Is the Mac getting pushed to the back of the bus?

[zorinlynx]

I've noticed over the past year or so that the Mac has been getting a lot less attention in Apple's own marketing, events (such as this WWDC) and so on. The iPhone seems to be their new baby, which they are pushing constantly, even to the point of renaming long-existing services (.Mac -> MobileMe) to cater to it.

Is the Mac being pushed to the back of the bus, so to speak? Can we expect to see Apple continue to expand into other product lines, while our beloved computer platform sits languishing with less updates and attention? I realize they are still playing ads for the Mac now and then, but as a company they seem to be promoting the systems less and less.

- Languishing product lines (Mac Mini hasn't gotten an update in forever, and not even a discount to justify it, Macbook Air below pretty much everyone's expectations)
- The last few updates have been completely silent, and not even mentioned in keynotes, etc.
- They seem to be going in questionable directions with OS X (Snow Leopard? Why not just keep improving 10.5 and make 10.6 a major release like always?)
- Not even a mention of the Mac at the keynote.

Is this what's happening? Anyone else feel the same way? Or am I dooming and glooming without justification?

 

[AdeFowler]

It's called diversity. The Mac seems to be pretty much looking after itself at the moment and still accounts for most of Apple's profit. It is still the priority IMHO and will have its turn at the front of the bus every now and then

 

[Westsider 4 Mac]

I've noticed over the past year or so that the Mac has been getting a lot less attention in Apple's own marketing, events (such as this WWDC) and so on. The iPhone seems to be their new baby, which they are pushing constantly, even to the point of renaming long-existing services (.Mac -> MobileMe) to cater to it.

Is the Mac being pushed to the back of the bus, so to speak? Can we expect to see Apple continue to expand into other product lines, while our beloved computer platform sits languishing with less updates and attention? I realize they are still playing ads for the Mac now and then, but as a company they seem to be promoting the systems less and less.

- Languishing product lines (Mac Mini hasn't gotten an update in forever, and not even a discount to justify it, Macbook Air below pretty much everyone's expectations)
- The last few updates have been completely silent, and not even mentioned in keynotes, etc.
- They seem to be going in questionable directions with OS X (Snow Leopard? Why not just keep improving 10.5 and make 10.6 a major release like always?)
- Not even a mention of the Mac at the keynote.

Is this what's happening? Anyone else feel the same way? Or am I dooming and glooming without justification?

No, you are not alone. While the iphone and ipod are wonders of technology, I am only truly interested in the Lap and Desktops. They are definitely on the backburner for now when compared to the engineering manpower Apple has placed toward its other major products.

 

[hdsalinas]

How about the mac mini,

It seems that Apple forgot about this son. At one time I was interested in getting one but now I could hardly recommend one.

We need a new faster mac mini with blueray and easier to expand.

 

[faust]

The iPhone is basically the future of mobile computers. I say give it all the attention it needs.

 

[Eraserhead]

It's called diversity. The Mac seems to be pretty much looking after itself at the moment and still accounts for most of Apple's profit. It is still the priority IMHO and will have its turn at the front of the bus every now and then

I agree. The Mac is doing fine at the moment, its almost growing too quickly.

 

[Bwilky]

I personally think if they focused all their attention on the MAC those people who keep waiting for the latest and greatest would always be waiting. After 2.0 I think they won't need to put as much attention into the Iphone.

 

[GGJstudios]

As Steve mentioned in his keynote address at WWDC, the Apple business is now a triad: Mac, Music and iPhone. It just looks to me that they're ramping up iPhone so it will be as well-established and profitable as the other two sectors. I'm not worried. Apple would damage its reputation if it allowed the Mac to slip from its position as a premiere computer. Remember, they've got enough staff and resources to actively build all 3 at once.

 

[Sky Blue]

- They seem to be going in questionable directions with OS X (Snow Leopard? Why not just keep improving 10.5 and make 10.6 a major release like always?)

Explain to me how 10.6 isn't a major release?

