MP 7,1 Waiting for Mac Pro 7,1 A1991 (no more)

[Aldaris]

It's a great academic discussion. As for keeping us on track to the threads main rail, I think it's relevant given there seems to be some consensus that there may never be a 7,1, like the PowerBook G5. It is interesting to see different takes and opinions as well as looking at possible components for what could be in a 7,1 if it isn't 6' under.

With the LG partnership with the displays, it might not be out of the realm of possibility to have a macOS license program. I'd imagine Apple would dictate certain Xeon chipsets (maybe even a lighter workhorse with i7's for entry type systems) and maybe even have motherboard/logicboard standards to keep basic control over essential system drivers etc. to ensure there are no hang ups with updates. Not sure how easy or difficult it could be to reverse engineer it to "jailbreak" any control measures Apple could build into it.

Then potential manufactures can toss it in any plastic enclosure they want.

Certainly anything is possible when it comes to the direction of the 'pro' market.

 

[namethisfile]

Here's my two cents... about the 2013 new Mac Pro...

It's sexy!

The newNewmAcPro in 2o17 wIlL BE eVen seXier!

This word, "sexy," has been the modus operandi of Apple, since their resurgence. The titanium Powerbook, then the iPod, then the Aluminum Powerbook, then the iPhone, then, the unibody MBP's, then the 2013 New Mac Pro.

Everyone knows, even Steve Jobs, that sex sells.

How do you sell sexy computers? Let people touch them. The Apple Store was born.

You have to touch these machines before you have almost no control but to want them. Even, if it means applying to that Apple Credit Card thing with super high interest rates after only 3 months that you have no idea how to pay off because you just got out of college and you have no job. And, then, you also have to get the second-gen iPod because, like, I said, you touched it and it feels good in your hands that you wanna own it. Even if it means, putting it on credit again and you're still poor because it's post-2001... and you went to school for art.

Well, the 2013 nMP continues that tradition.

Good night, everyone!


PS--I think Apple will even improve the 2017 nMP's inside. What I mean, is that the thermal engineering will be even better somehow, someway.

PSS--Apple even incorporated a "touchbar" in the new Macobook Pro's. Although, overall, the design of the nMBP is just a tweak. But, there you go, it's in the "touch." The "magic" touch.

PSSS--following this touch thing. The 2017 NewnewMP might have a touchbar. Just a guess. It's in the "touch" ppl. The magic touch!

 

[iMcLovin]

There will be no new Mac Pro based on Intel designed CPUs/Processors.

Sadly, a 10-core Broadwell-E on Win10 DOUBLES the multi-core geekbench results of a maxed trashcan.

The Cook only cares about a "future" of iOS domination and short-term profits;
I suspect history 10 years from now will show Apple's lost the major market share.
Look at how many folks, especially the younger gen, have switched to Android.
There used to be a time in San Francisco when everyone had an iPhone, now its far less then 1 in 5.

There is no such this as a successful business with unhappy customers.
Less then a quarter of Mac users I've asked are happy with Apple's release history the last 4 years.
Hopefully the board will realigned their priorities and fire The Cook before he burns down the kitchen.

The "Mac Pro" name may be reused in the future;
but the way things are going, it'll be more drastic then nMP.
Imagine an A chip 8-core iPad base station for example.

