Lol, Tried to click on down
Expected link to chart showing how MBP prices went down over the last years for 15” segment....
How can you say this with straight face
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Year in Review: Everything Apple Introduced in 2018
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Lol, Tried to click on down
Expected link to chart showing how MBP prices went down over the last years for 15” segment....
How can you say this with straight face
Mac Pro 2006 was a full tower case, similar to the power Mac g5. Case then used with mods through 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012 Mac Pro’s.
Trash Can is the 2013 small black cylinder.
So hasn’t been upgraded in 5 years, and should be replaced next year.
This “greed” thing boggles my mind. I don’t get it. In the US capitalist economy, it is called profit maximization. All companies in this economy pursue profit maximization.
So, let’s stop calling it “greed” and call it what it is. Now, if Apple overprices their products such that unit sales drop too much, they will no longer be maximizing profits.....and, they will need to adjust their pricing strategy. It’s a self curing problem.
At this time, Apple clearly thinks higher priced products are their best profit maximizing strategy. They may be wrong, but I can guarantee this...no one on this forum has better access to the financial data than Apple management or is in a better place to determine if the strategy is correct.
So, let’s stop calling it “greed” and call it what it is. Now, if Apple overprices their products such that unit sales drop too much, they will no longer be maximizing profits.....and, they will need to adjust their pricing strategy. It’s a self curing problem.
At this time, Apple clearly thinks higher priced products are their best profit maximizing strategy. They may be wrong, but I can guarantee this...no one on this forum has better access to the financial data than Apple management or is in a better place to determine if the strategy is correct.
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I guess it is a matter of perspective. Customers don’t care about profit margins. They want a fair deal. If the deal doesn’t feel fair anymore they make themselves heard. Especially if they value the service / product a lot, or if it is some kind monopoly.
It can all become very emotional when people are depending on these products / services for feeding the family and feel forced to accept deals they perceive as very unfair.
With all of this kvetching, it seems like there is one product most folks will agree was a winner for the average consumer. That is the base 2018 iPad. I think this is an amazingly great value. During the Holidays, you could pick one up for $229.
There are tons of users that could get by just fine with an iPad plus Bluetooth Keyboard (for occasional long typing sessions) as their primary personal computing device. I am thinking of people that have an employer provided laptop (which is most office workers) that just need something for routine personal day to day stuff.
With these base iPads, Apple opened up their entire ecosystem to lots of people at a very affordable price. Apple Pencil support further enhanced the experience for those that like to draw. It's a good deal.
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I agree it does become emotional. My problem is with the word "greed". It is an emotional term that implies some kind of irrational or nefarious intent. Profit maximization is very rational, and it isn't nefarious or evil....it is quite literally the stated intent/purpose of all "for profit" companies.
There are tons of users that could get by just fine with an iPad plus Bluetooth Keyboard (for occasional long typing sessions) as their primary personal computing device. I am thinking of people that have an employer provided laptop (which is most office workers) that just need something for routine personal day to day stuff.
With these base iPads, Apple opened up their entire ecosystem to lots of people at a very affordable price. Apple Pencil support further enhanced the experience for those that like to draw. It's a good deal.
[doublepost=1545959469][/doublepost]
I agree it does become emotional. My problem is with the word "greed". It is an emotional term that implies some kind of irrational or nefarious intent. Profit maximization is very rational, and it isn't nefarious or evil....it is quite literally the stated intent/purpose of all "for profit" companies.
The "Crayon," but that's made by Logitech I think. It also only works with the basic iPad.
And...more specifically, it's Nbase-T Ethernet. Which means it can support 1Gbit, 2.5Gbit, 5Gbit, and 10Gbit - automatically negotiated.
Which is great if your your ethernet cable is say Cat 6 that would normally not support 10Gbit rates, but could potentially support 2.5Gbit or possibly even 5Gbit rates if the cable length is not too long.
For me, that's a killer feature and why I'll soon be purchasing a 2018 Mini.
I know the feeling. That was pretty much me in 2017. So much Apple spending.
I think it was a good year of releases for Apple.
