Where is Apple going? Mac or iPhone?

[EdbBob]

I've been called a MacFanBoy. I came over from the Windows world, a few years ago, when Vista came out And I loved what I found. OSX UI rocks compared to even Win7, and I love the simplicity, Expose etc., no mallware and the design. My Mac does almost anything I want, without the need to use half of my time administering the system.

Enough sweet talk. What is going on? The last year I've only seen iPad this and iPhone that. The Mac, and the Mac software seems to be "abandoned" by Apple. The latest release of Final Cut Studio was, lets call it, minor. The servers are being shut down. Quicktime still can't manage colors/gamma right. Most of the fancy features of SnowLeo, which are sort of behind the scene, hasn't been used to improve the user experience on the Mac. True 64bit? Usb3? eSata? Proper SSD support in OSX? I could keep whining for hours.

I understand why Apple focus on the huge iPad/iPhone market, but I personally need a computer. I can't run the software I use on an iPad/iPhone.

Anyone else having the same feeling?

Best regards

EDBBOB

 

[miles01110]

...

2007 called, it wants its complaining back.

Seriously, this is not news. Apple's priorities shifted when they delayed Leopard for the iPhone.

 

[Hellhammer]

Lion is coming next summer and it will bring at least some new features. MBAs got a pretty big overhaul few months ago. Mac Mini got a new design last summer.

It is true that Apple may not concentrate on all Macs as much as they used to. Apps like Final Cut Suite require A LOT work but its market is fairly small. With iToys, the market is huge. Apple just goes where the money is

 

[*LTD*]

Just get a new Mac when the news ones are released.

 

[maflynn]

in 2010, apple's focus was mostly on the mobile market, iPhone, iPad, and even the ipod touch. Their computer lines got a little love, but mostly it was all iToys.

I don't see that changing dramatically in 2011, as the iPhone, iPad, etc are providing apple with the strongest growth, and a larger profit margin.

The computer line, is a mature line that has little room for much growth or profit margin. That is, they'll not be investing a lot of R&D $$ on their computer lines when the return on investment won't be that much. Yes apple increased its marketshare for Macs but that doesn't negate the fact that the computer line is mature and unlikely to see huge gains

 

[chrono1081]

I've been called a MacFanBoy. I came over from the Windows world, a few years ago, when Vista came out And I loved what I found. OSX UI rocks compared to even Win7, and I love the simplicity, Expose etc., no mallware and the design. My Mac does almost anything I want, without the need to use half of my time administering the system.

Enough sweet talk. What is going on? The last year I've only seen iPad this and iPhone that. The Mac, and the Mac software seems to be "abandoned" by Apple. The latest release of Final Cut Studio was, lets call it, minor. The servers are being shut down. Quicktime still can't manage colors/gamma right. Most of the fancy features of SnowLeo, which are sort of behind the scene, hasn't been used to improve the user experience on the Mac. True 64bit? Usb3? eSata? Proper SSD support in OSX? I could keep whining for hours.

I understand why Apple focus on the huge iPad/iPhone market, but I personally need a computer. I can't run the software I use on an iPad/iPhone.

Anyone else having the same feeling?

Best regards

EDBBOB

You'll hear people falsely claim that "Apple abandoned the mac for iDevices blah blah"

All it takes is one quick look to see this is completely false. Look how many times iDevices update in a year. Once. Look how many times Macs update in a year, lots more (it varies year to year).

What people don't understand is Apple doesn't have thousands of engineers. They have a small development team for such a large company. What people also don't understand is Apple makes money on hardware, not software. If you ask most people on this board how they started with Macs a lot will say their first experience is with an iDevice. What better way to rope people into the mac world then with a small, fairly inexpensive device to get them hooked on the Apple way of things.

 

[mammadon]

Of all personal computer sales in the world, how much are by Apple? this includes IBM-based PCs, Apple Macs, etc.? Apple must have a very small share of personal computer sales, and they always have.

The iPhone and now iPad are by far their biggest selling products, so logic dictates they will focus on these now. If anything, it is these products that have made Apple sexy, so to speak.

 

[*LTD*]

Mac and iPhone (iPad)?

Soon there will be no difference. The old distinctions won't hold.

 

[lPHONE]

I want touch screen iMac.
I don't care about arthritis.