I agree, Apple is really burning down the house faster than I would ever have expected, and I dont understand for what reasons. They all of a sudden don't seem to do anything right. The iPhone 7 was a huge disappointment (in my eyes) I own it but I dont even understand why I even bought it (it brought me no new/better user experience, but removed something I miss, the headphone jack). The Macbook Pro is not something I want even if I got it for half the price. The dongle hell it requires and the utterly ridiculous specs it offers is just mind boggling (the previous Macbook pro retina performs as good and at least you get proper ports). Who cares about that stupid touchbar???...Stopped the production of monitors and now also routers....The lack of releases on all other Macs. The Mac Pro is an overpriced and underwhelming product today, and the iMac as well suffers from a lot of problems (screen bleeding, overhating and throttling - I know because I owned 3 of them). Apple now the way I see it has ended up with a few strange products in the Mac lineup which are in dongle hell or/and has embarrassing technical specifications. They cling to new tech in certain departments that aren't standards at all, and choose to hold back on other things that are standards everywhere else. They dont follow competitors but doesn't bring users and experience that is better anymore, apples strange decisions before (I try not to say because of Steve) was at least to give the user a different but in many ways better experience. Now Phil schiller is taking the stage bragging about numbers that are almost a century behind (terraflops) competitors and their innovations seems Samsung like - they are there only for a gimmick.
I visit these forums less frequent now. I sold my iMac 5K and built a PC, and I'm all ready considering not going iPhone on my next phone, because apple seem to stagnate there as well (The new Xiaomi phone does minimalism better than apple all ready with more impressive technology).
I honestly think unless there's a grand scheme from Apple that I don't understand, this is the beginning of a falling empire. Because even if Mac Pros, routers, screens or anything else regarding macs aren't apples core business at all anymore - They help users feeling that they are in one ecosystem of flush and streamlined products. Seeing the new computers with cables sticking out in every direction isn't sexy anymore. They might not experience a huge drop in sales yet, but I think that's just because they are on the tip of the iceberg and what apple will do the next couple of years are very dangerous indeed.

And me saying all this, after being a loyal Apple customer and evangelist for over a decade says a lot. Right now the only people I recommend apple computers for are people that dont play games and needs the simplest computers and dont have any computer experience or just want the machine to do the simplest tasks like browsing. I would not try to recommend a Mac to a pc enthusiast or have a heatet discussion of what is best of PC and Mac anymore....which only proves to me that things truly have changed.

 

[Chicane-UK]

I agree, Apple is really burning down the house faster than I would ever have expected, and I dont understand for what reasons. They all of a sudden don't seem to do anything right. The iPhone 7 was a huge disappointment (in my eyes) I own it but I dont even understand why I even bought it (it brought me no new/better user experience, but removed something I miss, the headphone jack). The Macbook Pro is not something I want even if I got it for half the price. The dongle hell it requires and the utterly ridiculous specs it offers is just mind boggling (the previous Macbook pro retina performs as good and at least you get proper ports). Who cares about that stupid touchbar???...Stopped the production of monitors and now also routers....The lack of releases on all other Macs. The Mac Pro is an overpriced and underwhelming product today, and the iMac as well suffers from a lot of problems (screen bleeding, overhating and throttling - I know because I owned 3 of them). Apple now the way I see it has ended up with a few strange products in the Mac lineup which are in dongle hell or/and has embarrassing technical specifications. They cling to new tech in certain departments that aren't standards at all, and choose to hold back on other things that are standards everywhere else. They dont follow competitors but doesn't bring users and experience that is better anymore, apples strange decisions before (I try not to say because of Steve) was at least to give the user a different but in many ways better experience. Now Phil schiller is taking the stage bragging about numbers that are almost a century behind (terraflops) competitors and their innovations seems Samsung like - they are there only for a gimmick.
I visit these forums less frequent now. I sold my iMac 5K and built a PC, and I'm all ready considering not going iPhone on my next phone, because apple seem to stagnate there as well (The new Xiaomi phone does minimalism better than apple all ready with more impressive technology).
I honestly think unless there's a grand scheme from Apple that I don't understand, this is the beginning of a falling empire. Because even if Mac Pros, routers, screens or anything else regarding macs aren't apples core business at all anymore - They help users feeling that they are in one ecosystem of flush and streamlined products. Seeing the new computers with cables sticking out in every direction isn't sexy anymore. They might not experience a huge drop in sales yet, but I think that's just because they are on the tip of the iceberg and what apple will do the next couple of years are very dangerous indeed.

And me saying all this, after being a loyal Apple customer and evangelist for over a decade says a lot. Right now the only people I recommend apple computers for are people that dont play games and needs the simplest computers and dont have any computer experience or just want the machine to do the simplest tasks like browsing. I would not try to recommend a Mac to a pc enthusiast or have a heatet discussion of what is best of PC and Mac anymore....which only proves to me that things truly have changed.