6 core 15”MBP and 4 core 13”MBPs are both a big step up from the previous generation. When it’s time to upgrade from my 2014 i7 imac, the 15”MBP is now a serious option power wise.
The 13” MBP is now worth the money with quad core and hyper threading. If I decide to keep the iMac the 13” MBP has enough power for me to use Cubase and VST plugins while travelling.
The new MacBook Air has delivered what everyone had been calling for in the MacBook sub-forum:- a 13” MacBook. As a happy 2015 base model user, I know the new MBA will be plenty fast for general computing, though I think I’d probably still prefer the 12” model for maximum portability.
I bought a 13” iPad with pencil, which has been brilliant for work (I’m an architect) adding sketching and quick PDF markups to my workflow.
The price rises have prevented me from upgrading my aging iPhone 6 Plus. The XR is a bit to thick and heavy for me and seems hard to hold. I’d like the XS, but it’s a few hundred dollars too much, so I’ll try to last another year before I upgrade.
Likewise the HomePod. I’d really like one, but it’s just a bit too expensive. I’m going to keep an eye on Gumtree/EBay and hope for some unwanted Christmas gifts to go on sale second hand to make it worthwhile.
If the prices were 10-20% less, I would have bought a new iPhone XS, a HomePod and an IPad Pro. Due to the cost I just got the IPad Pro and will wait for the other things or buy them used. Not sure that Apples pricing strategy is helping them too well in my case.
Anyways, the hardware released this year was pretty solid.
6 core 15”MBP and 4 core 13”MBPs are both a big step up from the previous generation. When it’s time to upgrade from my 2014 i7 imac, the 15”MBP is now a serious option power wise.
The 13” MBP is now worth the money with quad core and hyper threading. If I decide to keep the iMac the 13” MBP has enough power for me to use Cubase and VST plugins while travelling.
The new MacBook Air has delivered what everyone had been calling for in the MacBook sub-forum:- a 13” MacBook. As a happy 2015 base model user, I know the new MBA will be plenty fast for general computing, though I think I’d probably still prefer the 12” model for maximum portability.
I bought a 13” iPad with pencil, which has been brilliant for work (I’m an architect) adding sketching and quick PDF markups to my workflow.
The price rises have prevented me from upgrading my aging iPhone 6 Plus. The XR is a bit to thick and heavy for me and seems hard to hold. I’d like the XS, but it’s a few hundred dollars too much, so I’ll try to last another year before I upgrade.
Likewise the HomePod. I’d really like one, but it’s just a bit too expensive. I’m going to keep an eye on Gumtree/EBay and hope for some unwanted Christmas gifts to go on sale second hand to make it worthwhile.
If the prices were 10-20% less, I would have bought a new iPhone XS, a HomePod and an IPad Pro. Due to the cost I just got the IPad Pro and will wait for the other things or buy them used. Not sure that Apples pricing strategy is helping them too well in my case.
Anyways, the hardware released this year was pretty solid.
El oh el. And what’s truly pathetic is that Apple completely squandered that lead they had and are now playing catch up.
Substitute the word Apple with Comcast in your post and see how Apple fares in comparison!
Base 2010 15" MBP - US$1,799 ($2,079 in 2018 dollars)
Base 2018 15" MBP - US$2,399
An above inflation increase of $320.
Apple has two problems:
1) there are good alternatives to Apple products with better specs in the market (what wasn’t true when Steve was the CEO).
2) the alternatives are *cheaper*
I hope the 2019 review will be: Apple got it's groove back! (Hopefully)
1) there are good alternatives to Apple products with better specs in the market (what wasn’t true when Steve was the CEO).
2) the alternatives are *cheaper*
I hope the 2019 review will be: Apple got it's groove back! (Hopefully)
Apple will introduce the iCar - their own car which is auto everything. Also, the New 2019 Mac Pro which has 16 slots and upgradable ! Probably not.
2018 was set to be a year when I didn’t need to buy anything Apple. I had a brand new iPhone X, was very happy with my Apple Watch Series 3, my 12.9” iPad Pro works great and has largely replaced my Mac.
