Apple moving away from Macs?

[Cloudane]

Wild speculation I know, and I really hope I'm wrong (not trolling - genuinely worried!), but can't help getting the feeling that Apple are slowly but surely ditching their computing side.

Renaming from Apple Computers to Apple Inc,
Killing off the 12" Powerbook,
Removing the iSight,
Likely to discontinue the Mac Mini and 17" iMac,
Generally neglecting the Mac range over the past year or so (but hyping up the iPhone etc like crazy)

If they abandon the two models they're rumoured to abandon then the desktop Mac line-up will only consist of one (albeit customisable) Mac Pro and two iMacs. And that's it. Definitely a diminishing set of products if you ask me...

On the positive side we have Leopard coming soon, but I'm wondering if they're only finishing it because they'd already started it before making the decision to move away from Macs.

I think they'll always do some sort of hardware, but it seems to me that they're abandoning the general "all-purpose" computers and instead are going to stick to embedded appliances like the iTV and iPhone. It's a risky decision, especially with the iPhone being so mediocre in technichal capability. Worryingly, trying to go embedded is often a dying move (Be,Inc spring to mind)

I hope I'm proven wrong, perhaps with tomorrow's event...

Perhaps even in the worst case and they ditch the desktop they'll still keep all-purpose Mac laptops for a while!

 

[netdog]

Um, yeah, that's why they're having a Mac-only product rollout and media event tomorrow.

 

[AdeFowler]

And macs account for 60% of Apple's income.

 

[FJ218700]

great first post,

I'll reply tomorrow

 

[bartelby]

I'm getting a distinct feeling of deja vu here...

 

[Sun Baked]

Ditching the computer side?

A significant chunk Apple's revenues were Macs last quarter. So they do still play an important part in Apple's revenue growth.

And if Apple pushes, they can make significant gains by simply growing the product line beyond the small number of machines they currently have. Something a lot of the other computer companies cannot really say.

A simple grab with an education desktop/laptop Mac and a prosumer/gamers Mac can add quite a bit to growth.

Since the education market is still there waiting for a less expensive product and a huge hole exists (actually massive hole) between the iMac and Mac Pro for gamers and prosumer users.

 

[Cloudane]

Some tweaks made to the post...

Yeah it was always going to be a highly controversial first post, seeing as it's negativity And I did search but couldn't find anything similar already posted.

We'll see what tomorrow brings. If the rumours are true that it'll be a Mac-only event then it's a good sign I guess, I just hope it'll be a bit more exciting than dropping one of the iMacs in exchange for 2 prettier ones.

I got the impression that iPods were Apple's main source of revenue nowadays, rather than Macs? After all, just about everyone in the US and Europe has one...

((half my post got eaten again, had enough now! Bug in the Windows Safari beta?))

 

[Belly-laughs]

Wild speculation I know, and I really hope I'm wrong (not trolling - genuinely worried!), but can't help getting the feeling that Apple are slowly but surely ditching their computing side.

Renaming from Apple Computers to Apple Inc,
Killing off the 12" Powerbook,
Removing the iSight,
Likely to discontinue the Mac Mini and 17" iMac,
Generally neglecting the Mac range over the past year or so (but hyping up the iPhone etc like crazy)

On the positive side we have Leopard coming soon, but I'm wondering if they're only finishing it because they'd already started it before making the decision to move away from Macs.

I think they'll always do some sort of hardware, but it seems to me that they're abandoning the general "all-purpose" computers and instead are going to stick to embedded appliances like the iTV and iPhone. It's a risky decision, especially with the iPhone being so mediocre in technichal capability. Worryingly, trying to go embedded is often a dying move (Be,Inc spring to mind)

I hope I'm proven wrong, perhaps with tomorrow's event...

Renaming – Doing computers and other electronic products
Killing the 12" – Well, they didn´t kill the 15" or the 17"
Removing iSight – Not ROHS compliant. Perhaps new displays will sport iSight?
Discontinue – We don´t know for sure. Perhaps replace?
Neglect – Apple may be too small to have 100% focus everything their up to all the time. iPhone was a major release for them, a well conducted one too. It did affect Leopard and possibly other projects.