I agree with everything you say. I was railing against the new Macbook Pro, and the state of the Mac Pro and was amazed that some people were defending some of the decisions being made, but the more I see people with similar thoughts to me makes me realise we're not alone in our concern for what is happening in Cupertino.

I hate to keep coming back to Steve Jobs. It's ridiculous how deeply one mans vision reached so deeply into the core of Apple. I knew he was a massive influence, and that he WAS Apple, but it's becoming painfully clear now that his influence has all but escaped and they're at risk of becoming massively irrelevant because of confusing, short sighted decisions which clearly put profits and short term gains ahead of any other decision.

All the same people are there yet they're making decisions now that any long time Apple enthusiast simply cannot fathom. How has it all gone so wrong?

It's heartbreaking, honestly. Apple, under Jobs, between 2005-2010 was such an exciting company. I doubt we're going to have that level of excitement again.

 

[tomvos]

The funny thing is, Apple touts itself as the tolerant company. No matter what your idea about life is, you're accepted.

Except, if you want diversity in tech. No, not at Apple.
You want a new powerful desktop without a dual GPU? Go somewhere else, you infidel!
You want two storage connectors? How dare you, smug user!
You want to upgrade your system? Blasphemy!

 

[Chancha]

The funny thing is, Apple touts itself as the tolerant company. No matter what your idea about life is, you're accepted.

Except, if you want diversity in tech. No, not at Apple.
You want a new powerful desktop without a dual GPU? Go somewhere else, you infidel!
You want two storage connectors? How dare you, smug user!
You want to upgrade your system? Blasphemy!

This reminds me in the last keynote, they opened with a video of accessibility features across Apple products, which was respectable. But in the same event, they spotlight product 2016 MBP's biggest selling point was a contextually dynamic touch bar that only gives visual feedback, at the expense of removing tactile, traditional function keys.

Apple nowadays is full of contradiction, it is hard to defend even for apologists who try. iPhone 7 removable of headphone jack, fine, but the bundled lightning earphone can't be plugged into the new MBP, or any mac for the matter. A computer with its only I/O options being USB-C which sells to futurists, but have underwhelming hardware specs even compared to Apple's own 2015 MBP.

I used to think it was just a case of corporation choosing to abundant its Pro user base in exchange for profit prospects (rightfully so). But it is getting clearer that they are simply losing its grip. Apple now is begging to not be taken seriously.

 

[Chicane-UK]

This reminds me in the last keynote, they opened with a video of accessibility features across Apple products, which was respectable. But in the same event, they spotlight product 2016 MBP's biggest selling point was a contextually dynamic touch bar that only gives visual feedback, at the expense of removing tactile, traditional function keys.

Apple nowadays is full of contradiction, it is hard to defend even for apologists who try. iPhone 7 removable of headphone jack, fine, but the bundled lightning earphone can't be plugged into the new MBP, or any mac for the matter. A computer with its only I/O options being USB-C which sells to futurists, but have underwhelming hardware specs even compared to Apple's own 2015 MBP.

I used to think it was just a case of corporation choosing to abundant its Pro user base in exchange for profit prospects (rightfully so). But it is getting clearer that they are simply losing its grip. Apple now is begging to not be taken seriously.

It was the trailer for the Pro device, with a lingering shot of a load of emoji's on the touch bar that made me lose my mind. It's just unfathomable.

 

[telequest]

My inside source tells me when to expect the next Mac Pro update:
http://www.newyorker.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/How-about-never-cartoon.jpg

 

[Mago]

Apple is really burning down the house faster than I would ever have expected, and I dont understand for what reasons

Simple Tim Cook just billed his first batch of Stocks, he and most R&D team are filled with money and thinks more on what to do with their money than on how to improve's Apple, in Jobs words "they are not HUNGRY", that means they dont care a lot about Apple's future since their own future is brigth, they even dont need Apple, Fire Tim Cook, Ive, Cue, and none of then will cry they will move to their mansions and begin to enjoy a wealthy rich retirement...

Its Time for Apple's stock holders to remove Tim Cook until only thing produced by Apple is the iPhone, coz the S.Ph. Market soonet than later will decline to become commodity as PC markets, and Android has a huge experience being a commodity product, no chance for Apple iPhone to survive Android as a commodity gadget.

