Given that the only significant change is the addition of the touch bar, I don't see how it can be a 'complete failure of design'.
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Tim Cook discussion thread [merged]
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Given that the only significant change is the addition of the touch bar, I don't see how it can be a 'complete failure of design'.
You're forgetting the removal of critical pro ports (who has a USB type C anything?) and the generally negatively received butterfly travel keyboard.
So the changes they made were either meaningless or worse received. All this when they should probably be moving to touch screens anyway.
Design is more than form factor. The pro world is not ready for dongle life.
Hello??? Thinner! New colour!
...
Oh, and the trackbar is bigger if you're into size.
Sorry, I meant the only significant change that could at a stretch be the difference between previous MBP's being examples og good design, and the new MBP being an example of a complete design failure.
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To be honest, I think a small minority tends to make a lot of noise on the internet, and that noise gets endlessly recycled as clickbait.
Meanwhile, in most of the real world these things don't tend to be a big deal. There was furore over the MB with the single port. For most people, not much of a problem because they rarely, if ever, would use other ports. I have a MB, and only occasionally use a USB dongle. For me, the additional benefit of having such a light portable computer for outweighs having to occasionally use a little dongle to connect a flash drive or charge a fitbit.
Was the keyboard really that badly received? Any change in keyboard is usually met with some disapproval, but mostly just because its different. I much prefer the newer keyboards - again with the MB after reading a lot about it, quite liked it when I tried it. The newer ones on the MBP I really like, but I guess many find it a bit too clicky?
The general point is that just because it might not meet everyone's personal preferences, really doesn't make it a "complete failure of design".
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That was /s by the way. Normally I am an early adopter because new and shiny, but this time I was actually really happy to pass. I have a microSD card in a flush enclosure in my 2015 rMBP, both USBs are used (one for micro Samsung 128GB stick, one for external keyboard receiver), I routinely use HDMI to watch movies on the TV, MagSafe has saved my laptop at least four times (I have all the grace of a ballet-dancing elephant), the only slot I don't use is Thunderbolt. I know dongles are cheap etc., but I am happy NOT to need them. My trackpad is large enough and keyboard comfortable (YMMV etc. but I am very happy with it). If I were to replace my 2015 model, I'd replace it with exactly the same one, just with 16 GB RAM – that was a mistake on my part.
This is not a normal feeling for me when it comes to new products – Apple or anybody else. I have no need for Apple Watch so far, unless the 3rd iteration comes with really exciting health sensors. Or the ability to sync and download to the watch multiple AM/iTunes playlists for offline listening would turn me on quite a bit. I gave up on iPhone years ago because of iOS' limitations and it doesn't look like this is going to change anytime soon. iMacs with sensible specs are just way too expensive for what they are. rMBP 2015 is near perfect and thanks to Brexit I got it at 2/3 of the price they currently charge.
I'm not going to be one of those "Apple lost a customer!!!", "Timmy only cares about $$$" or "Apple is doomed" people. I just don't need anything they currently produce. The 2011 iMac with Thunderbolt SSD is performing beautifully. iPad Air 2 does as well, as evidenced by the fact they still sell them. If 2016 rMBP came in the same enclosure as 2015 – maybe with one USB-C instead of Thunderbolts – but had a 10+ hours battery, the superfast SSD and better graphics (I am not exactly happy with Iris 6100) and an improved version of the 2015 keyboard, I'd probably be rocking it right now. If the 2016 rMB came in 14" at the price of current 12", I'd buy it simply because it's pretty and give myself 30 days to see if I can get used to that keyboard. If they gave Air a retina display, I'd buy it. Etc.
