Will Apple fill their infamous gaping lineup hole?

[wawanarchist]

I'll try taking a stab at this too...

Lets see, Apple has 3 desktop machines out, the mini, imac, and mac pro. All are pretty configurable, and in my opinion they cover pretty much the whole range, from a base mini being an underpowered websurfer, to the mac pro being a video happy monster.

That being said, there is a hole in the lineup. Many actually. This is true for every computer maker. There are consumers out there that want a $200 machine from apple and say the lack of that is a hole. Others want a midrange tower, and say that is a hole, others wand an unholy behemoth that rivals a super computer, and say the lack of that is a hole.

I'm no econ major, but I do know that consumers drive the marketplace, so if a consumer feels there is a hole in a lineup, then that hole exists, even if its just for that one person, and the more people who agree, the more likely it is that Apple will do something about it.

So in conclusion, there are holes in apples lineup, there are holes in every lineup. Calling them gaping is an overstatement, saying they don't exist is an understatement. I'm happily writing this on my iMac, and I see no need for a midrange desktop, but just because I don't need it does not mean nobody does and applying our own needs and wants to others situations is wrong and nonsensical.

 

[sonofmof]

its not just the switchers..

I have been a mac user for several years now and am on my 3rd Mac.

I've owned an eMac, then the mini, now the 17" iMac I use daily.

Currently my wife has the mini as her desktop, (the eMac died a death) and I have the iMac, but its a few years old and I would like an upgrade. I have however found the iMac restricting, I upgraded the HDD and ram in the eMac and the Mini but am not willing to disassemble the iMac to try the HDD upgrade I feel it badly needs, 120GB is not a lot these days.

I simply can't afford or justify a Mac Pro, but would by an ACD 24" and an xMac it it were available, this would generate more revenue for Apple, (I would pay more for this config than for a 24" iMac).

Frankly, if the new Mini adds a spec higher than my iMac I may even move to that, which would be a cheap upgrade for me and a potential loss of much more to Apple.

I also believe that many switchers are holding back because they already have nice 19" displays and don't want the underpowered mini, or the expense of the iMac which would leave them with a redundant screen.

 

[robanga]

I also believe that many switchers are holding back because they already have nice 19" displays and don't want the underpowered mini, or the expense of the iMac which would leave them with a redundant screen.

You could always use the extra display as a second display for your iMac assuming you have the desk real estate.

 

[scanlanlee]

You could always use the extra display as a second display for your iMac assuming you have the desk real estate.

I have a nice 22" screen, my wife has a mini and i have a (reasonably) high speced PC both connected to a KVM as i also connect various friends/family PC's for repair/disinfecting etc.
It's at this point that a mini doesn't have the clout i want as a mac user, but the Pro is vastly over speced (and priced) for the same jobs.
I would love to give Apple some more of my money, they need it, but i need a computer that fit for purpose....which is why i have a PC this makes me very sad but i can't/wont spend 2000euro on a Pro.

The original poster was RIGHT there is a whole, Apple may not fill it, but it does exist.

 

[Mactagonist]

The iMac is to near and dear to Steves heart. I dont think he wants a mid tower that would compete with it. Maybe Tim Cook can sneak it out the door while Steve is gone!

 

[Haemorrage]

I also believe that many switchers are holding back because they already have nice 19" displays and don't want the underpowered mini, or the expense of the iMac which would leave them with a redundant screen.

I'm in that situation right now. I have a 24" LCD Widescreen monitor and also being a starving university student means that getting an iMac is a deal breaker for me at the moment. Furthermore, I don't like how Apple is forcing the consumer to pay more for the next model up by making the base model have less than desirable features (such as a combo drive, a tiny 80GB HDD and a 1.83GHz CPU). The base model iMac is the sort of specs I do like but it would have to be at least $200 cheaper for me to consider buying one.

 

[Haemorrage]

If there is a hole that apple could fill with their lineup, they should make a 25th anniversary mac of some sort.

 

[Tallest Skil]

If there is a hole that apple could fill with their lineup, they should make a 25th anniversary mac of some sort.

Do you... want another $9,999 computer?

 

[Haemorrage]

Do you... want another $9,999 computer?

The only reason the 20th anniversary mac costed that much is because of the concierge service that came with it. The price dropped to $1,995 when they got rid of the concierge service.

I was thinking of something along the lines of a Mac Mini on steroids (same specs as a middle model iMac) but have it at a reasonable price

 

[zmttoxics]

Meh.

If you really want one you can look to a PC and put Linux on it. There was a time when Apple attempted to cater to every market and had something like 20 different variations of the same product. They simplified things, encouraged the user and convinced them it was simple - and it worked. Profits are at an all time high, and they are growing. This is now the staple formula - there is no reason to change it.

The minis are pretty good for the cost. Very small, well built, and affordable. The second they get updated I am putting it on my to buy list.

Also, stop bashing Tallest Skil, hes been waiting for his right Mac Pro for a long time but you don't see him running around starting pointless threads about it.

 

[robanga]

The only reason the 20th anniversary mac costed that much is because of the concierge service that came with it. The price dropped to $1,995 when they got rid of the concierge service.

I was thinking of something along the lines of a Mac Mini on steroids (same specs as a middle model iMac) but have it at a reasonable price

For $ 8000 concierge service they had better of come in and provided dinner and a swedish massage as well.

 

[Haemorrage]

For $ 8000 concierge service they had better of come in and provided dinner and a swedish massage as well.

LOL! I hope the dinner included a giant bottle of Dom Perignon Champagne

 

[czachorski]

I'm in that situation right now. I have a 24" LCD Widescreen monitor and also being a starving university student means that getting an iMac is a deal breaker for me at the moment. Furthermore, I don't like how Apple is forcing the consumer to pay more for the next model up by making the base model have less than desirable features (such as a combo drive, a tiny 80GB HDD and a 1.83GHz CPU). The base model iMac is the sort of specs I do like but it would have to be at least $200 cheaper for me to consider buying one.

Sell your monitor and put $200 of the proceeds towards the iMac - poof - the iMac just got $200 cheaper.

 

[Haemorrage]

Mac Pro, Mac mini, meet your long lost middle sibling; Mac.

I love it!

 

[Haemorrage]

Sell your monitor and put $200 of the proceeds towards the iMac - poof - the iMac just got $200 cheaper.

What? And downgrade to a 20" screen? I think not!