Why all of this suddenly happening to Apple?

[graycrow]

I'm not a first person to bring it here, not a last as well, but look at this list:

Mac Pro is forgotten and near abandoned.
Project Titan (the car) is cancelled, Apple laid off hundreds of employees.
Apple out of the standalone display business.
Apple AirPods are delayed.
Apple TV is the most expensive media box in the market and despite this it has no UHD and HDR support.
New MacBooks are extremely expensive, has no function/esc keys, ports have different bandwidth, you can't plug iPhone without an adapter, you can't plug lighting headphones at all, etc.
16/32GB memory issue, it's actually an Intel's "fail" but Apple could handle it better.
The last presentation was far away from Apple's own standard.

And this is a not a full list of the recent (bad) news, I probably forgot something. One fail at the time could happen to anyone (hi, Samsung), but not all of this at once. And what I can't understand, it's why all of this suddenly happening to the company with resources and size of Apple. I can't believe that all of this is just to maximize profits an please shareholders, Apple executives aren't that stupid. Then why all of this happening? There is no sight of any long-term strategy or a new product in development, then why they giving up on everything? Car - cancelled, display - cancelled, iPhone - 3rd year with the same design, nMP - forgotten, mini - forgotten, MBP - see above, etc. What they will sell in 2 years from now?

 

[maflynn]

why all of this happening?

At the risk of repeating myself, this is why

Also, your title is inaccurate, its not why its happening to apple because they are the ones making the decisions not to update the Mini, the Mac Pro, removing ports on the MBP, and raising the prices.

 

[Adam Warlock]

Tim Cook & co really need to go. Uninspired and uninspiring products, higher and higher prices, no wow factor--heck, no "well, at least it's better than last year" factor either! It seems the products are actually sliding backwards in some respects. I simply can't see how Apple can continue its forward momentum based on the current product lineup.

 

[Moakesy]

As a long time Apple fan, that Steve Jobs clip just about sums it up for me. That's what is happening here.

Up until last week, I've held out that Apple is still a great company making great products that people want. The event last week now makes me think that the last three words of that sentence don't apply in the same way as they did before.

I know of at least three friends, plus myself, who were going to buy the new MBP. Not a single one of us is going to now, especially with the UK price hike. Obviously four people is nowhere near a representative sample, but at £3k for the 15" mid-MBP, that is £12,000 of sales they have lost.

I can't believe they are going to sell enough of these machines to hit sales targets. I'm hoping that this is nothing worse than a wobble, where they realise they got it wrong, and react quickly to sort things out for the next update. I will happily pay a so-called Apple tax, (actually I think Apple have been great value over the long term) where it's worth it, but for now it saddens me to admit they got it wrong and they have to do better.

 

[dotnet]

New MacBooks are extremely expensive, has no function/esc keys, ports have different bandwidth, you can't plug iPhone without an adapter, you can't plug lighting headphones at all, etc.

Can't plug an iPhone in without an adapter?? Are you saying the Lightning to USB-C cable should be included with the iPhone?

 

[JonLa]

Their only responsibility is to please the shareholders, I guess...

 

[graycrow]

Can't plug an iPhone in without an adapter?? Are you saying the Lightning to USB-C cable should be included with the iPhone?

Well, they either should keep one USB-A port, or include an adapter for free or include a second cable. That would be a nice move from the company which cares about it's customers.

 

[whooleytoo]

I'm really struggling to understand where their roadmap is coming from. Their endless obsession with smaller and lighter is great, until it starts impacting utility. When you have to carry around adaptors so your laptop can be a couple of mm thinner, that to me is false economy. And when they describe themselves as courageous for ignoring user feedback, they strike me as an increasingly arrogant company who believe they know better than the users what the users want.

Much as I love the new HQ building, sometimes I wonder if big, flashy "statement" headquarters are a "jumping the shark" moment for big tech companies.

I'm writing this on a MBP that I absolutely love, but doesn't need replacing for a few years. My desktop Mac will be replaced by (my first ever) PC, as Mac desktops are overpriced, under-specced and have limited upgradability. I won't be upgrading my iPhone for a while, but if there's any sign that future iPads will drop the headphone port (no idea if that's in the plan) my next tablet won't be an iPad either.