Apple Needs somebody like Elon Musk managing Apple (sadly Elon will never be available), someone HUNGRY with FUTURE VISION, NOT CONSERVATIVE CORPORATION MANAGERS AS COCK, someone with real desire to step apple to the next level.

Apple now remembers me when HP was managed by Carly Fiorina, they first movements as HP CEO was to Kill HP's calculator business (as COOK discretely does with the MAC, and explicitly with Airport Routers/TimeCapsules).

HP's stock holders removed Carly and bring back the handheld busines to HP, HP may not be bigger but still one of the most solid Technologic Bisines in the world.
[doublepost=1480702736][/doublepost]Coock's Record:

iPhone: is the only product feeding Apple, sales decline announces iPhone's era comes to end, No Repalcement product line is TIM COOK BIGGEST and most DANGEROUS FAILURE
iPad Mini: mild success
iMac Retina: sound success
Watch: failure
Beats: Big Failure, with heavy MakeUp look as 'success' ( really expensive one ).
Macbooks: Mild Failure, While general PC market is on decline, Apple didnt care about its own Mac, with timely updates the Macbooks sure would have been selling much better.
Mac Pro & Mac Mini, both succeful products abandoned, none satisfies current customers, and drive most to to other platforms (as Mac Pro should have more updates also offer nVidia GPU OPTION).

 

[Ph.D.]

Waiting for Godot (nnMP, or any other "one more thing" these days) has long-since become a losing proposition regarding Apple.

It's clear that Apple will not give you what you want, no matter what you want. Yes, maybe a 7,1 will come out. But it STILL won't be what you want. You want 1080s or better? Ha ha! No! Vega? No! You will get detuned "pro" versions of the RX480 at $700 each if you are lucky. Ports? After the Macbook "pro," we'll be lucky to still have an ethernet port.

I have a 3,1, though I could easily have afforded any consumer computer at any time. It was plenty good enough when the 4,1 came out, so I waited. Then the 5,1 wasn't a big improvement, so I waited. Then the nMP came out and it was weird (not what I wanted), so I waited. And waited...

Now, my strategy is the following: Accept that Apple is out of the pro business (even if it does eventually limp a nnMP out the door). My main usage has now transferred to a custom PC running Linux (Manjaro/Arch + KDE Plasma, which I'm pretty happy with). My Mac usage has dropped to a few office applications and occasional use of Photoshop (pre-cloud). Rather than continue to use my power-hog Mac Pro for that, I may likely transition to a Macbook "pro" for lightweight applications - likely the non-touch version, even.

If, in their sweet, sweet time, Apple comes out with a new pro, I'll reassess the situation. But until then, I'm not wasting any more mental effort Waiting for Godot. The suffering I see here is just too much, and so you shouldn't either.

 

[Chancha]

I think it is a fallacy for fans to feel attached to Apple as if their future is of our innate concern. I have been a Mac user since G3 and I have grown to see them as tools and no more than that. While it is true that being "locked" into their ecosystem would inevitably bring some emotion out of us given the current way that the Pro segment is treated, but I found that the longer Apple has left itself behind the competition, the smaller impact it would bring for a long time user to just switch out of it. Stagnating the nMP for the 3rd year may ironically be the best service they can do to is particular segment, I mean if you look at the 2016 MBP it is not unjustified to call it just a castrated version of the 2015 model.

Even if Apple goes down being a generic fashion accessory maker who happens to implement some technology, the world won't suffer much as the others who are truly innovative will take over that void. It didn't take us a particularly long time to consider Nokia being irrelevant, regardless of the influence they had in that particular period of their peak. Likes of Elon Musk is better off doing what he does, this man is thinking about green energy and Mars colony in preparation of extinction events happening on earth. It would be a tragic loss to society if Musk had to people whose ambition lies in a 10 minute video boosting about metalic finish on a f__king cellphone.

 

[namethisfile]

Well, Steve Jobs was great because he cared. He had more at stake for good or bad about his product(s) because he had personal stake in it. He created it. It was his "baby."

