Why didn't Apple just discontinue the Mac Pros?

[laserbeam273]

Clearly this update is a spit in the face to Pro users, so why would Apple do it? Here's my thoughts:

1. They want to kill the Mac Pro off slowly - this release has been pathetic, so in a years time anyone who cares would have switched away, so that way when they drop it there won't be many left to complain.

2. Some sort of weird strategy of making a terrible update, then releasing something awesome in a couple months or next year. Can't understand why they would do that, if they're planning an update in the next couple months they wouldn't have updated, and I hope they don't think pro users will hang around a year for a proper update.

3. They're stupid

Now I don't think it's (3), as we all know Apple is quite a smart company. (2) seems unreasonable, they know they've already tested pro users' patience, so expecting them to hang around for a year is foolish. In my mind, it's probably (1). Seems cruel.

Thoughts?

I'm a bit concerned about Apple as a whole, as I always figured that the Mac Pros were the backbone of the company, doing all the behind the scenes hard work. It will be.. interesting to see the impact this has on the Apple community.

Also I've come to really like the OS X platform, and with me getting into IT and software development, OS X has previously been my choice platform, but I guess I now really need to become diverse, objective, and never wholly focused on a single platform. Though Windows annoys me with their attitude of assumed market dominance and high prices. I suppose I need to start learning Linux.

 

[SDub90]

My question is: why does it say "new" on the store page? I haven't checked it in many many months, but today noticed the Mac Pro has the "new" badge, but the iMac doesn't, and I'm pretty sure the iMac is newer than the Mac Pro.

edit: just realized there's already a thread about this.

 

[GGJstudios]

Thoughts?

At the WWDC Apple didn't announce a new iPhone, iPad, iPod, ATV, Mac mini, keyboard, mouse, trackpad, display, AirPort Extreme or Time Capsule. I guess that means they're discontinuing all those product lines and will never update any of them again, since that's what some believe is true because Apple didn't update the iMac or significantly update the Mac Pro today.

Seriously, the lack of an update on any particular date doesn't imply there will never be another update of that model in the future. While it may be disappointing to some who had their hopes up for a particular model to be updated, it's not the end of the world. Apple can't be expected to update every single product at the same time. While many feel some products are long overdue for a refresh, I'm sure Apple knows how to prioritize and release updates that have the greatest impact on their business. If they had updated the iMacs and Mac Pros today, people would be complaining that they didn't update MacBook Pros or Airs. It's really ridiculous! There will always be those who bellyache, no matter what Apple does!

If you need a new device that wasn't updated recently, you have 3 choices:

1. Keep your current device and wait until Apple updates the device you want (if and when they do)
2. Buy an existing Apple product that can work in the interim
3. Buy a non-Apple product

Complaining about it here won't fix anything and won't get you any closer to having what you want.

I always figured that the Mac Pros were the backbone of the company...

Obviously not, since they account for a minuscule fraction of Apple's business.

 

[laserbeam273]

At the WWDC Apple didn't announce a new iPhone, iPad, iPod, ATV, Mac mini, keyboard, mouse, trackpad, display, AirPort Extreme or Time Capsule. I guess that means they're discontinuing all those product lines and will never update any of them again, since that's what some believe is true because Apple didn't update the iMac or significantly update the Mac Pro today.

But they DID do an update today. Do you really think that they'd wait two years, then throw out a really weak update (when there are much better parts available), then in a couple months release a serious update?

The purpose of this thread isn't to whinge and cry, it's to gather thoughts about what Apple's strategy is here. We all know there's already plenty complaining on this forum at the moment, but not a lot of talk about what Apple is really doing here.

I like to think about business strategy. If that doesn't interest you, then just ignore this thread.

 

[xgman]

I think they were afraid of the backlash. (ironic huh?) I think Apple thinks that the old specs should be good enough to appease certain professionals for now until they can be weened off of Mac pro and on to macbooks. Little do they know . . . . won't be fooled again.

Actually, what happens now with iMac will be very telling overall.

 

[Jryll1]

Updates really?

GGJStudios has over simplified. The fact is the MP hasn't seen an update in two years, the other products have received regular updates about once a year. Today's update is a huge disappointment and I'm not sure why Apple bothered. The only plus was the price drop, but for a two year old machine it is still pricey. Apple could have at least added new video, Usb3, god forbid TB to qualify as an update.

ASUS just released a TB mobo so please don't say they haven't figured it out. If Dell can make the T7600 and HP has a new WS (name escapes me now) surely Apple could at least refresh the Mobo in the MP to make it an actual update. Processors may have lagged in refreshes, but a lot of other components have moved forward.

I was really hoping to get a MP but I won't pay a premium for old Tech.

 

[Umbongo]

Without knowing sales numbers and procedures in manufacturer and distribution it's hard to know for sure, but it is possible Intel could no longer supply Apple with some of the processors they were using. The doubling of the memory just a bonus as it is of such little cost. Apple aren't paying any more to produce these systems than they were in the past.

If that is the case then these could very well just be a lifeline until a major change in 2013. Why wait until then though when the chipset is likely to be very similar if not the same? Perhaps these systems just sell so few in number.

Apple could have released the type of E5 based systems we've been talking about on here as plenty of other companies have managed to. They chose not to.