Nevertheless, I am sticking around and checking the Apple news daily. Because I know they are capable of getting me into a state where I am going to put a kidney on eBay to buy the latest product. It's just that this hasn't happened for a while. I only replaced Air with rMBP because of the screen, really. I'd like to have a fingerprint reader and Touch Bar but not for the prices they charge and not with USB-C. I'm looking forward to new iMacs with SSD as standard. I'm looking forward to the day when Apple Music works correctly on my Android phone and Sierra doesn't enable "Optimized Storage" by default. Or when Photos manages to store the face recognition information on iCloud so it doesn't take a few hours on my Hackintosh and then another few weeks on the rMBP to perform exactly the same operation.
I don't know how many decisions like those are even made by Tim Cook. I'd imagine he approves the final results once Ive, Cue etc. bring them over to his desk, but he doesn't have the Jobsian drive (yes, I said it) to keep on obsessively checking on what is happening and scream at people that don't do exactly what he likes. ("I want a 0.3mm thick Macbook Pro with 2mm keyboard travel, 64 GB RAM and 48 hour battery on my desk tomorrow!!!!!!!") I feel that for Steve Apple was his baby and for Cook it's just a company he works for and his job is to bring in a lot of money. He'd do a great job anywhere else, getting those record earnings and increasing the endless pile of ca$h. (It would be super interesting if Tim Cook announced out of the blue that he is becoming the CEO of Samsung!)
My views on Cook(as CEO) are pretty conflicted.
On one hand, as far as managing day-to-day operations and TCB(taking care of business), he's been great. The revenues, unit sales, stock price and valuation of the company are testament to that.
On the other hand, when it comes to managerial style of the IP creators at the company, the visionary stuff.... and other "right brain" stuff, hes been pretty bad. IMHO
When it comes to managing supply, setting company targets, mergers and acquisitions, and other "business" stuff.... Cook should be the go to guy. When it comes to making product decisions and product roadmaps, etc... not so much.
It seems like Apple has been missing the "right brain".
On one hand, as far as managing day-to-day operations and TCB(taking care of business), he's been great. The revenues, unit sales, stock price and valuation of the company are testament to that.
On the other hand, when it comes to managerial style of the IP creators at the company, the visionary stuff.... and other "right brain" stuff, hes been pretty bad. IMHO
When it comes to managing supply, setting company targets, mergers and acquisitions, and other "business" stuff.... Cook should be the go to guy. When it comes to making product decisions and product roadmaps, etc... not so much.
It seems like Apple has been missing the "right brain".
In many leading edge tech companies, this position is the CTO (Chief Technology Officer).
Apple doesn't have a CTO - perhaps that's the root of the problem. Apple is led by a CDO, and it shows.
Quarters matter for financials, not for products.
Name four great advances in Apple products in the last year.
- Emoji bar? LOL
- Haptic feedback - might as well, since most of the the others have had it for a while
- Removing all useful ports from a laptop - great only for dongle sales
- MP 7,1 - not due until 2023, according to Phil
Okay, these aren't on my list, but we each have our own lists of what is important. But I do like haptic feedback. And rather than send ":"+")", which i've been doing for 20 years an emoji bar is kind of nice. YMMV.
So what is your list of Apple great advancements in the last year?
Is it "the emoji-bar laptops are available in new colors"?
Is it the spring collection of watchbands?
The recent rains have ended the water drought for much of California - but the "new idea drought" from Apple continues.
Totally. A professional laptop needs a dedicated emoji bar because that's what professionals do all day. Who cares about USB ports and such other stuff right?
I can't remember an Apple laptop that wasn't well designed. The Watch and battery case I'm with you on, the case is difficult because they need to disguise a battery but the watch is too round and chunky (in my opinion!).
Who uses USB? Don't need it my friend.
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What were the great advancements of anything in one year? Was cancer cured? The common cold? Self driving cars realized?
Since 2011 a few. Since 2007 a few more. But let's not get crazy here. Great advancements at Apple for the last 20 years have been dripping not pouring out if Apple.
Then why does Surface have it? Surface is an ancient relic?