Tesla dude's baby is Tesla. And although Tesla is "saving" the environment. Tesla, as a car design thing is a fail-fail-fail-fail-fail. Okay I went overboard there. The design of Tesla cars are Meh at best. And, is that a "Buick" in the least. The interior is also Meh. The futuristic looking interior is not futuristic, but bland. You know, the "bland" "bleak" futuristic aesthetic/feeling of the "future" you see sometimes in movies and in car interiors, aka Tesla?

Apple has a car project. Don't let Tesla people get their hands on it if something "different" is to come out of it.

Also, again, firing Cook and bringing in a Tesla dude is not a good idea.

SOmeone from inside the company who "cares" would be more sensible. Because part of Steve Job's success was that he was driven (pun intended). And, the motor behind that drive, I think, is not just a mad, frantic obsessiveness. But, a deep caring. You have to care I think to be driven that much.

No, no, no! No way a Tesla dude is going to drive Apple. If they do, you'll have that design language of Tesla's put in Apple. And, that design language my friend is a stale one. Look at a Tesla on the road. It looks like a ****ing Buick! If, Tesla was truly driven, a Tesla car would not look like a Buick governed by the same shape as a gas-powered car with it's engine placement requirements, etc. An all electric car would and should look nothing like a Buick!

Apple going out of the display business is good. You can get better displays with wider-gamuts from other manufacturers like NEC, Eizo, and the new TB3 LG 4K and 5K monitors.

Apple going out of the router business is good because there are like three to four other router manufacturers out there that make better spec'd routers that also works on Macs.

 

[brudy]

I owe my whole career to Apple in a way. My dad brought home an Apple II+ and I taught myself to code and then later got involved in design and photography. I'm in my 40s now. I've had more Apple computers and devices than you can probably imagine. It just feels like Apple is again visionless and adrift. Making things smaller might be a triumph of engineering but it's definitely not a business strategy. With literally no options for a die hard pro right now and the whole ecosystem of products going to hell, it just feels like they've gone totally consumer and just don't care about us anymore. This will hurt them in the long run. I have a Surface 3 tablet that I got for free and I'm intrigued by the large Surface desktop. With Adobe making a consistent UI these days and windows sucking a little less (still sucks though), moving to Windows might be the only solution in the long run. I'm not ready yet, but the day will come soon that Apple hardware just can't do it and there's no way I'd pony up for an outdated Mac Pro at this point.

 

[ManuelGomes]

How is it good that Apple has left the display and router business?!
Like it or not, TBD was quite good and still is. Old tech but still a good display.
And LG's 4K is not TB3 by the way, only the 5K is.
And according to a recent study (take it you will) Apple's router is among the best (indeed the best). Again, the usual grain of salt.
Again, a new TB3D to complement the new nMP would be very welcome. 3rd party stuff doesn't come close.
[doublepost=1480723235][/doublepost]How is it good that Apple has left the display and router business?!
Like it or not, TBD was quite good and still is. Old tech but still a good display.
And LG's 4K is not TB3 by the way, only the 5K is.
And according to a recent study (take it you will) Apple's router is among the best (indeed the best). Again, the usual grain of salt.
Again, a new TB3D to complement the new nMP would be very welcome. 3rd party stuff doesn't come close.

 

[namethisfile]

How is it good that Apple has left the display and router business?!
Like it or not, TBD was quite good and still is. Old tech but still a good display.
And LG's 4K is not TB3 by the way, only the 5K is.
And according to a recent study (take it you will) Apple's router is among the best (indeed the best). Again, the usual grain of salt.
Again, a new TB3D to complement the new nMP would be very welcome. 3rd party stuff doesn't come close.
[doublepost=1480723235][/doublepost]How is it good that Apple has left the display and router business?!
Like it or not, TBD was quite good and still is. Old tech but still a good display.
And LG's 4K is not TB3 by the way, only the 5K is.
And according to a recent study (take it you will) Apple's router is among the best (indeed the best). Again, the usual grain of salt.
Again, a new TB3D to complement the new nMP would be very welcome. 3rd party stuff doesn't come close.

Well because as good as the Apple TB Display is/was... there are better options out there.