 

[chaosbunny]

Mac and iPhone (iPad)?

Soon there will be no difference. The old distinctions won't hold.

Which is exactly what the op and many others are afraid of. Not being able to get actual work done on their favourite machines. Macs/iToys will be cool gadgets for twitter & facebook this way.

 

[maflynn]

Which is exactly what the op and many others are afraid of. Not being able to get actual work done on their favourite machines.

Exactly. Up till now, I've used Macs because they allowed me to get my work done and while my iPad has aided that endeavor, if apple continues the iPadification of OSX or makes the Macs less of a computer then I'll move on.

Its not like I'm married to apple, I give them money because their products serve my needs. The moment that ceases, I'll move on to a different company.

 

[roadbloc]

Exactly. Up till now, I've used Macs because they allowed me to get my work done and while my iPad has aided that endeavor, if apple continues the iPadification of OSX or makes the Macs less of a computer then I'll move on.

Its not like I'm married to apple, I give them money because their products serve my needs. The moment that ceases, I'll move on to a different company.

+1. For example, if the MAS becomes the only way to install apps that would be hell of a lot of professional apps just simply "cut out" of OS X. Pro-Tools, the adobe suite, Reason, the list goes on. If any pro apps I use are forced out of the ecosystem, then I'll be off back to Windows quicker than you can say iOS.

 

[McGiord]

The trend is that Apple will be incorporating the marketing successful hits in the Mac like the App Store.
Gestures and Touch input into Mac OS.
The iDevices are and will always be very simple to use.
The Mac will always be to complete computer based activities, that require more computing power and business like reliability, with the iPhone and iPad Apple is finally penetrating the business markets, and nowadays (and sometime in the future it will be more common) the IT departments are been tasked to support the Apple products by top managers.
As we get hook on using our iDevices, I believe that apple is betting on getting more and more people doing the transition like you did.
We are still out there hardcore Mac enthusiasts since the beige black and white Macs...MacPaint and MacWrite were our first office packages...then Word and Excel....1980s...

 

[Stella]

Apple are moving where the money is.. and thats their iDevices.

OSX will become dumbed down and look and behave more like iOS. In the very long term, hopefully not locked up like iOS.

 

[anim8or]

IMO Apple has abandoned those who helped make the company what it is now....

For years if not decades apple was not the choice of the average consumer, but for many professionals THE choice, especially those in the design/media industry.

I for one chose Mac and my career was born from using both macs and Mac OS X.. but these days i feel that since breaking into the mainstream Apple IMHO shifted its focus away from the professional to consumer products...

I would have preferred if they had invested in expanding their team/employees/company to try and focus on all aspects of the Apple World... instead of dropping one for the other... As demonstrated by the push back of Leopard in favour of focusing on the iPhone/iOS...

One can only hope that Apple does not feel that they can combine the two markets instead of keeping both fully teamed up and keep them evolving at the same rate.

I for one do not see my future animationg/composting/editing on an iOS device... yes add touch/gestures to Mac OS X (as an option) but don't dilute what we have grown to know and love...

 

[rhett7660]

I think there will still be a very distinct difference between the two. I still think we will have the Mac's to do our pro stuff on and I think we will have the iPhone/iPad's etc to do the other stuff on. I don't foresee the two becoming one. There maybe some lines that are blurred but I still think they are going to be different animals. You are still going to need something that will run XCode and other Professional apps. I don't think the ecosystem with the App store will close down and this will be the only way to get Apps. You will still be able to get Apps else where and you will still be able to install Apps outside the App store.

I just feel some of the lines will start blurring together that is all. Of course this is just my opinion and nothing is based on factual data!

 

[maflynn]

Apple are moving where the money is.. and thats their iDevices.

that's ok in one sense, as the Mac line is still a profitable sector so they'll continue to make macs

OSX will become dumbed down and look and behave more like iOS. In the very long term, hopefully not locked up like iOS.

This is where my concern lies. As Roadbloc as stated, is MAS becomes the only way to install apps, then my usage of Macs will come to an end. The last thing I want is a computer that needs to be jail broken to install applications that I want, regardless if apple approved them or not.

Can't happen? There were some news stories last summer on apple is adding code to OSX to only allow programs that have been signed by them to execute in OSX. Perhaps not in 10.7 but its quite possible that this is on their road map.

