It makes business sense for HP to sell workstations, why not for Apple??

[Luba]

If it makes business sense for HP to sell workstations, e.g. their Z line why doesn't make sense for Apple? Dell also sells workstations . . . . and these aren't fast gaming computers, these are real workstations with Quadro graphics cards etc. There are many many Windows users demanding a workstation, while only a tiny few wanting a Mac Pro?? Apple has no desire to expand their enterprise business and only wants to stick with consumers?

Even though their total profit from Mac Pro's isn't great (no where near the total profit from iPhones), the Mac Pro profit margin is healthy. Just don't understand why would a company abandon a good business. And it's not as if they have crack into the business as a newbie, it's all set up. Intel or whoever puts out new server grade/pro grade components, Apple has to re-design (maybe only slightly) the case and how it all fits, and out the door a new product.

Read somewhere a writer speculated and that he hopes Apple will license out Mac OS X to HP Z workstations if Apple decides it stop making Mac Pros. He didn't elaborate, but he thought it would be a win-win for Apple and HP. How's that? Apple makes a few dollars on selling Mac OS X on a few machines, while HP would expand their workstations to include Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X.

 

[Pressure]

Well, Apple does sell workstations?

And no, Mac OS X will NEVER be licensed out again to 3rd parties. Been there done that, it nearly killed Apple.

 

[Luba]

Rumors has it, and many people believe Apple will not update Mac Pro line, meaning they are getting out of the workstation business.

Well, Apple does sell workstations?

And no, Mac OS X will NEVER be licensed out again to 3rd parties. Been there done that, it nearly killed Apple.

 

[goMac]

It's an ecosystem thing. HP also sells workstation servers, workstation services, workstation software, workstation networking gear... The workstation is just a piece of the larger puzzle.

Apple no longer sells any of that.

(I'm feeling optimistic about the Mac Pro right now though.)

 

[Luba]

Good point, although Apple had a sort ecosystem thing going with Xserve or something like that, but decided to stop selling it because of lack of sales. So at that point Apple could have made the decision to expand service and offerings, so that perhaps more Xserves would be sold. Instead they went the other direction.

It's an ecosystem thing. HP also sells workstation servers, workstation services, workstation software, workstation networking gear... The workstation is just a piece of the larger puzzle.

Apple no longer sells any of that.

(I'm feeling optimistic about the Mac Pro right now though.)

 

[goMac]

Good point, although Apple had a sort ecosystem thing going with Xserve or something like that, but decided to stop selling it because of lack of sales. So at that point Apple could have made the decision to expand service and offerings, so that perhaps more Xserves would be sold. Instead they went the other direction.

Yep, don't know why.

One issue with them was the service just wasn't as good as HP and Dell. Another issue was Mac OS X Server had issues.

 

[Pressure]

Rumors has it, and many people believe Apple will not update Mac Pro line, meaning they are getting out of the workstation business.

I'll believe it when it happens, although it is nothing else than conjecture at this point.

They still need to provide a platform on which we can create the content people within the iOS eco system are consuming.

 

[ixodes]

Laptop workstations used by professionals like ThinkPad has produced for years, is not a market that Apple cares about. Never have, never will. It's just the way it is. They cannot satisfy everyone.

Originally Mac laptops had a brilliant name, they were called PowerBooks. Everyone liked that model name, and over the years Apple established a great track record with it. Then out of the clear blue, they changed the name. Who knows why. Most companies don't change a name that's well liked, is selling very well, and has a good track record & is trouble free. Perhaps they had nothing better to do.

Now called MacBook Pro, it seems they added the "Pro" moniker to lead the public to think they were professional machines. Yet they lack some important features all pro laptops have. The internal components are no better, but just the same as the high end ThinkPads so that's no different. Who knows why they did what they did yet it hardly matters. They are good laptops nonetheless. I rely on them daily.

 

[Luba]

It is a good sounding name, PowerBook. I am guessing they changed it because it was associated with Motorola chips . . . Power G5 etc.

The fact Apple put "Pro" in the name makes me think they at least care somewhat for the Pro/Enterprise market but why is Apple just flirting, and not fully committed?? They don't think they will make enough money from Pros? They don't think they know how to satisfy the Pros? It's the last market they haven't conquered or made a good dent in. Maybe Apple feels taking on Windows based HPs and Dells in the enterprise too much of a hill to climb?