For example, regardless, of whether the new 21.5" 4K LG monitor is TB3 or TB2, it is a P3 wide color gamut display. And at $524 right now,the 4K resolution and better panel is already better than the $1000 Apple TB Display. Although, you lose the convenience of Facetime camera. The 5K model is even better for the same price as the Apple TBD.

There are also more professional Wide-gamut displays more suited than the Apple TBD for professional use like from NEC or Eizo... and a couple from Dell I think that are 10-bit capable...

I sort of get how some people are upset because they can't "match" their Apple product with an Apple display. So, these, sort of, Computer-interior decorators are a bit flummoxed that the new LG Ultrafine monitors aren't color-matched with space gray or the silver aluminum. It's all black. Like, WTF? I think one would need to see the LG Ultrafine IRL on display at a store to see if it's as solid as the Apple TBD. But, from a couple of reviews out there, they have mentioned that the solidity and build quality of the new LG Ultrafine monitors are just ultra fine....

I'm not going to argue your point about Apple no longer making Airport capsules. I think you have a valid reason there to cry.

PS--let's say, hypothetically-speaking, I bought a 2015 15" Macbook Pro Retina last year. The Apple Thunderbolt Display would be an option for me. But, I wouldn't buy it. For my money and usage as a video editor I would look for one capable of wide-gamut. The Apple Thunderbolt Display are good for furniture-matching. And, people who aren't as savvy as others about the landscape of monitors, which admittedly can be foreboding. So, they fork $1000 to get an Apple TBD to go with their MBP or their Mac mini. But, these people are probably not using their Macs for professional use, anyway. So, it's fine.

And, there is also the fact that when people go to buy a Mac at an Apple store, Apple only sold the Apple TBD. They don't sell like an NEC one or an Eizo one or a Dell one. So... people go with what they see IRL.

Even, today, I want to buy an NEC PA series monitor. But, there is like no one in a store that sells it where one can see it IRL. I think only B&H has them. But, that's like one store.

If, you go to Best Buy and you're looking for a computer monitor, you won't find a good one.

 

[ventricle]

How do you sell sexy computers? Let people touch them. The Apple Store was born.

You have to touch these machines before you have almost no control but to want them. Even, if it means applying to that Apple Credit Card thing with super high interest rates after only 3 months that you have no idea how to pay off because you just got out of college and you have no job. And, then, you also have to get the second-gen iPod because, like, I said, you touched it and it feels good in your hands that you wanna own it. Even if it means, putting it on credit again and you're still poor because it's post-2001... and you went to school for art.

Well, the 2013 nMP continues that tradition.

And in my local Apple store, there it sits, alone, all lonely and dusty in the farthest corner of the room. Connected to almost nothing, the little trash can is all but invisible as I quickly scan the corner every time I walk by to see if anything has changed. I’ve never seen anyone approach or stand in front of it. I’ve been to that corner … thrice … before feeling odd and walking away. Most other areas of the store have a few people about touching products. Around them hover an ever watchful and attentive crew in blue carrying their fulfilment devices. They smile confidently, ready to pounce the moment your eyes leave the device to summon service. Unless you happen to be standing in that corner.

 

[namethisfile]

And in my local Apple store, there it sits, alone, all lonely and dusty in the farthest corner of the room. Connected to almost nothing, the little trash can is all but invisible as I quickly scan the corner every time I walk by to see if anything has changed. I’ve never seen anyone approach or stand in front of it. I’ve been to that corner … thrice … before feeling odd and walking away. Most other areas of the store have a few people about touching products. Around them hover an ever watchful and attentive crew in blue carrying their fulfilment devices. They smile confidently, ready to pounce the moment your eyes leave the device to summon service. Unless you happen to be standing in that corner.

Poetic...

The little trash can
can get lost
even at home
in an Apple Store
amongst its little siblings
the phone
the one with a screen

Yeah

the little trash can
is alone

But not forgotten

 

[Mago]

Tesla, as a car design thing is a fail-fail-fail-fail-fail.

