the wide screen on the nano

 

[bruinsrme]

Not sure why they would withdraw.

I am priced out of the new MBP.

The industry as a whole has been slow to adopt. For me it is getting tiring.

This connector for this device, that type of cable for this. Mini to full, mini to mini, mini to micro, square peg round hole.

HDMI changed a lot of things, all for the better. The reduction of connections, cables and so on. But this technology seems to have limitations not to mention a sizable connector.

Display port more good but with limitations.

Windows based laptops still coming with VGA ports. My last company, HDMI to vga to display on the projector; which by the way looked awful.

Mophie is a great example of the fragmentation. iPhone battery pack requires a micro USB to charge and sync. whose fault; no idea but the consumer suffers.

I can understand why apple delivered what they have with the new MBP.

The ball is in the manufacturers. court. Start the adoption and simplify the connections or hang on to multiple connections.

Hometheater has almost completely moved to a single data, video, audio cable like apple has delivered.

I was not happy with apple in what they offered as far as connectors. After thinking about it, I have begun saving for the 2017 MBP and have started applying a little more focus on future purchases to ensure I will be able to use whatever it is with the new MBP.

Someone need to take the leap and lumps. Apple has the financial resources to do so.
​

 

[0x100]

What you are missing is that DisplayPort on a computer could be seamlessly converted to any other display connection. HDMI to VGA requires an active adapter that is often flaky, and HDMI to displayport just flat out doesn't work.

That is why professional level laptops have often included displayport, rather than HDMI outputs. TB3 extends that kind of flexibility. Output to any kind of monitor type is trivial.

Yeah it could be.

Apple needs to adapt to the world, the world not to apple.

 

[jackoatmon]

Will Apple recall all iPhone 7s and throw them in the ocean?

Will Apple roll back OSX to Snow Leopard?

Will Apple send representatives to each individual Mac-owner's home and help them destroy all their Apple products with a hammer?

Will Apple become a Windows OEM, focusing on the budget touchscreen market?

Will Apple employees all at once just quit and the company cease to exist with no warning whatsoever?

 

[EnderBeta]

What you are missing is that DisplayPort on a computer could be seamlessly converted to any other display connection. HDMI to VGA requires an active adapter that is often flaky, and HDMI to displayport just flat out doesn't work.

That is why professional level laptops have often included displayport, rather than HDMI outputs. TB3 extends that kind of flexibility. Output to any kind of monitor type is trivial.

I'm not missing that.

You need to realize that in the AV world Crestron Digital Media is king right now with AMX trailing behind with some cool stuff as well. These two companies use HDMI right now. That could change in a few years but with the 4K transmitters and receivers being relatively new it will probably be in 2 to 5 years. This is well past the life cycle of a typical consumer laptop.

Beyond that, AV systems are not designed around professional level laptops. AV systems are designed around laptops that end users tend to bring into an office. Machines with display port are being converted to HDMI. Machines with Thunderbolt are being converted to HDMI. That is just the way it is right now. My opinion will change if and when Crestron and AMX release updated IO cards, receivers and transmitters that provide for new technologies.

In the mean time the choice of Thunderbolt 3 only on the MacBook comes off as cost savings for the manufacturer, then gouging on selling the adapters to the customer for additional money in addition to the already increased price on the laptop.

Now the users have to remember to bring a dongle. That is one more thing to forget and only serves to increase the complexity of the user experience for who are by definition as end users, typically not of a technical background. They won't think much about not having a dongle until they need it and then it will blow up in their faces. Pray it isn't a CEO looking like a fool or heads will roll.

HDMI to VGA does work. I won't go into details on the client but they where given a mandate that all C series codecs would be kicked off the network. The client purchased SX series codecs to replace their C series codecs. They are still using VGA based Enova switchers because they don't have the budgeted money to upgrade the switching infrastructure at this time. I got a SX80 to route through a VGA connection with the 15 pin connector and the RGBHV BNC connectors. So yes HDMI to VGA is possible with some caveats.

 

[protoxx]

Will Apple recall all iPhone 7s and throw them in the ocean?

Ask Samsung about Note 7