All I see from Apple are incremental hardware upgrades and reduced options.

 

[pat500000]

I'm not a first person to bring it here, not a last as well, but look at this list:

Mac Pro is forgotten and near abandoned.
Project Titan (the car) is cancelled, Apple laid off hundreds of employees.
Apple out of the standalone display business.
Apple AirPods are delayed.
Apple TV is the most expensive media box in the market and despite this it has no UHD and HDR support.
New MacBooks are extremely expensive, has no function/esc keys, ports have different bandwidth, you can't plug iPhone without an adapter, you can't plug lighting headphones at all, etc.
16/32GB memory issue, it's actually an Intel's "fail" but Apple could handle it better.
The last presentation was far away from Apple's own standard.

And this is a not a full list of the recent (bad) news, I probably forgot something. One fail at the time could happen to anyone (hi, Samsung), but not all of this at once. And what I can't understand, it's why all of this suddenly happening to the company with resources and size of Apple. I can't believe that all of this is just to maximize profits an please shareholders, Apple executives aren't that stupid. Then why all of this happening? There is no sight of any long-term strategy or a new product in development, then why they giving up on everything? Car - cancelled, display - cancelled, iPhone - 3rd year with the same design, nMP - forgotten, mini - forgotten, MBP - see above, etc. What they will sell in 2 years from now?

Do you remember pencil unavailability?
[doublepost=1478024178][/doublepost]

I'm really struggling to understand where their roadmap is coming from. Their endless obsession with smaller and lighter is great, until it starts impacting utility. When you have to carry around adaptors so your laptop can be a couple of mm thinner, that to me is false economy. And when they describe themselves as courageous for ignoring user feedback, they strike me as an increasingly arrogant company who believe they know better than the users what the users want.

Much as I love the new HQ building, sometimes I wonder if big, flashy "statement" headquarters are a "jumping the shark" moment for big tech companies.

I'm writing this on a MBP that I absolutely love, but doesn't need replacing for a few years. My desktop Mac will be replaced by (my first ever) PC, as Mac desktops are overpriced, under-specced and have limited upgradability. I won't be upgrading my iPhone for a while, but if there's any sign that future iPads will drop the headphone port (no idea if that's in the plan) my next tablet won't be an iPad either.

All I see from Apple are incremental hardware upgrades and reduced options.

Tim once stated, "servicing."

 

[maflynn]

Uninspired and uninspiring products

Yes, reading various technology sites, and blogs, there seems to be a general sense of malaise with Apple lately. they've long lost the cool factor and we only got a ho hum update to the MBP, and that 3 years into the making touch bar, is because they refuse to make a touchscreen on the macs.

That would be a nice move from the company which cares about it's customers.

Indeed, I think the goodwill generated would have gone a long way

I'm really struggling to understand where their roadmap is coming from

You're not the only one
Link

A pointed question that UBS’ Steve Milunovich put to CEO Tim Cook on Apple’s earnings conference call isn’t likely to make anyone confident Apple is on the path to creating game-changing products. As Business Insider’s Kif Leswing flagged on Tuesday, Milunovich asked Cook about whether the company had a “grand strategy” that goes beyond just selling more iPhones. The answer from Cook was, more or less, “No.”

 

[dotnet]

Indeed, I think the goodwill generated would have gone a long way

You think? Throwing in the Lightning to 3.5mm adapter with the iPhone 7 didn't seem to get them much goodwill around the Interwebs.

 

[maflynn]

You think? Throwing in the Lightning to 3.5mm adapter with the iPhone 7 didn't seem to get them much goodwill around the Interwebs.

I do, because its something that Apple hasn't done with the MBP. Of course there will be people pissing and moaning but it sure beats charging them 70 dollars for a dongle

 

[satchmo]

It's not a sudden happening. The timeline has reached the point where Tim's decisions has caught up with him.
Older products have been neglected and ignored.