 

[Bwilky]

As Steve mentioned in his keynote address at WWDC, the Apple business is now a triad: Mac, Music and iPhone. It just looks to me that they're ramping up iPhone so it will be as well-established and profitable as the other two sectors. I'm not worried. Apple would damage its reputation if it allowed the Mac to slip from its position as a premiere computer. Remember, they've got enough staff and resources to actively build all 3 at once.

Also, remember their quite sneaky too. Remember when they were making OSX 10 compatible for Intel when we all didn't know it. They could be up to something.

 

[GGJstudios]

Also, remember their quite sneaky too. Remember when they were making OSX 10 compatible for Intel when we all didn't know it. They could be up to something.

You're quite right! We may be shocked, amazed and overjoyed when the next round of Mac-based hardware is announced! I predict more than one poster in these forums will say something like, "It was worth the wait!"

 

[gkarris]

Apple's on Intel's timetable right now, and the new processors are out in August...

Hopefully, Apple's new Tablet as well...

 

[kabunaru]

Apple does seem to be less interested in their Macs these days...
Blame it on the iPhone.

 

[zorinlynx]

Explain to me how 10.6 isn't a major release?

It's a "stability and performance" release, according to what I've read so far. These sort of changes belong in future 10.5.x releases. Full 10.x++ releases should bring major changes to the table.

It's the way it's always been done, and I don't think they should change that.

 

[Sky Blue]

It's a "stability and performance" release, according to what I've read so far. These sort of changes belong in future 10.5.x releases. Full 10.x++ releases should bring major changes to the table.

It's the way it's always been done, and I don't think they should change that.

It does bring "major changes to the table", maybe you should read a little more. Start here:

http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/06/12/wwdc-2008-new-in-mac-os-x-snow-leopard/

 

[tsice19]

The problem isn't that Apple is pushing Mac aside, but that Intel isn't releasing new processors.

Sure, they could make a new iMac or MacBook, but who cares if it the exact same specs as the old one, and the only thing new it has to offer is pretty looks?

You just need to be patient. Right now iPhone hype is turned up because they are releasing a new one. Pretty soon it will be back to Mac and they'll push iPhone aside for a while.

You'll see.

 

[flyinmac]

The iPhone is basically the future of mobile computers. I say give it all the attention it needs.

Yes, the future of mobile computers for people who like to pay a specific provider for the ability to use their mobile computer every month.

Sorry... Not me.

Explain to me how 10.6 isn't a major release?

Um, because 10.6 will be as significant as 10.1 was to 10.0. 10.1 was so significant that they had to give it away for free. Essentially, 10.1 made 10.0 live up to it's original billing (kind of). 10.0 was a major let down, and 10.1 kind of made it somewhat reliable, somewhat stable, and mostly usable.

10.6 is essentially the same thing to 10.5. And, as such, it is something that should be free. Why should we have to pay for them to make an existing product stable and reliable? Isn't that what they've been promising us OS X was all along?

Now we can finally get stability for yet another $129... I don't think so.

Where is the reliability and stability you promised in 10.3? Or, 10.4. Or, 10.5. And, why is it that everything I used in 10.3 got broke in 10.4 and is still unfixed in 10.5. And, now I need to give you $129 AGAIN!!! in order for you to finally get 10.6 to behave as reliably as 10.3?

I have machines running everything from 10.3 to 10.5.3. And, honestly, I find 10.3.9 to be the most stable, the most reliable, and the one with the fewest complaints. It never complains. It just works. But, when I try to perform the same things on a system with 10.4 or 10.5, the OS throws error after error at me (and yes, I am talking about the operating system - these are OS related tasks - not program tasks).


I'd call 10.6 the equivalent to Microsoft offering a downgrade to XP from Vista.

Also, remember their quite sneaky too. Remember when they were making OSX 10 compatible for Intel when we all didn't know it. They could be up to something.