 

[R94N]

Apple is only changing to adapting demand for products. At the moment it's all about iOS and the iDevices, so Apple's bound to concentrate more there because that's where the money is to be made. I don't think Apple would ever abandon the Mac. There's always going to be some kind of demand for desktop machines, even if it's miniscule.

 

[ehoui]

If Apple hadn't focused on the iPod, where would Apple be today? What would Mac OS X look like today?
If Apple hadn't focused on mobile, I'm sure we would be griping about Apple having missed the boat...

Apple is a very large company which can do multiple things. (Although Steve has said it would only do a few things, so that it could do those things well.)

This wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth for what is really (in my mind) an issue of perceptions, and nothing more. Mac sales have increased, Mac OS X is continually advanced and improved. It doesn't suffer from major issues or gaps. Sure some want "cool new features" or want to be surprised by some innovative changes... who cares. Can I get my stuff done quickly and as painlessly as possible? For me, the answer is "yes".

 

[NT1440]

The cool thing about having a company of over 20,000 employees is you can work on more than one thing at a time. For those of you saying that there is no longer any focus on the mac, their building a new friggin operating system as we speak. Macs are a huge money maker, they aren't going anywhere

 

[maccompaq]

Experience has shown that the iPhone has brought many new users to OSX, and iPad will do the same. Just be patient, and watch Mac grow.

 

[G4er?]

IMO Apple has abandoned those who helped make the company what it is now....

Experience has shown that the iPhone has brought many new users to OSX, and iPad will do the same. Just be patient, and watch Mac grow.

Two different viewpoints. Which is right? I am leaning to the first one. I just don't find any current Mac other than the too expensive for me Mac Pro worth buying.
I'm glad Apple is successful with all of its iDevices but I'm simply not interested in any of them.
It is that in between Mac that Apple won't build that I am interested in. It's no great leap of technology to make a bigger mini case make it easy to get into and fill it with iMac parts and let people choose their own monitor like the mini and Pro buyers already do.

Maybe Apple needs to watch some Geico commercials.

"A mid range Mac mini tower. So easy a caveman could do it."

 

[ehoui]

Maybe Apple needs to watch some Geico commercials.

"A mid range Mac mini tower. So easy a caveman could do it."

I hope you are not holding your breath.

 

[maflynn]

IMO Apple has abandoned those who helped make the company what it is now...

Experience has shown that the iPhone has brought many new users to OSX, and iPad will do the same. Just be patient, and watch Mac grow.

Two different viewpoints. Which is right?

Couldn't both be right?

the iDevices have caused an upswing in Mac's marketshare, but apple's attention has been decidedly iDevices. Apple's focus has been on the iPhone, and iPad products, dedicating time, and resources but they have enjoyed the fact more people have been buying Macs. Apple has done very little with their computer line, in both hardware and software in 2010. I really don't see that changing even if their marketshare continues an upward trend.

 

[janstett]

It's already pretty clear that Apple is an iDevice company now, and the Macintosh is being left to wither. The people who notice are the high end consumers like media producers and engineers. The Macintosh is no longer the best platform for media consumption. The Mac is getting by on momentum and image, and the high end customers who made the Mac successful are the first ones to notice. The drooling iDevice masses haven't noticed yet but the seeds of discontent are already sewn.

No Blu-Ray; no 30-bit color; no USB 3; no eSata; eliminating firewire; no HDMI (except one model); no wireless USB, no NFC. Many models stuck on Core 2 Duo. Video cards on the Mac Pro that are generations behind the PC. Final Cut is steadily languishing and on the verge of losing to the competition. OSX hasn't really had an innovation in years, and the only innovation we're hearing about coming down the road in Lion is an iOS style interface (no thanks!).

The iDevices are neat and all, and I still love my Macs, but it's abundantly clear they are being neglected technologically. I remember the days when Apple would tout its bleeding-edge technology. Now they don't have any to tout.

Worse, Windows can do things the Mac can't (see above list) and Windows is now the best platform for high end media consumption. That's pretty darned sad because that's been the Mac since the Amiga has been gone.

Want a high end HTPC that does Blu-Ray and HDMI multichanel sound? Gotta do 30-bit video processing? Want cutting edge hardware? Get a PC.