Apple CLARIFICATION from Apple Sales: Restriction on HDD Replacements on New iMacs

[iRobby]

As a future PC to iMac convert this coming summer, I was EXTREMELY disturbed by the OWC: Apple Further Restricts Upgrade Options on New iMacs report.

So I called Apple Sales to further investigate.

And I was assured that the story was true but only to a certain point.

yes, these are new hard drives which are not currently available from third parties for custom upgrades or replacements.

HOWEVER these new hard drives are new to the market they were designed to help with the heat issue in older iMacs. And yes, these types of hard drives are not available to third party vendors at the moment.

BUT this is because it is a new design. AND the new hard drives will become available to third party vendors for upgrades and replacements by year end. It is just a case of Apple being one step forward everyone else. And the marketplace has to play catch up the same as the Thunderbolt issue.

But again by years end along with Thunderbolt compatible devices these new drives will become available to vendors such as OWC by year end.

 

[Moz316]

Sweet. Hopefully these "new" drives will only be twice the price of regular drives..

 

[AlphaDogg]

They were designed to help with the heat issue in older iMacs.

What heat issue?

 

[iSayuSay]

Wow .. one more proof that iMac using component that hasn´t been in the market yet

First Z68 chipset, and then custom designed HDD .. how sweet is that, and yet hater say iMac is overpriced while using beyond hi-end components

Good job

 

[peanuthead]

Wow .. one more proof that iMac using component that hasn´t been in the market yet

First Z68 chipset, and then custom designed HDD .. how sweet is that, and yet hater say iMac is overpriced while using beyond hi-end components

Good job

Hmmm, can't figure out if you're being serious or sarcastic...

 

[Entourage12]

C'mon SSD caching

 

[kresh]

What heat issue?

The heat issue thats frags my hard drive annually in my iMac!

 

[iSayuSay]

Hmmm, can't figure out if you're being serious or sarcastic...

Serious of course, I really mean good job .. not good job with

It´s really hard today to tell if someone being sarcastic or serious, yeah?
We really should change our way of being sarcastic

 

[tsugaru]

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A new standard for a standard. Hmm...

If apple let you put their firmware ondrives that you install, that'd be fine. But since they don't this just seems quaint to me.

 

[Moz316]

Serious of course, I really mean good job .. not good job with

It´s really hard today to tell if someone being sarcastic or serious, yeah?
We really should change our way of being sarcastic

You seriously like the fact that Apple is trying to control everything you can and cant do with a computer you paid for? You are the ideal Apple customer. Bravo.

 

[iRobby]

Wow .. one more proof that iMac using component that hasn´t been in the market yet

First Z68 chipset, and then custom designed HDD .. how sweet is that, and yet hater say iMac is overpriced while using beyond hi-end components

Good job

Thank you iSayuSay, I'm glad someone else gets this as well. FYI the person I spoke with gave me his contact info after clarifying for me.

Also, I did not bring up where I read the article just mentioned I as a 1st time iMac buyer I was doing research. He mentioned the MacRumors article not me!

 

[iRobby]

You seriously like the fact that Apple is trying to control everything you can and cant do with a computer you paid for? You are the ideal Apple customer. Bravo.

How are they controlling you when the drives will be available to everyone to sell?

 

[tsugaru]

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You seriously like the fact that Apple is trying to control everything you can and cant do with a computer you paid for? You are the ideal Apple customer. Bravo.

How are they controlling you when the drives will be available to everyone to sell?

Because otherwise they'd be using standard SATA drives. You know; the ones everyone has been using for the past 6 years without saying "let's be keeners and finagle with the firmware."

 

[iRobby]

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Because otherwise they'd be using standard SATA drives. You know; the ones everyone has been using for the past 6 years without saying "let's be keeners and finagle with the firmware."

So you are saying they are controlling you by making advancements in drive technology (which btw other all-in-one computers may get) and making you get the benefits of the advancement vs not controlling by making you use less advanced and beneficial drive technology?

 

[Moz316]

How are they controlling you when the drives will be available to everyone to sell?

1. Not everyone will sell them.
2. They will only be used in Apple products.
3. They will cost more simply because they can.
4. It deters people even further from upgrading their computer themselves.

 

[tsugaru]

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Because otherwise they'd be using standard SATA drives. You know; the ones everyone has been using for the past 6 years without saying "let's be keeners and finagle with the firmware."

So you are saying they are controlling you by making advancements in drive technology (which btw other all-in-one computers may get) and making you get the benefits of the advancement vs not controlling by making you use less advanced and beneficial drive technology?

The "may" in your quote should sum it up.