The computer is still the centre of every peripheral product they make, or rather, all peripheral products need a computer for full functionality, so I wouldn´t discount the Mac just yet. And who knows, in 5 years you may have a Mac instead of an iPhone in your pocket.

 

[gkarris]

It's been an iPhone Summer.

Tomorrow is iMac day!

 

[shinji]

They've got an awfully expensive mac ad campaign for a company about to ditch the product.

 

[Cloudane]

"If" they were going to drop them, I think they'd do it over a couple of years... they wouldn't just abandon them all at once! And they'd want to keep people buying them in the mean time.

However I've since read a very recent article about Apple's latest financial release, and fair enough, I wasn't expecting a massive boom in Mac sales

 

[yellow]

"If" they were going to drop them, I think they'd do it over a couple of years... they wouldn't just abandon them all at once! And they'd want to keep people buying them in the mean time.

However I've since read a very recent article about Apple's latest financial release, and fair enough, I wasn't expecting a massive boom in Mac sales

They've been doing pretty well since the switch to Intel. Not sure what fueled your fear here.

 

[Wild-Bill]

Renaming from Apple Computers to Apple Inc,
Killing off the 12" Powerbook,
Removing the iSight,
Likely to discontinue the Mac Mini and 17" iMac,
Generally neglecting the Mac range over the past year or so (but hyping up the iPhone etc like crazy)

You forgot to add not mentioning anything about any Macs at Macworld 2007

 

[Cloudane]

You forgot to add not mentioning anything about any Macs at Macworld 2007

Yes, exactly. That's part of what I meant by neglecting them, and indeed the trigger for my concerns which basically started then.

I was also bitter at reading about the imminent death of the Mac Mini - I was just thinking of buying one of those, only to find that it could be a waste of money as there hasn't been a new one for like a year and there might not be another...

However it's encouraging to hear that sales have been good. Will keep everything crossed for tomorrow!

 

[GFLPraxis]

Wild speculation I know, and I really hope I'm wrong (not trolling - genuinely worried!), but can't help getting the feeling that Apple are slowly but surely ditching their computing side.

Renaming from Apple Computers to Apple Inc,
Killing off the 12" Powerbook,
Removing the iSight,
Likely to discontinue the Mac Mini and 17" iMac,
Generally neglecting the Mac range over the past year or so (but hyping up the iPhone etc like crazy)

Nah.

Most of those things can easily be accounted for.

The iSight was removed because all the new machines have it built in, and Apple slyly thinks they can get people to buy machines since the old ones have no cameras available.

The 12" PB was killed because it overlapped the lower lineup. The iBooks covered small (12-14"), PowerBooks cover large (15"-17"), and the 12" was an anomaly. Granted, a lot of people LIKED PowerBook power in iBook size, but Apple wanted to simplify the lineup I guess.

As for discontinuation...

The 15" iMac was discontinued when the 17" came down in price enough that it could replace the 15".

I can see the 17" being discontinued if the 20" comes down in price noticeably...

Discontinuing the Mac Mini is the only thing that doesn't make a lot of sense to me unless Apple has something else planned in that price range to replace it (super-cheap iMac? Tower?).

 

[iJawn108]

*tomorrow*
"we're killing the iMac... and one more thing, the mac."

 

[FJ218700]

*tomorrow*
"we're killing the iMac... and one more thing, the mac."

no, it's going to be called the IV

 

[gkarris]

no, it's going to be called the IV

Is that like being in the hospital?

 

[Gav]

Apple are the 4th largest computer seller in the United States.*

But yeah, it seems real likely that they're going to drop the mac line(!)



*Computers being defined as: Desktops, Notebooks, Ultra Portables, and x86 Servers. (NOT Including Handhelds)

 

[Alloye]

Not Likely

I honestly don't know where the idea that Apple is getting out of the Mac business comes from, but here is why I think it's not likely to happen:

• Mac sales have been steadily increasing for a number for fiscal quarters now. Additionally, the Mac platform is gaining market share.
  
• Mac sales represent a significant portion of Apple's revenue and profits.
  
• Apple is actively advertising and promoting the Mac.
  
• Apple is investing heavily into the advancement of OS X.
  
