I think most of the statements in the article are true, the problem is there is not (right now) a superior alternative. Yes, Microsoft is trying with the surface, Linux I'm sure has come far, but there is simply not any alternative that can realistically compete with the Mac platform right now. There is simply no pressure on Apple to dedicate further resources to this area, because there is not much for them to gain. It sucks for users of their products, but probably great for stockholders.
The Mac Platform Decline
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Re: The Mac Platform Decline
#12Wow, I really liked that article. I thought it articulated some really important insights, first that Apple could reasonably be seen as abandoning the core computer user market, and second an acknowledgement that the market they are leaving in favor of the consumer market is probably immaterial to their current business model.
It is clear that there are two "kinds" of users of computation platforms, the "apps only" users and "developers." It is also becoming clear that "content creators" (graphic artists, writers, video producers, Etc) are seen more and more as "apps only" users rather than developers as well, even though their content tools are very demanding on the platform.
If they are correct and the market is segmenting, then I think you can expect to see "artist workstations" emerge as a category with tools wrapped around a computer to help in their content creation, I think that certainly became true of synthesizers which have "workstations" as a category distinct from instruments you might play on stage or in a studio setting.
Re: The Mac Platform Decline
#13I agree that the mac platform seems to have been neglected but Tim Cook isn't stupid, he knows that without developers the iPad isn't going to grow how he wants so I don't think this is the end of the Mac. I think Tim Cook has ignored the Mac in favour of his favourite projects but in the meantime Schiller and Federighi have been making sure the Mac is in his periphery and fighting for resources. I've chosen to view…
> I've chosen to view this update as the start of the uptick where we go back to regular updates (perhaps with a longer period than historically) and more exciting things to come.
I'm just curious as to what brought you to that conclusion? Was something said?
The last few years I've been sitting around kicking dirt waiting for an OSX convertible type of machine, I know there's never been any talk of it, but I figured if anyone could make it correctly it'd be Apple.
I've given up at this point. It almost feels like I was suffering from Stockholm syndrome looking back at it.
Re: The Mac Platform Decline
#14This is a poorly written article mainly complaining about the lack of an update to the Mac Pro product despite it's thesis that: > Apple, the MacBook Pro is not a pro-level computer. It’s simply not. However, the article is indeed self-contradictory as it later goes on to say: > Who needs anything more than a MacBook Pro? The answer is a very small segment of high-demanding users. So given that the main thesis that t…
It doesn't sound like a contradiction to me. A very small segment of users are 'pro-level' users. Now yes, it isn't supported, but if you accept that as the reality then it is not contradictory.
I think the whole 'pro-user' description needs examined a bit. Tons of developers at companies use macbook airs which are far less powerful than the newest laptops.
Ex: Rob Pike uses a macbook air. Is he not a professional?
There's a huge range of needs even within the pro user camp and I'd posit that the majority of them will be well served by the new Macs. If you're doing game development I'd argue Apple hasn't made great machines for you in the past so I'd expect a continued miss on the portable VR front as well.
For those that are doing visual work - are current generation machines actually not powerful enough?
Re: The Mac Platform Decline
#15I was a PC user my whole life, since the days of DOS and PC Tools, until I made the switch to Macs in 2011. The last time I used Windows (10) was last year when I was stuck with a PC for 2 months.
I don't feel the Mac is in decline at all.
Although the new MacBooks are out of my budget for now, there is still nothing that makes me want to go back to PCs/Microsoft. I still remember the almost daily frustrations I had with Windows, some of which continue to plague it to this day. It remains a massive, kludgey hodgepodge of inconsistency. Even if Windows wasn't bad in my opinion there really isn't anything bad enough on the Mac side to make me switch.
Re: The Mac Platform Decline
#16"It will be a switch from iOS developers using Macs at home to them using PCs at home and having a "work Mac" for commercial development."
This is exactly what gave rise to the Mac and OSX in the last 10-15 years. People worked on Windows PCs "at work" but had Macs for personal development. Now I'm witnessing the exact same scenario play out now that Apple is the market behemoth amongst power users and developers. Do I think Microsoft will simply win everyone back? Not at this moment. They could keep stepping up their game and possibly do so. Or the collective energy people were spending on macOS could be spent on (finally) making Linux-on-desktop a viable option that doesn't require inordinate amounts of fiddling with drivers and configuration files.
Time will tell but I'm already pretty sure my next laptop will be a Dell XPS or Razer Blade.
Re: The Mac Platform Decline
#17Its not just the mac but the entire product line. Unfortunately Jobs did not do a good job of finding a sufficient replacement prior to his health issues getting the best of him. - Round edges on the iphone6 - protruding lens on the iphone6 - removal of 3mm headphone jack on iphone7 - forcetouch keys on the new macbooks - video cam on the pro
I'm getting the impression that Steve didn't pick a replacement as such, just someone that would keep things ticking over until he recovered.
Re: The Mac Platform Decline
#18I agree that the mac platform seems to have been neglected but Tim Cook isn't stupid, he knows that without developers the iPad isn't going to grow how he wants so I don't think this is the end of the Mac. I think Tim Cook has ignored the Mac in favour of his favourite projects but in the meantime Schiller and Federighi have been making sure the Mac is in his periphery and fighting for resources. I've chosen to view…
> I've chosen to view this update as the start of the uptick where we go back to regular updates (perhaps with a longer period than historically) and more exciting things to come. I'm just curious as to what brought you to that conclusion? Was something said? The last few years I've been sitting around kicking dirt waiting for an OSX convertible type of machine, I know there's never been any talk of it, but I figured…
Why were you sitting around waiting for a convertible when they've said on the record multiple times they were never going to make OSX touch based? All the way from Steve Jobs to the CNET interview with Schiller, Federighi and Ive.
Re: The Mac Platform Decline
#19I agree that the mac platform seems to have been neglected but Tim Cook isn't stupid, he knows that without developers the iPad isn't going to grow how he wants so I don't think this is the end of the Mac. I think Tim Cook has ignored the Mac in favour of his favourite projects but in the meantime Schiller and Federighi have been making sure the Mac is in his periphery and fighting for resources. I've chosen to view…
>I think Tim Cook has ignored the Mac in favour of his favourite projects but in the meantime Schiller and Federighi have been making sure the Mac is in his periphery and fighting for resources. Ah yes you heard the latest episode of ATP as well. Maybe if Marco repeats it enough everyone will believe it, which is kind of funny since this story [1] is on the front page right now. I basically feel like I'm being gaslig…
No one is lying here, it's speculation so not sure how that article relates. Marco never claimed it was an original thought, I'm pretty sure Gruber said the same a few months back after WWDC.
Either way, we can choose to see this update positively or we can be negative about it and stew on the fact that we feel ignored by Apple - the later always works out well.
Re: The Mac Platform Decline
#20Earlier quoted context omitted.
> I've chosen to view this update as the start of the uptick where we go back to regular updates (perhaps with a longer period than historically) and more exciting things to come. I'm just curious as to what brought you to that conclusion? Was something said? The last few years I've been sitting around kicking dirt waiting for an OSX convertible type of machine, I know there's never been any talk of it, but I figured…
Why were you sitting around waiting for a convertible when they've said on the record multiple times they were never going to make OSX touch based? All the way from Steve Jobs to the CNET interview with Schiller, Federighi and Ive.
Hey now, Apple also said nobody wants a stylus and that no one's going to buy a "big" phone!