I don't like most of Tesla design language, but actually only two deffects in Tesla cars are:

Model S's The Door Handles: they use to get stuck and add add little convenience, I'd like Door handles like the ones on 1st gent Acura NSX.

Model X's "Falcon Wing Doors' another failure, over-complicated solution for a SUVesque Mini Van, I understand every product had to be 'different' but Elon should think more like a Engineer than a Sales Man when making design related decissions.

Apple has a car project.

Cancelled, Apple what has now is an Self Driving car AI project I imagine they now plan to license to car Manufacturers or Sell as R2-D2 accessory in case the industry reaches some AI-Self Driving interface std (unlikely, but whi knows...).

No way a Tesla dude is going to drive Apple. If they do, you'll have that design language of Tesla's put in Apple.

You are somewhat right, I doubt Elon never ambitioned to rule Apple and much less abandon his own dreams, but if they do I thing will be Tesla which will adopt most of Apple Design language (jut look at Model S touch screen interface, this is pure cocoa), and Apple to adopt most Tesla production practices (as progressive improvements and only keynotes when launch and entirely new product not just updates).

Apple going out of the display business is good

Actually Apple never was in the Display Business, It was onle a VAR (value added reseller) since Apple dont manufactured Thunderbolt Displays, they just designed it and commisioned to LG, Sharp etc, then later apple put it on their stores.

I think Apple abandon the Display business its a need to rationalize Apple Store's inventories, Displays are very low sales nowadays and requires much store space and low profit margins, I assume dont make it a good business, and Manufacturers may preffer to produce a more standarized product targeted to multiple markets not Apple-only.

And according to a recent study (take it you will) Apple's router is among the best (indeed the best). Again, the usual grain of salt.

Only Airport product I owned was the mini router which looked like a mac Power brick, If you are aware in WiFi technology you should know Apple routers arent safe neither faster than much cheaper and solid offering from Netgear or Asus (I own two NightHawk R7000 loaded with DDWRT firmware, by long much better than any Airport Router, Synology also sells an very easy to use and powerful router loaded with features like its own download client, file sharing, VPN etc you'll never see those fearures in an apple product: VPN, Bitorrent Client).

But Kiling TimeCapsule its an error, Apple is to abandon its most popular backup solution, and leave it to 3rd party NASes, while thy had to put engineers to design an cheap macOS server loaded mini NAS powered with ARM cpu.

 

[namethisfile]

Actually Apple never was in the Display Business, It was onle a VAR (value added reseller) since Apple dont manufactured Thunderbolt Displays, they just designed it and commisioned to LG, Sharp etc, then later apple put it on their stores.

I think Apple abandon the Display business its a need to rationalize Apple Store's inventories, Displays are very low sales nowadays and requires much store space and low profit margins, I assume dont make it a good business, and Manufacturers may preffer to produce a more standarized product targeted to multiple markets not Apple-only.

By display business, I think, I and others meant making their own display. We know they don't make the panels and thunderbolt is, sort of, not their's either. I think it's intel. Not sure.

Do you think Apple is also not in the laptop business since they don't make the cpu's/gpu's/panel?

 

[Mago]

Apple is also not in the laptop business

Not the same, a laptop includes much more Added Value from Apple's engineers than a Display, as Display VAR apple just branded an LG or SHARP Panel, very little from Apple, just styling, Apple logo and distribution.

But Laptop and most desktop requires much more design and engineering notwithstanding the components most of them arent manufactured by apple (assembly by apple's commission).

 

[namethisfile]

Not the same, a laptop includes much more Added Value from Apple's engineers than a Display, as Display VAR apple just branded an LG or SHARP Panel, very little from Apple, just styling, Apple logo and distribution.

But Laptop and most desktop requires much more design and engineering notwithstanding the components most of them arent manufactured by apple (assembly by apple's commission).

Okay. I see you're point. Although, calling the Apple Cinema TB Display as a VAR product is sort of devaluing it.

A VAR product would be more in line with if, Apple took say, the new LG Ultrafine Display and put an Apple logo on it. And the Apple logo would be the only change. I think that would be more in line of a VAR product as I understand it.

