Apple might discontinue the Mac Pro

[assagai]

I certainly hope not, although it wouldn't surprise me, I've suspected they might do something like this, as the "pro" market is probably only a tiny percentage of their sales:

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

edit: I posted in the wrong section by mistake… very pro™ :erm:

 

[[)roi(]]

The narrowing of the gap in performance between the Mac Pro and the iMac, and similarly iMac and Mac Mini; support the idea that they would want consolidate things in this space...
I believe in time we'll see the same happen between the Macbook pro and Air space...

 

[assagai]

I just fear for all my DSP pcie cards and other peripherals that require a mac pro ;-)

I'll be very disappointed if apple abandons the pro market, final cut x sent a lot of people over to avid, and I hope logic x doesn't turn out to be garage band pro.

Audio professionals that need DSP cards (pro tools HD, UAD platform etc) and large amounts of ram etc will have to move over to windows.

 

[Synaesthesia]

In the future PCI-E cards will be replaced by Thunderbolt devices. Apple always look to the future.

 

[d0b33]

In the future PCI-E cards will be replaced by Thunderbolt devices. Apple always look to the future.

yep, making way for thunderbolt with high end iMacs.

 

[Dolby]

Apple always look to the future.

... you mean what they feel is the future

They're the only ones still using decade old ports and optical drives in their 2011 machines

 

[macboer]

Real question is what machines will Apple themselves use...

They have always made products they want themselves.

Will Jony use a PC? LMAO!

 

[vinodh]

... you mean what they feel is the future

They're the only ones still using decade old ports and optical drives in their 2011 machines

Sorry, but what decade old ports are only Apple using? Also, i'm quite sure that the are at least one or two PC manufacturers that are releasing 2011 products with optical drives. Actually, a quick browse through Icredible Connection shows that its all of them.

 

[Dolby]

I think they're using USB2.0 and DVD drivers - with no option of upgrading either. Aren't those like 2001 ... ?

Even mediocre PCs/laptops have USB3.0 and BR readers/writers.

Just saying that the 'future' tech Apple has it was it decides is the future - not the real future. It prefers to make it's own standards and push that to industry, rather than adopt something that's already out.

 

[bwana]

I don't see discontinuing the MP happening anytime soon. I am surprised though they haven't added thunderbolt yet but that will definitely come.

I think they're using USB2.0 and DVD drivers - with no option of upgrading either. Aren't those like 2001 ... ?

Nothing stopping a MP user from sticking one in is there? Though once they've included thunderbolt in that line I can't see the point of wanting USB3.

 

[[)roi(]]

I think they're using USB2.0 and DVD drivers - with no option of upgrading either. Aren't those like 2001 ... ?

Even mediocre PCs/laptops have USB3.0 and BR readers/writers.

Just saying that the 'future' tech Apple has it was it decides is the future - not the real future. It prefers to make it's own standards and push that to industry, rather than adopt something that's already out.

Apple chose thunderbolt instead of USB3... The DVD will go the way of the MacBook air and Mac mini ie removed and not replaced -- I haven't used my DVD drives for +-2 years

 

[[)roi(]]

I don't see discontinuing the MP happening anytime soon.

To clarify I believe the MBPs are going to take on many of the MBAs features i.e. ssd, ultra light, etc...

 

[bwana]

To clarify I believe the MBPs are going to take on many of the MBAs features i.e. ssd, ultra light, etc...

It's quite possible but I still need the optical drive on a fairly regular basis - for that reason I decided on a 13" mbp the other day over the air when I had to upgrade. An SSD you can stick in anything so as soon as the prices become more reasonable I'll swop my existing hybrid drive out.

 

[assagai]

Unfortunately thunderbolt doesn't yet, and may never have wide enough adoption to become a replacement for pcie.
1 thunderbolt port doesn't have near enough bandwidth for several pcie devices, so multiple TB ports would be required, and TB does not provide enough power for certain device types, so in truth it's not a genuine replacement for pcie… yet.