Actually, come to think of it, there's 2 markets beyond the consumer. There's the small business indie Pros, then there's the corporate enterprise. Maybe the corporate world is too entrenched with HPs and Dells. (Funny to think that last year HP was thinking of dropping the business of making computers and try to be like IBM and provide business services) But the small business studios with indie Pros market they have wrapped up IMO. If Apple doesn't service them, provide them with new Mac Pros, then Apple would be giving away business.

Laptop workstations used by professionals like ThinkPad has produced for years, is not a market that Apple cares about. Never have, never will. It's just the way it is. They cannot satisfy everyone.

Originally Mac laptops had a brilliant name, they were called PowerBooks. Everyone liked that model name, and over the years Apple established a great track record with it. Then out of the clear blue, they changed the name. Who knows why. Most companies don't change a name that's well liked, is selling very well, and has a good track record & is trouble free. Perhaps they had nothing better to do.

Now called MacBook Pro, it seems they added the "Pro" moniker to lead the public to think they were professional machines. Yet they lack some important features all pro laptops have. The internal components are no better, but just the same as the high end ThinkPads so that's no different. Who knows why they did what they did yet it hardly matters. They are good laptops nonetheless. I rely on them daily.

 

[ixodes]

Actually, come to think of it, there's 2 markets beyond the consumer. There's the small business indie Pros, then there's the corporate enterprise. Maybe the corporate world is too entrenched with HPs and Dells. (Funny to think that last year HP was thinking of dropping the business of making computers and try to be like IBM and provide business services)

It's the Scientific, Mathematics, Fluid & Thermal Dynamics, as well as Aerospace communities that have been the dominate users of IBM ThinkPad Workstation Desktop & Laptops for decades.

This dates back long before HP got into the computer business & while Dell & Gateway were still consumer focused. Approx six years ago, IBM sold their computer business to Lenovo, who were the original ODM builders for IBM. The transition was seamless & not very obvious since Lenovo also bought the ThinkPad name from IBM.

Dell & HP have only become relevant within the last several years, yet still not as durable as to be used in Space Flight like the ThinkPads used for decades by NASA.

My familiarity is due to my use of ThinkPads & Apple Laptops over the last two decades in the multi-platform engineering environment I work in.

 

[Wild-Bill]

Apple doesn't do things that make sense. They do what they want, often to the detriment of the Mac Pro community.....

I'll tell you one thing though: should they abandon the Mac Pro, the hackint0sh community will grow considerably.

 

[chrono1081]

Rumors has it, and many people believe Apple will not update Mac Pro line, meaning they are getting out of the workstation business.

These rumors were written by people not doing their research and realizing that Intel didn't release new chips until extremely recently.

That and most workstations with them aren't even shipping until May.

 

[Umbongo]

These rumors were written by people not doing their research and realizing that Intel didn't release new chips until extremely recently.

That and most workstations with them aren't even shipping until May.

Yep. People just seem to believe if it is on a blog or news site then there must be a shred of truth to it, ignoring that anything Apple drives traffic which drives ad revenue and internet journalism has no real integrity as a whole.

As I write this Apple could announce Mac Pros today and have them in stores making the available for before most people get workstations from Dell , HP and Lenovo.

It's pretty ridiculous that people take not knowing what's happening as a sign of doom when it is how Apple have operated all through the life of the Mac Pro.

 

[theSeb]

Yep. People just seem to believe if it is on a blog or news site then there must be a shred of truth to it, ignoring that anything Apple drives traffic which drives ad revenue and internet journalism has no real integrity as a whole.

As I write this Apple could announce Mac Pros today and have them in stores making the available for before most people get workstations from Dell , HP and Lenovo.

It's pretty ridiculous that people take not knowing what's happening as a sign of doom when it is how Apple have operated all through the life of the Mac Pro.

My favourite is when one of the rumours sites prints something from some "source" and then the other rumour sites cite that rumour from a now "reliable source" ending in a hilarious cycle. Cast your mind back to last year. There were rumours every 2 days about the MBA air coming "next Tuesday". Then it would be "next Thursday" and then switch back to "next Tuesday". This carried on for five weeks. Also, the Time Capsule was supposed to get hundreds of amazing new features according to the rumours. Instead we got a bigger hard drive.

 

[HellDiverUK]

It makes sense, because big corporates will put out their IT to contract. HP may get it, Dell may get it, but when they do get the contract it means everything must come from that company - laptops, servers, workstations...

At work here we were a Dell only company, but Dell lost the contract recently and now everything comes from Fujitsu. Which are *****.