Yep. Sneaky stuff. Separate us from our money while giving us less in return. Top Secret Stuff

It's a "stability and performance" release, according to what I've read so far. These sort of changes belong in future 10.5.x releases. Full 10.x++ releases should bring major changes to the table.

It's the way it's always been done, and I don't think they should change that.

Nope. Should be free. Just like 10.1 was for 10.0 users.

 

[Phormic]

Apple does seem to be less interested in their Macs these days...
Blame it on the iPhone.

Comments like this assume that Macs and the iPhone are completely separate product strings. Resources for one must come at the cost of the other.

This simply isn't true. Resources for both go to the development of OS X which both use flavours of. Macs will soon enjoy the benefits from iPhone development through things like OpenCL and Quicktime X. Perhaps more importantly is that we'll no doubt see MORE Mac developers who have been attracted to the platform by the iPhone and then discover that coding for the Mac is pretty much the same deal.

Macs and iPhones are mutually beneficial.

 

[flyinmac]

Comments like this assume that Macs and the iPhone are completely separate product strings. Resources for one must come at the cost of the other.

This simply isn't true. Resources for both go to the development of OS X which both use flavours of. Macs will soon enjoy the benefits from iPhone development through things like OpenCL and Quicktime X. Perhaps more importantly is that we'll no doubt see MORE Mac developers who have been attracted to the platform by the iPhone and then discover that coding for the Mac is pretty much the same deal.

Macs and iPhones are mutually beneficial.

Except that Steve himself said it was true. He claimed that OS X Leopard got delayed because he pulled the team off of Leopard to get the iPhone finished.

 

[Phormic]

Except that Steve himself said it was true. He claimed that OS X Leopard got delayed because he pulled the team off of Leopard to get the iPhone finished.

So do you feel that short six month delay outweighs the benefits the iPhone is bringing to the Mac platform like huge amounts of free publicity, foot traffic through their stores and a huge expansion in the number of OS X developers? Mac sales are at record levels. Do you actually think they may have taken a sales hit because of the iPhone?

Snow Leopard will bring full Exchange Server compatibility to Macs, making them waaay more attractive at the enterprise level. Do you think that wouldn't have happened without the iPhone?

 

[Full of Win]

The back? No

The middle? Yes

 

[flyinmac]

So do you feel that short six month delay outweighs the benefits the iPhone is bringing to the Mac platform like huge amounts of free publicity, foot traffic through their stores and a huge expansion in the number of OS X developers? Mac sales are at record levels. Do you actually think they may have taken a sales hit because of the iPhone?

Snow Leopard will bring full Exchange Server compatibility to Macs, making them waaay more attractive at the enterprise level. Do you think that wouldn't have happened without the iPhone?

I don't really care much about whether Apple is successful or not. I'm not one of those that will fall on the sword to save Apple. I can see Apple for what it is. A company producing products for money. No better, no worse than Microsoft or anyone else from that perspective.

Was it worth it to have more people buy iPhones to sell more Macs to get publicity, to whatever??? I don't really care about all that.

Apple is not my leader. I use a computer, it does what I want (though it does fall short sometimes). My concerns stop there (except when it dies, then I want them to fix it).

But, more relevant was the point that Apple had in-fact pulled resources from one project to enable the completion of another project. Simply pointing out the error in the statement.

 

[MacSA]

The iPhone is basically the future of mobile computers. I say give it all the attention it needs.

I would be astonished if Apple were still selling desktop computers in 10 years, possibly much sooner.

 

[MacSA]

The problem isn't that Apple is pushing Mac aside, but that Intel isn't releasing new processors.

Sure, they could make a new iMac or MacBook, but who cares if it the exact same specs as the old one, and the only thing new it has to offer is pretty looks?

That doesn't explain the Mac Mini or MacBook. Intel GMA 950 and Combo Drives? What the hell!!!!!

 

[Sky Blue]

10.6 is essentially the same thing to 10.5. And, as such, it is something that should be free.

110% Nonsense.