To be a replacement would require manufacturers of pro equipment and peripherals to adopt thunderbolt, which may not happen depending on the popularity of the format. Currently it seems highly unlikely that will happen

I understand that people think the mbp or imac could be a worthy successor, but if the MP gets dropped in 2012, the truth is there is simply NO replacement in the apple line capable of running in certain professional environments.

This would really only affect the so-called "pro" market, the majority of consumers obviously wouldn't be affected.

 

[Dolby]

Though once they've included thunderbolt in that line I can't see the point of wanting USB3.

All I'm say is I don't quite believe that statement that Apple is at the forefront of technology. Although they may equal or ahead in some aspects, those two fall behind by a margin.

PS I looked at the iMac, which doesn't offer the option and - if I remember - the OS doesn't even support it? Blu Ray is ultra convenient for backups and the like - and there's no reason to exclude it. BR is approaching 5 years old now with close to a 1 billion discs sold annually. It'd fantastic to at least offer the option.

Yes - I can get an external iHDD to backup 100GB files ... but a disc is so much easier, smaller, cheaper and less prone to stealing.

EDIT : I'm not trying to fight and am taking an interest in Apple - in the lats few weeks, I've read preverything I can on them ... watched iGenius .... got Steves biography ... and will get iWoz when done.

I understand what he's trying to do and create - but constantly going against the grain is going to bite them one day. If I remember, he didn't want iTunes to come to a PC in the early 2000's and wanted everything his way and the closed Apple ecosystem. Lucky he was persuaded to allow iTunes on MS systems which is a reason for the success of Apple to day. That could happen today, as not everything Apple does is the best or even correct.

 

[bwana]

PS I looked at the iMac, which doesn't offer the option and - if I remember - the OS doesn't even support it? Blu Ray is ultra convenient for backups and the like - and there's no reason to exclude it. BR is approaching 5 years old now with close to a 1 billion discs sold annually. It'd fantastic to at least offer the option.

Sure it does - there are plenty of third party BluRay drives available for Mac so the OS must. Personally I wouldn't touch optical as a backup solution.

Yes - I can get an external iHDD to backup 100GB files ... but a disc is so much easier, smaller, cheaper and less prone to stealing.

I can categorically state not a single one of my hard drives, and I have a lot of them, have ever stolen anything.

 

[Dolby]

I can categorically state not a single one of my hard drives, and I have a lot of them, have ever stolen anything.

LOL!

 

[[)roi(]]

All I'm say is I don't quite believe that statement that Apple is at the forefront of technology. Although they may equal or ahead in some aspects, those two fall behind by a margin.

PS I looked at the iMac, which doesn't offer the option and - if I remember - the OS doesn't even support it? Blu Ray is ultra convenient for backups and the like - and there's no reason to exclude it. BR is approaching 5 years old now with close to a 1 billion discs sold annually. It'd fantastic to at least offer the option.

Yes - I can get an external iHDD to backup 100GB files ... but a disc is so much easier, smaller, cheaper and less prone to stealing.

EDIT : I'm not trying to fight and am taking an interest in Apple - in the lats few weeks, I've read preverything I can on them ... watched iGenius .... got Steves biography ... and will get iWoz when done.

I understand what he's trying to do and create - but constantly going against the grain is going to bite them one day. If I remember, he didn't want iTunes to come to a PC in the early 2000's and wanted everything his way and the closed Apple ecosystem. Lucky he was persuaded to allow iTunes on MS systems which is a reason for the success of Apple to day. That could happen today, as not everything Apple does is the best or even correct.

Hi Dolby, you appear to love to tackle the most controversial topics head-on lol
Let me me add my 2 cents by quoting Steve Jobs approach (Apple's approach)

Apple is a company that doesn’t have the most resources of everybody in the world, and the way we’ve succeeded is by choosing what horses to ride really carefully – technically. We try to look for these technical vectors that have a future, and that are headed up, and, you know, different pieces of technology kind of go in cycles. They have their springs and summers, and autumns, and then they, you know, go to the graveyard of technology. And, so we try to pick the things that are in their springs.