• Apple's entry into other markets with Apple TV and the iPhone are expanding the reach of the OS X platform, not detracting from it.

On the issue of Apple vs. Apple Computer as a company name, I think it's only natural. Apple has become a solid player in consumer electronics (iPod), online music sales (iTunes Store), and now wireless communications (iPhone). As Steve said, Apple is now in three businesses and a hobby. Simplifying the name gives Apple the flexibility to adapt and expand as it sees fit.

 

[FJ218700]

I honestly don't know where the idea that Apple is getting out of the Mac business comes from, but here is why I think it's not likely to happen:

• Mac sales have been steadily increasing for a number for fiscal quarters now. Additionally, the Mac platform is gaining market share.
  
• Mac sales represent a significant portion of Apple's revenue and profits.
  
• Apple is actively advertising and promoting the Mac.
  
• Apple is investing heavily into the advancement of OS X.
  
• Apple's entry into other markets with Apple TV and the iPhone are expanding the reach of the OS X platform, not detracting from it.

• 
  
  speaking of which, when was the last new "I'm a Mac. I'm a PC" commercial unveiled?
  
  I hope that the next round will be similar to the iPhone commericals, actually showing OS functionality, including side-by size comparisons of everyday tasks (both home and business use) using Vista and Leopard.

 

[Sun Baked]

Apple are the 4th largest computer seller in the United States.*

But yeah, it seems real likely that they're going to drop the mac line(!)



*Computers being defined as: Desktops, Notebooks, Ultra Portables, and x86 Servers. (NOT Including Handhelds)

And they are the fastest growing computer company of any significant size in the US, and they are doing it with sales and not mergers and acquisitions.

 

[ReanimationLP]

I honestly don't know where the idea that Apple is getting out of the Mac business comes from, but here is why I think it's not likely to happen:

• Mac sales have been steadily increasing for a number for fiscal quarters now. Additionally, the Mac platform is gaining market share.
  
• Mac sales represent a significant portion of Apple's revenue and profits.
  
• Apple is actively advertising and promoting the Mac.
  
• Apple is investing heavily into the advancement of OS X.
  
• Apple's entry into other markets with Apple TV and the iPhone are expanding the reach of the OS X platform, not detracting from it.

On the issue of Apple vs. Apple Computer as a company name, I think it's only natural. Apple has become a solid player in consumer electronics (iPod), online music sales (iTunes Store), and now wireless communications (iPhone). As Steve said, Apple is now in three businesses and a hobby. Simplifying the name gives Apple the flexibility to adapt and expand as it sees fit.

You know, Dell dropped Computer out of their name too, when they started making PDAs, MP3 players, LCD TVs, etc.

 

[flopticalcube]

My sympathies go out to you. It has been a long, dry year for Mac news. Everyone and his dog have been focused on the iPhone. iPods have also been neglected. What really irks me is the constantly eroding value of the iMacs and the mini. It has been so long since they were introduced that they are being eclipsed in both features and price by rival PC makers and by a wide margin to boot. Apple didn't even offer a price cut in the spring to stay competitive. It really stinks. Hopefully we will see something better tomorrow.

 

[CalBoy]

I honestly don't know where the idea that Apple is getting out of the Mac business comes from, but here is why I think it's not likely to happen:

• Mac sales have been steadily increasing for a number for fiscal quarters now. Additionally, the Mac platform is gaining market share.
  
• Mac sales represent a significant portion of Apple's revenue and profits.
  
• Apple is actively advertising and promoting the Mac.
  
• Apple is investing heavily into the advancement of OS X.
  
• Apple's entry into other markets with Apple TV and the iPhone are expanding the reach of the OS X platform, not detracting from it.
  

On the issue of Apple vs. Apple Computer as a company name, I think it's only natural. Apple has become a solid player in consumer electronics (iPod), online music sales (iTunes Store), and now wireless communications (iPhone). As Steve said, Apple is now in three businesses and a hobby. Simplifying the name gives Apple the flexibility to adapt and expand as it sees fit.

Why is this so hard for people to realize? Expanding into new markets only helps brand awareness and software permeation.
I agree with the rest of your post too. Well said