In the end it all comes down to the best financial path for Apple. So I'll go with the update they want and will be best for the long term isn't ready and they had to update in what they have to keep selling Mac Pros in the meantime.

 

[GGJstudios]

But they DID do an update today.

That's what I said.

Do you really think that they'd wait two years, then throw out a really weak update (when there are much better parts available), then in a couple months release a serious update?

That's entirely possible.

I like to think about business strategy.

Mac desktops account for about 5% of Apple revenue. It makes good business sense to focus first on those product lines that contribute more heavily to the company's success, which is exactly what they're doing. That may not be good news for some consumers, but it's good for most and for Apple's success overall.

 

[laserbeam273]

Mac desktops account for about 5% of Apple revenue. It makes good business sense to focus first on those product lines that contribute more heavily to the company's success, which is exactly what they're doing. That may not be good news for some consumers, but it's good for most and for Apple's success overall.

Maybe I need to be a bit more blunt - this thread is for talking about WHY Apple did what they did, and most importantly what we think they will now do. Not just shrugging off this news item as irrelevant. Again, you don't seem to be interested in actually discussing that so why bother?

 

[GGJstudios]

Maybe I need to be a bit more blunt - this thread is for talking about WHY Apple did what they did, and most importantly what we think they will now do.

I just described why.

Again, you don't seem to be interested in actually discussing that so why bother?

I am discussing it. You just don't seem to like my answers. So you only want opinions or statements that agree with your point of view?

 

[laserbeam273]

I just described why.

So what do you think they will now do?

 

[goMac]

Because there are new ones coming. Tim Cook said so.

Why they didn't make this one more of an upgrade... I dunno. A drinking problem?

 

[deconstruct60]

Clearly this update is a spit in the face to Pro users, so why would Apple do it?
....
Thoughts?

One of the earlier rumors was that Apple was debating whether continuing to invest in the Mac Pro

http://www.appleinsider.com/article...reportedly_questioning_future_of_mac_pro.html


This update has all the hallmarks that at one point they decided to stop, but then changed their minds later. Hence all the momentum to a new update got thrown out the window and now they are many months behind getting something out the door. In short, somebody screwed up and Apple scrambling to cover up for it now.

They are going to loose many pissed off customers who will jump to Wndows powered Xeon E5 boxes now ( or cheaper ones.). But they will loose less if they signal they are still thinking about doing something in this space ( if not Mac Pro something with high overlap in market targeting. )



The only way they can signal that are "working on something" is to do this minimal speed bump update. Even if the old Mac Pro team had been dissolved ( R&D funding and/or resource allocation cut) the cheapest thing to do would be to just drop some new lower priced CPUs into the boxes and ship.

Not sure if that means the Mac Pro largely as we know it is now back to fully funded levels or that the "new imaged future" box ran into some major brick wall somehow.

It is hard to tell without looking at the new iMac. and new Mini. Those seem not likely to come until after Mountain Lion ships.

I'm a bit concerned about Apple as a whole, as I always figured that the Mac Pros were the backbone of the company,

They are not. Not anymore than the when folks assumed the XServes were the backbone of the online store. They weren't.

There are more Mac Pro inside of Apple than most businesses but that is mainly because they "cheaper" inside of Apple than outside.

Also I've come to really like the OS X platform, and with me getting into IT and software development, OS X has previously been my choice platform, but I guess I now really need to become diverse, objective, and never wholly focused on a single platform.

You also need to learn that you don't need to overspend to have a platform you can learn on. For the difference between an iMac ( or worse a Mini) and a Mac Pro you buy enough memory to fire up several virtual machines to load all sort of OS system images into. It is nicer to run very large VM on a Mac Pro with massive memory but it is possible to get by with less if it isn't a production server visualizing.

 

[InuNacho]

Apple realized they had tons of extra 2010 parts lying around and just decided to rebrand them as new.
Just how many 5770s were made, the world may never know.

 

[laserbeam273]

They are not. Not anymore than the when folks assumed the XServes were the backbone of the online store. They weren't.

There are more Mac Pro inside of Apple than most businesses but that is mainly because they "cheaper" inside of Apple than outside.

Thanks for the comments. So most developers don't use Mac Pro's, even when building apps like FCP X? I'm use to the idea (conversations with professionals has backed this), that the bulk of high end work is done on Mac Pros. I suppose that's changing.

You also need to learn that you don't need to overspend to have a platform you can learn on. For the difference between an iMac ( or worse a Mini) and a Mac Pro you buy enough memory to fire up several virtual machines to load all sort of OS system images into. It is nicer to run very large VM on a Mac Pro with massive memory but it is possible to get by with less if it isn't a production server visualizing.

One of my key development ideas involves some very heavy number crunching, so one day I do hope to get a beast of a machine. I guess that'd be the key reason why I care about this all even though I currently just have an iMac.

Though your right, it isn't necessary to get a Mac Pro for just learning a lot of these tasks. Thankfully RAM is getting so cheap these days, so even on an iMac you could run some very large tasks.

 

[Zwhaler]

I suspect that Apple is working on a complete redesign for the next gen, that's why they didn't discontinue it. Why they didn't upgrade to Sandy Bridge today or have a redesign ready (it's been long enough) I don't know.