On a whim, I decided to get a HomePod. This may not be a popular opinion over here on MacRumors but I’m really impressed with it and it’s become a device I wouldn’t want to live without. With its beautiful sound signature, I listen to way more music than ever. Paired with Apple Music, it’s really learned my tastes and just knows what to play. I walk around my home and just speak out loud to control lights, get ready for bed, set a scene for dinner or let HomePod know that I’ve gotten upwhich wakes up my home. If I have a general knowledge question, I’ll no longer reach for my phone, I just ask out loud. The same for setting reminders of things to do through the day. If I’m wondering what’s happening in the world, I’ll ask for a news update.
I really don’t get what people are missing on a HomePod that they get on an Amazon Echo or Google Home. I have the latter and I never use its gimicky games. Shortcuts have made HomePod infinitely more useful and I expect that to expand. I never have to ask my HomePod anything more than once. It understands me the first time.
I can see the future of general home computing and I like the basics approach that Apple is taking with HomePod.
In 2019, I’m looking forward to getting another full-size HomePod, and a couple of HomePod minis if Apple expands the lineup, the next generation AppleTV and likely an AppleWatch series 5.
On a whim, I decided to get a HomePod. This may not be a popular opinion over here on MacRumors but I’m really impressed with it and it’s become a device I wouldn’t want to live without. With its beautiful sound signature, I listen to way more music than ever. Paired with Apple Music, it’s really learned my tastes and just knows what to play. I walk around my home and just speak out loud to control lights, get ready for bed, set a scene for dinner or let HomePod know that I’ve gotten upwhich wakes up my home. If I have a general knowledge question, I’ll no longer reach for my phone, I just ask out loud. The same for setting reminders of things to do through the day. If I’m wondering what’s happening in the world, I’ll ask for a news update.
I really don’t get what people are missing on a HomePod that they get on an Amazon Echo or Google Home. I have the latter and I never use its gimicky games. Shortcuts have made HomePod infinitely more useful and I expect that to expand. I never have to ask my HomePod anything more than once. It understands me the first time.
I can see the future of general home computing and I like the basics approach that Apple is taking with HomePod.
In 2019, I’m looking forward to getting another full-size HomePod, and a couple of HomePod minis if Apple expands the lineup, the next generation AppleTV and likely an AppleWatch series 5.
Only in about the past month. However, the TREND from early 2016 to around September 2018 was UP and UP. I would imagine that Apple (who probably forecasts and purchases something like Aluminum ore several YEARS in advance), likely PREDICTED that there was unlikely to be a change in that TREND any time soon. But since the entire economy has started to "retract", it was enough to reverse the rise in Aluminum.
So, let's see if Apple's price increases start to slow or even reverse, too.
Let me guess. No SD card slot. Buggy T2 chip. I don't know about you but I would rather get the current gen coz I know the next redesign will be disapointing.
Yes, let's just HAVE that Reality Check, shall we?
Apple still sells more Tablets than anyone else. And note that this was in August 2018, before the latest iPads were announced:
http://fortune.com/2018/08/02/apple-samsung-tablet-market/
iPhone sales are doing just fine, too. I certainly wouldn't call them "stalled":
https://www.statista.com/statistics/263401/global-apple-iphone-sales-since-3rd-quarter-2007/
Apple's "basic spec" prices have NOT "gone up by as much as 60%". Base-Models have stayed either the same as last year or have had a 10-20% increase overall.
(Prove me wrong)
Entry-Level specs of 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of SSD is EXACTLY on-par with pretty much every computer OEM out there. Prove me wrong.
Many laptops now have soldered (not "welded") RAM and even SSD. And that is because it is more reliable for a laptop, and because only a VERY small percentage of computer users (and pretty much ZERO "Pro Users!) EVER mess with Upgrading systems. They just purchase a new one, and get the advantages of the newer system as a bonus.
Cylindrical Mac Pro is NOT 12 years old; it is FIVE years old. Please learn your history.
No need to substantially change the iMac design. It is already pretty optimal. Slight changes have actually been made pretty much every year or two, though.
The rest of your rant doesn't even deserve a response.