 

[theSeb]

Lots of people in IT press are suggesting that Apple has the best chance ever of stealing corporate sales from MS Windows, but the cost of entry is seen as prohibitive to companies. Interesting times ahead, but I don't think Apple wants that business.

 

[derbothaus]

Lots of people in IT press are suggesting that Apple has the best chance ever of stealing corporate sales from MS Windows, but the cost of entry is seen as prohibitive to companies. Interesting times ahead, but I don't think Apple wants that business.

They don't. Their actions are of active resistance. It used to be passive. They don't understand or care about their own halo and slow adoption rate that IT usually endures. They are going to code some plug-ins for other companies and not worry about it. They really seem to want to be the toy's at work. So much effort in getting past that hurdle just to go right back. Their secrecy garners no respect at work.

 

[xgman]

but I don't think Apple wants that business.

That's about the size of it unfortunately.

 

[salmoally]

Apple is and always has been a consumer/prosumer company. Consumer's don't demand the kind of support and control the corporate world does.

Windows is plagued by the fact that is has to support crappy programs from the 1990s whereas Apple don't give a damn about that and as a result has the best OS by far.

As far as I'm concerned I hope Apple keeps their current stand and keeps well away from trying to cater for the corporate world and focus on consumers where they can try new things out and keep innovating unlike Microsoft.

 

[derbothaus]

Apple is and always has been a consumer/prosumer company. Consumer's don't demand the kind of support and control the corporate world does.

Windows is plagued by the fact that is has to support crappy programs from the 1990s whereas Apple don't give a damn about that and as a result has the best OS by far.

As far as I'm concerned I hope Apple keeps their current stand and keeps well away from trying to cater for the corporate world and focus on consumers where they can try new things out and keep innovating unlike Microsoft.

Enjoy that iOS OS. Hopefully you don't have to boot it with a credit card.

 

[thekev]

Rumors has it, and many people believe Apple will not update Mac Pro line, meaning they are getting out of the workstation business.

We had rumors that the mini would go away. We keep running into rumors of a macbook pro redesign. This year they are louder. Once we past the two year mark on the same design, the rumor mill took off. They're all just rumors, and they're not really based on anything. You do get some Quadro support on OSX. If you don't buy directly from Apple, you can get a better deal on a mac version pny quadro 4000 if you want one. The common issue seemed to be getting a good/stable driver. At this point I'd wait for an updated release, as that's a card from 2010. Anyway these rumor guys should really do their research. The AMD 6000s didn't really add much over a 5870. CPUs were not available. I actually thought they might do a cpu bump given how much component pricing shuffled, but it still would have been the same hardware, just perhaps a different base configuration and maybe slightly lower pricing on the 6 core. They haven't done anything like that since the PowerPC days though.

Anyway you should really ignore the people who claim to have insight on the future of Apple product lines. Look at some of the silly responses in the thread where an analyst predicted discontinuation on the 17" macbook pro.

These rumors were written by people not doing their research and realizing that Intel didn't release new chips until extremely recently.

That and most workstations with them aren't even shipping until May.

The OEMs most likely wanted to have something available for order once they could confirm dates. Intel announces official releases much of the time before things are available in volume, so this is nothing new. Overall I am guessing a lot of the rumors were motivated by a desire for page hits given how simple it is to access this information. I do have to wonder if Ivy Bridge E will do well given its current estimated release date relative to Haswell updates. I am wondering if they have any plans to get these release cycles back on the same year, not that such a thing will come soon enough to influence my next purchase.

 

[goMac]

The other problem with rumors is you don't know from where within Apple they are coming from. I'm sure there are certainly people at Apple who think the Mac Pro is not necessary. Are they someone who is on the Mac team, the Mac Pro team, or has any decision making power to determine the future of the Mac Pro? Unknown.

The same sources that say the Mac Pro is dead said the Mini was dead two years and even had a mock funeral on their website. Embarrassing in hindsight.

 

[derbothaus]

Embarrassing in hindsight.

Maybe all this text and calories here regarding Mac Pro as well?

 

[goMac]

Maybe all this text and calories here regarding Mac Pro as well?

We'll see. I was in the "this is all a giant waste of time" camp until I started to here similar rumblings myself. But so far I haven't heard anything solid, or any info that the Mac Pro is dead.

Keep in mind I hear a lot of interesting crap, that while it says a lot of things about Apple, usually doesn't end up coming true. That's one reason the rumors game is dangerous. I've seen rumors get posted that I know are pretty true that never come to pass.

 

[derbothaus]

Just seeing some posts that are getting very close to imminent emotional breakdown.