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If you followed the news Uber actually implemented self driving cars in California and it would have succeeded had it not been for the law
And in other news Uber has implemented self driving cars in Arizona.Few years from now no one is going to drive cars. Elon Musk will be known as the new Steve Jobs while Timmy will have launched the 5th generation watch band by then
http://www.theverge.com/2017/2/21/14687346/uber-self-driving-car-arizona-pilot-ducey-california
Now this is revolutionary
I'll leave that analysis in your very capable hands.
The concept of driverless cars has been around since the 1950s, nothing new there. California law was protecting it's people from overzealous companies who don't necessarily take the time or the right steps to ensure safety. Waiting for the invevitable passenger killed in a driverless car(due to software/hardware fault), just like Tesla, for Arizona to dial back the technology. (And as far as Uber, if they were subject to the same rules as the TLC commission, they would have failed in NYC, which is a subject for another thread)
Elon Mush didn't do anything new either (from a consumer point of view, maybe there is some innovation in the factories). Electric vehicles have been around since Porsche invented them in 1904. Being popular is not the same as being innovative.
But to the original point, asking for a ground-breaking invention from 1/1/xx to 12/31/xx for any company is a bit much to ask, as that's not the way things work, and pejorative as well, in this context.(imo)
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As long as he pleases the shareholders and Apple inc is making profits, I'm afraid he stays. The soul of Apple has already left the company for years. Driven by money and profit is the new Apple today.
[doublepost=1488634833][/doublepost]Not all things Cook does is bad though. Equality, human rights, environment should be on all companies agenda and not something to discuss about. It's 2017, globalization has been here for decades and no wall is going to change that. The world is getting smaller with the use of internet, airplanes. It's one small planet we all live on. Let's treat it equally and carefully.
No company survives the profits first customers second hyperbole. It should seem obvious Apple is delivering something customers want, even if there are criticisms of various things. There seem be enough customers purchasing various products and services that Apple had record breaking quarter even as criticism of Apple and cook abound galore on MR. This means Apple has correctly priced its services and products.
I am not really surprised tbh.A genius like Jobs is something which occurs a 100 years or so apart. This new money guzzling profit first Apple is just a shadow of its former self. You only need to hear the interview from none other than Jobs himself and what you will find are stark similarities to the current day Apple. Jobs was wrong about a lot of things. Time to see if this was one of em
Actually more geniuses than jobs as Apple owes a great deal to those tech geniuses enablers to begin with.
IMO, Apple is greater than it has been and has momentum to forge new inroads into the future. ymmv as to your opinion of Apple.
Nope. None of those geniuses were able to create 3 smash hits which created the world's most valuable company.
It's just another run of the mill fortune company run by a bean counter CEO. I don't see any vision in them at this point. They are just throwing products at the wall like their competition to see what sticks. The iPhone has fallen behind the competition in many ways unlike in Jobs era when the iPhone was ahead in everything including displays
Nope. An iphone wouldn't exist if wifi technology, cellular technology, display technology, modern cpu technology etc, had not ALREADY been developed and deployed. An ipod would not have been created had mp3 players not existed along with lossy file compression.
And Timmy invented the iphone 6, which was a super smash hit.
Until I got into apple into 2013 I thought the same as you, just another run of the mill fortune company run by a tyrant. So while I've modified by views since, imo, a company don't get to be the most valuable company in the world, most valuable brand and the other accolades that have been on the company by being ordinary and run of the mill.
The iphone was never ahead of the competition in "every category" under jobs, e.g. "cut and paste". However, it still is leaps better than the competition, imo. And the iphone 7 screen has been declared the most accurate screen, since mentioned displays were mentioned.
Yes, it's called iPhone. The Mac could disappear tomorrow and most people wouldn't even notice. The world has changed, and not for the better, IMHO. Consumers are more illiterate/less demanding than ever.
"What's a computer?"
"Well, it's kind of like an iPhone, but bigger."
Okay, but that doesn't explain why we bought two macpros and an apple tv (granted it's the second gen, but still), two ipads besides our iphones.