Yes. Because I can't go buy a bigger hard drive off the shelf and replace it now, unless I get an Apple firmware branded one.

I mean, if i could only buy Apple branded RAM for my iMac, would you be defending Apple for that too?

 

[iSayuSay]

You seriously like the fact that Apple is trying to control everything you can and cant do with a computer you paid for? You are the ideal Apple customer. Bravo.

Indeed i am. Do you think you're not controlled either? You can't switch from AMD to intel using the same mainboard, can u? While you don't have the same problem when switching from AMD radeon to nvidia?

Don't u think that's a bit .... Restrictive

 

[iRobby]

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The "may" in your quote should sum it up.

Yes. Because I can't go buy a bigger hard drive off the shelf and replace it now, unless I get an Apple firmware branded one.

I mean, if i could only buy Apple branded RAM for my iMac, would you be defending Apple for that too?

Right now yes that is true however if you be patient for 6 months they will be out on the shelf such as OWC.

 

[iRobby]

1. Not everyone will sell them.
2. They will only be used in Apple products.
3. They will cost more simply because they can.
4. It deters people even further from upgrading their computer themselves.

If you can buy them from 3rd parties such as OWC then YES you can install it yourself and by year end they will be in the open marketplace. OWC with along with other brands will have their own drives. They just need time to catch up and build them. Apple is not keeping the design exclusive to them.

 

[iRobby]

to make this simple:

I was told by Apple sales that by year's end 3rd party non-apple branded hardware makers will be making these new drives to sell in the market such as newegg and OWC etc. Therefore not making it Apple exclusive branded and sold

If you still think that is being controlled because they be only made for iMacs then I guess you feel controlled that you can't put a Google chip into an iPhone as well.

 

[Moz316]

Indeed i am. Do you think you're not controlled either? You can't switch from AMD to intel using the same mainboard, can u? While you don't have the same problem when switching from AMD radeon to nvidia?

Don't u think that's a bit .... Restrictive [/QUOTE

At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought.

We have choices in what we buy! What you said is completely different! You don't have a choice at this point. Typical Apple customer..

Oh btw your video card example makes no sense.

 

[iSayuSay]

to make this simple:

I was told by Apple sales that by year's end 3rd party non-apple branded hardware makers will be making these new drives to sell in the market such as newegg and OWC etc. Therefore not making it Apple exclusive branded and sold

Just like Thunderbolt port folks! Just calm down. It's only for today, but not later. So 3 years from now when thunderbolt being more common and cheap, everyone will remember, make it first !!

 

[maclaptop]

As a future PC to iMac convert this coming summer, I was EXTREMELY disturbed by the OWC: Apple Further Restricts Upgrade Options on New iMacs report.

So I called Apple Sales to further investigate.

And I was assured that the story was true but only to a certain point.

yes, these are new hard drives which are not currently available from third parties for custom upgrades or replacements.

HOWEVER these new hard drives are new to the market they were designed to help with the heat issue in older iMacs. And yes, these types of hard drives are not available to third party vendors at the moment.

BUT this is because it is a new design. AND the new hard drives will become available to third party vendors for upgrades and replacements by year end. It is just a case of Apple being one step forward everyone else. And the marketplace has to play catch up the same as the Thunderbolt issue.

But again by years end along with Thunderbolt compatible devices these new drives will become available to vendors such as OWC by year end.

Nice work, thanks for the info

 

[iRobby]

Just like Thunderbolt port folks! Just calm down. It's only for today, but not later. So 3 years from now when thunderbolt being more common and cheap, everyone will remember, make it first !!

Thank you again! i thought i was losing it! my initial post used Thunderbolt as an analogy.

My main concern was when the drive goes bust would I be able to have a choice to where and who to buy the replacement from and possibly install it myself (if I chose) I was assured that once the market catches up in the next 6 months the answer would be yes.

 

[iSayuSay]

Indeed i am. Do you think you're not controlled either? You can't switch from AMD to intel using the same mainboard, can u? While you don't have the same problem when switching from AMD radeon to nvidia?

Don't u think that's a bit .... Restrictive

At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought.

We have choices in what we buy! What you said is completely different! You don't have a choice at this point. Typical Apple customer..

Oh btw your video card example makes no sense.

For that kind of options, i still have my pc around. The idea of iMac is a unified computer. U want free modding, u wouldn't buy an iMac. Really sir, i dont want another thread of Mac vs PC anymore.

Yeah, I admit the HDD is not freely upgradeable. But do you think any regular user out there willing to torn their iMac and upgrade HDD

Even if apple dont use this design, changing iMac HDD still aint that easy. Get it?