But, to design and make a display like the Apple Cinema Display is more than just putting an Apple logo on it. Granted, the engineering and design is not the same as a laptop. How could it be the same? But, the effort and dedication is the same, if you know what I mean?

A similar situation to use as an analogy is, if, someone was to hire Thelma Schoonmaker as an editor for say an up-start company's promo video. Now, do you think, the value of Schoonmaker is less because she is editing a promo video for an up-start company?

I don't know if that's the right analogy. But, do you know what I mean?

But Kiling TimeCapsule its an error, Apple is to abandon its most popular backup solution, and leave it to 3rd party NASes, while thy had to put engineers to design an cheap macOS server loaded mini NAS powered with ARM cpu.

I don't know about this. Any NAS or device should work with Timemachine. Timemachine is not biased to Apple Timecapsules.

 

[ManuelGomes]

Man, are you 4 years old or what?! Being saying nonsense since u got here.
One would assume TB3D would carry the same panel as the LG 5K.
And still today monitors are being released with worse specs than the "old" TBD.
Apple used to have a 32 incher 4K at the store when the nMP was released, same as they have now the LG stuff. Reviews mention the plastic make as well.
Of course there are Pro monitors out there, with better specs, with even a price to go with it. And the TBD is already expensive.
But being in that business and not knowing what HDR is... decorator seems fit.

Mago, nowadays according to your logic no one makes monitors then. Apple indeed designed than model, using of course a 3rd party panel, as everyone does. Only a couple of panel manufacturers provide panels for everyone else. Designing and providing a monitor is a bit more than just assemble a panel to a frame, you know that. That's why different models from different manufacturers have different behaviors and provide different visual experiences.
And there's the integrated array of ports to be considered, that's Apple's design, easy or not (a but of electronics inside actually).
The same goes for the iMac 5K, would you say it's not Apple's design? Custom TCON even? (OK, modification of an existing one). Still, once it's not just something you plainly rebrand it's a custom design.
Not fighting you over this, but I believe it's too diminishing saying it's not their design. Sure it wasn't LG that designed the TBD back then.
Same goes for every Apple products ever made.
And that's a good thing about Apple, their products match and look good together, and function well together.
Of course if you need something with better/other specs you need to go somewhere else.

Regarding the router business, this is what I was talking about:
http://appleinsider.com/articles/16...arks-in-consumer-grade-wireless-router-survey
Take it as you will of course.
No doubt other brands produce stuff that even makes you breakfast in the morning if you want it to. But it's still a shame, they were (are?) good.

 

[Chancha]

The "higher tier" monitors require quite a delicate combination of a good panel, a feature packed and powerful PCB, software written inside and on the OS side, I/O capabilities and communication with calibration devices etc. This is the reason despite LG and Samsung being the primary supplier of the panels themselves, but they never managed, or bothered to sell monitor products that go beyond the "prosumer" class. Ezio and NEC have traditionally been the best at the overall in implementing and balancing these hardware and software components, fun fact is their panel of choice actually switched frequently in respective eras.

I would go as far as to say throughout the history of Apple's display line, there was never a moment in time where an Apple display was considered the literal best in the market, as far as graphic pros are concerned. They simply offered a package of a decently modern panel, energy efficient backlight, their usual excellent aesthetics to go with the paired current gen desktop Macs. But on the I/O front (being used by anything but Macs), hardware calibration ability etc, they have been fairly weak.

Discontinuing Thunderbolt Display line, or exiting display business altogether is actually one of the more sensible decisions Apple has made lately. Again, they were never considered top of the crop by demanding professionals anyway, so it was more serving the ecosystem / consistent aesthetics crowd.

 

[AidenShaw]

Well because as good as the Apple TB Display is/was... there are better options out there.

The word "was" is the key here. Five years ago when the T-Bolt monitor was designed it was pretty good (except for the gloss mirror treatment).

Our people with Apple laptops and the T-Bolt displays are requesting to eWaste them and get Dell 4K 27" retina displays. Better monitors for half the price of the Apple monitors - and not mirrors.

 

[fastlanephil]

As I remember this Apple monitor for the Mac ll was pretty high end for it's time.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AppleColor_High-Resolution_RGB_Monitor