If what is reported to be true (Rene Ritchie of iMore), this MPB was supposed to be launched early this year. Who knows what the delay was. Were resources tied up by other pet projects (Titan or Watch?).
Now it just playing catch up.

 

[maflynn]

he timeline has reached the point where Tim's decisions has caught up with him.
Older products have been neglected and ignored.

I think its more of philosphoical change at the leadership. With Cook you had him state
Business Insider

"I think if you're looking at a PC, why would you buy a PC anymore? No really, why would you buy one?"

He was pushing his iPad product line and its very telling to me where his priorities are.

If what is reported to be true (Rene Ritchie of iMore), this MPB was supposed to be launched early this year. Who knows what the delay was.

I think in Macbreak Weekly Rene postulated that the resources were pulled from the Mac side to the phone side, because unlike the Mac, the iPhone absolutely has to be shipped on time. Whether that's true or not, I have no idea.

 

[spacebro]

This would have been a killer update had they only branded these machines "macbooks". Because now I look at this and think "apple is out of the performance computer market". They've given us lower tier cpu and ram designed for surface tablets and try to blame intel that it is limited to 16gb. They blame intel instead of defending their design tradeoffs! This argument is a loser because had intel allowed 32gb low power ram, then the microsoft tablet stuff would also have 32gb ram and the macbook would still only be as good as a surface tablet. Instead they called this weak little thing a "macbook pro" and removed all hope that they would come out with a laptop for power users. Someone needs to save apple by stepping in and rebranding these machines to plain macbooks.

 

[Cheffy Dave]

Tim Cook & co really need to go. Uninspired and uninspiring products, higher and higher prices, no wow factor--heck, no "well, at least it's better than last year" factor either! It seems the products are actually sliding backwards in some respects. I simply can't see how Apple can continue its forward momentum based on the current product lineup.

I disagree,this new MBP, is the best selling MBP ever, the new MB is a delicious piece of kit, cutting edge stuff,battery,keyboard,touchpad, quality made, ( who else is doing this?) NEW iMacs, MP (garbage Can) are coming. That said, Cook is a bean counter, (glad to see they are dumping the car, and getting back to what they do best,MAC), LOVE to see IVE take over! Don't get the life jackets yet, the ship isn't about to go down, YET!

 

[asleep]

Execution CEO vs innovation CEO.

 

[Tech198]

change of direction, demand, they try stuff, change minds/run into problems half way through. ya know... usual Apple stuff

 

[Pakaku]

Well, they either should keep one USB-A port, or include an adapter for free or include a second cable. That would be a nice move from the company which cares about it's customers.

I liked how they were perceptive enough to include a 3.5mm adapter with the iPhone 7, but when it comes to an actual laptop, you're not getting any help from Apple to ease that transition. That pretty much says everything about them. And a 25% discount on dongles, that you still have to pay for in the end? That's cute.

 

[Nick11Mac]

@maflynn - Thank you for sharing that short video above. Should be required viewing, especially in Cupertino.

 

[ssong]

As a long time Apple fan, that Steve Jobs clip just about sums it up for me. That's what is happening here.

Up until last week, I've held out that Apple is still a great company making great products that people want. The event last week now makes me think that the last three words of that sentence don't apply in the same way as they did before.

I know of at least three friends, plus myself, who were going to buy the new MBP. Not a single one of us is going to now, especially with the UK price hike. Obviously four people is nowhere near a representative sample, but at £3k for the 15" mid-MBP, that is £12,000 of sales they have lost.

I can't believe they are going to sell enough of these machines to hit sales targets. I'm hoping that this is nothing worse than a wobble, where they realise they got it wrong, and react quickly to sort things out for the next update. I will happily pay a so-called Apple tax, (actually I think Apple have been great value over the long term) where it's worth it, but for now it saddens me to admit they got it wrong and they have to do better.

add me to that list, although I don't fully count.. got a mid 2015 15" rmbp a week before the announcement with the intention to return and upgrade. Ultimately chose to keep it as paying another 1k to get the most basic 15" is ridiculous.