And, if you choose wisely, you can save yourself an enormous amount of work vs. trying to do everything. And you can really put energy into making those new emerging technologies be great on your platform, rather then just okay because you’re spreading yourself too thin.

Sometimes you just have to pick the things that look like they’e going to be the right horses to ride going forward, and Flash looks like a technology that had its day but is really waning, and HTML5 looks like the technology that’s really on the ascendancy right now.

Basically Apple picks the technologies that it feels has the best chance of succeeding and bringing in the greatest advantage for them, in the past they picked for example:

1. 1st to implement 3 1/4" stiffy drive; also 1st to remove it.
2. 1st to remove Flash (very contentious one, but it starting to look like flash is dying, even Adobe is transforming their products for HTML5)
3. DVD instead of Blue-ray (Blue-ray due to price has failed to get off the ground, DVDs are still more popular).
4. 1st to remove DVD; move to software online and media online.

Yes maybe you could be right, that they've made a mistake by not adopting USB 3. Imo I think they've gone down the right road as thunderbolt (light peak) is definitely the more superior technology -- based on bus level connections that can allow for interfacing directly with the bus i.e. removing the previous interface limitations

• 10Gbps currently on a copper connection and built to run at 100Gbps on on Fibre

Apple doesn't follow industry trends, neither does it conduct market surveys to make its decisions -- some might say this is arrogant, but in practice (so far) it appears to set industry direction.

Btw I can't remember when last I used a usb stick or drive -- it's definitely becoming less relevant every day...

As a final note; with thunderbolt being a bus level technology, nothing prevents someone creating a USB3 to thunderbolt adapter (the other way is not technically possible).

Edit to include details on thunderbolt to USB3 Expresscard from Sonnet. -- I was wrong it's already available i.e. All macs with thunderbolt now can support USB3 among many other things.

http://www.sonnettech.com/product/echoexpresscard34thunderbolt.html
http://www.sonnettech.com/product/usb3expresscard34.html

+ there's 2 local approved resellers who can source this for you.

 

[Rishalin]

+1

Hi Dolby, you appear to love to tackle the most controversial topics head-on lol
Let me me add my 2 cents by quoting Steve Jobs approach (Apple's approach)


Basically Apple picks the technologies that it feels has the best chance of succeeding and bringing in the greatest advantage for them, in the past they picked for example:

1. 1st to implement 3 1/4" stiffy drive; also 1st to remove it.
2. 1st to remove Flash (very contentious one, but it starting to look like flash is dying, even Adobe is transforming their products for HTML5)
3. DVD instead of Blue-ray (Blue-ray due to price has failed to get off the ground, DVDs are still more popular).
4. 1st to remove DVD; move to software online and media online.

Yes maybe you could be right, that they've made a mistake by not adopting USB 3. Imo I think they've gone down the right road as thunderbolt (light peak) is definitely the more superior technology -- based on bus level connections that can allow for interfacing directly with the bus i.e. removing the previous interface limitations

• 10Gbps currently on a copper connection and built to run at 100Gbps on on Fibre

Apple doesn't follow industry trends, neither does it conduct market surveys to make its decisions -- some might say this is arrogant, but in practice (so far) it appears to set industry direction.

Btw I can't remember when last I used a usb stick or drive -- it's definitely becoming less relevant every day...

As a final note; with thunderbolt being a bus level technology, nothing prevents someone creating a USB3 to thunderbolt adapter (the other way is not technically possible).

 

[[)roi(]]

It's quite possible but I still need the optical drive on a fairly regular basis - for that reason I decided on a 13" mbp the other day over the air when I had to upgrade. An SSD you can stick in anything so as soon as the prices become more reasonable I'll swop my existing hybrid drive out.

DVD became an option 1st with the Air, next was the Mac mini, and imo soon to be follow by MBP and iMac.
Clearly the sales volume of the MBA shows that the market wants the Apple approach of Thinner, Lighter, Longer (in use), Faster.

btw I recently upgraded my macs to SSDs, the merits of which I had debated for a while. The result = all round.