WWJD - what would Jobs do - works!
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I thought that was the main reason and the helping water resistance was the second.
I really never saw the big deal in removing it. One less thing to get in the way while you’re walking. One less thing to get caught on something. I’m waiting for alternatives to the air pods though. Not a fan of that design.
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Before Steve’s Second Coming, when Apple launched new products - did they do it with all the fanfare that he became famous for? “One More Thing”, as a prime example… Yes, we would love it when Steve said those words, and unveiled something marvelous… But then when there was no more things, it was a let down. Now, they roll out these new products with big promises, big allusions, and… what did we get in the end this time round? A new take on F-Keys, and a $500 price hike?
I don’t recall staying up til all hours of the morning anxiously waiting to hear what Apple’s next-and-greatest was going to be in the 90’s… But now there are live blogs/feeds, there’s count downs on every Apple fansite to when the big event is happening, there’s massive anticipation about what will be seen at the events, leaks of photos that one can only imagine sees large sums of $$$ exchange hands to get the best scoop…
I can’t help but compare it to Doctor Who’s revival. For many subsequent years, each season finale since the series returned in 2005 appeared hell-bent on out-doing the previous, until we had a story that not only saved the entire universe, but destroyed it, and then brought it back again. The expectations of the audience, presumably, were for bigger and better and higher-odds and huge scale… Yet, thankfully, we’ve now seen the finale’s scale down a little in ambition (and, presumably, expectation).
I don’t know if Samsung, or whoever else competes with Apple, also generates this kind of fanfare, but perhaps it’s something that Apple needs to reconsider - except perhaps, for those “One More Thing” type of events… when the hype may well then be worth while.
Everyone has different needs and different use cases. So don’t be concerned about whether a particular device suits you or not. If you don’t need it, then don’t buy it.
I have an iMac, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6S and Apple Watch. (I like the watch, but could do without it.)
At home, I use whichever device seems appropriate. I do not try to run VMs on the IOS devices. I don’t bother going into the study and firing up the iMac to check email or browse the web. If its a quick change, I will open a spreadsheet on the iPad. If I’m creating a new database application, I will use the iMac. I will do a simple diagram on the iPad, but go straight to the iMac for CAD.
I find that I use the iPad most. I can sit back in an arm chair, relax and read the ABC news and The Age, do email and plan my day. For some reason, using the iMac seems more like work. But, that’s just me.
The most compelling advantage of the iPad is that it is instant on, instant access to apps, instant off and needs no maintenance.
When I travel, I only take the phone and the iPad. I don’t need to pull it out of the bag for airport security, and I enjoy a lighter bag.
I could do much of what I do on the iPad on the iPhone, but I appreciate the extra screen size of the iPad.
IOS is a game changer in terms of support. I support neighbours and family with their electronic gadgets. I find Apple devices need far less support than Android devices and particularly Windows systems. iPads seem to need the least support of all devices and the least training.
Remember, this is just my experience, my requirements and my use cases. They may not be relevant to anyone else.
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Yes of course, but when you create a device that is locked down in a position that its 6 days from Sunday to the average tech person and what do you expect? The only technical support they need is “turn it off and on again.”
If I have a need for the extra screen real estate from my phone I’ll jump across to my MacBook. While I can’t run a manufacturers version of Office or Photoshop or Lightroom, or anything else for that matter I’ll stick to tablets that can run full scale apps.
I suspect that the locked down device is appropriate to 90% of the population. They have no interest in learning any more than absolutely necessary. Whereas you and I like to customise, configure, tweak and fine tune, they just want an “appliance” that works. We delight in the changes of each new OS version. They complain about unecessary changes.
Both you and I need a computer and a mobile phone. The iPad is the optional extra for us. I can well understand that you do not need one. I too do not really need an iPad. However, I believe my iPad seriously adds to my quality of life. It allows me to relax better when consuming info and doing some creative tasks. It makes it easier when travelling. But, that is just me.
IOS provides instant access to small, low cost apps that I have selected. I suppose IOS allows a user to customise and configure the device more by selecting apps than by changing preferences. I find these apps provide delightfull solutions to specific activities. But again, that is just me.
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It’s already being destroyed by ChromeBooks anyway, we have a huge number of schools that are getting rid of all of their Apple gear and moving to ChromeBooks with the occasional Windows based laptop for senior teachers.
The reason for this is quite simple - cost - Apple gear is far too expensive and with the latest product announcements even more so and Apple will lose market share because of this as we are already seeing.
The ‘average Joe/Jane’ user doesn’t know or care that the new MacBooks have super-fast PCIe SSDs and super colour accurate displays, they will simply look at the machine and after taking in to consideration the CPU, memory and storage size get what ever is the best value for them which in most cases will be a Windows based laptop. The vast majority of users and applications are OS agnostic these days so it doesn’t really matter if you are using Word, Excel or Photoshop on a Mac or a Windows based laptop.
I believe that this is a mistake on Apple’s part and I firmly believe that their bottom line will the affected because of this.
(See I can try to make a well reasoned non “I hate Apple today” post when I calm down and think about it 
)
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This is my experience from working in schools. Macs are wayyy overpriced for schools, when you can buy 5 Chromebooks for the price of one Mac, and they’re cheaper than iPads - the Chromebooks have a full keyboard and great battery life and are more flexible - the iPads are horrible if a school (many of which are) is based around Google. So Apple’s primary and high school markets are being eroded, but now the higher education segment will as well. If you want a current Mac, the cheapest is now $2199, or $2600 for the baseline normal MacBook Pro - wayyy too much for a uni student. I think the Surface pro will make an impact into the higher education market.
I remember when I bought the original unibody it was priced around $2600 for just the 13" “MacBook.” No pro moniker then either. I was one of the only people in my university to have one. I bought it on work salary sacrifice at the time though so… Don’t call me a Mac hater.
Thinking about this a bit more, I think I see Apple’s (well, Cook’s) strategy. These MBPs are just a placeholder, a time marker until the ipad can be powerful enough to replace laptops.
In other words, a giant steaming piss poor strategy that will fail as the rest of the world moves on.
Your username is rather ironic.
I’d be the first one to admit that I’d prefer the new MBPs to be more upgradable with less emphasis on ‘thin and light’ (although I want OS X enough that I’ll tolerate the poor upgradability).
That trend doesn’t suit me but… most of the public are light weights not power users and a light machine (in both senses of the word) will do their job just fine (yes it sucks for power users and upgraders), we’re being left out in the cold.
But I honestly doubt the strategy will fail, given that the ‘rest of the world’ are moving towards 2 in 1 devices and ‘thin and light’ laptops at an increasingly fast pace and Apple are already there.
the ipad does not have the performance and the software to compete with a OSX or wintel machine. Not for a few years yet. Hence these 'good enough machines, that ultimately do not meet the standards expected of apple fans. If the ipad did what Apple have planned for it, it would be released already.
True, but I was talking about Apple integrating the 2 lines closer moving towards that few years down the track. When I said they were ‘already there’ I was meaning that both of their product lines were thin and light not that they were already integrated.
Not integration: replacement. It seems to me Cook’s plan is for OSX and the mac to die. Cook sees the ipad as the future. A touchscreen first, then extra capability. Not the other way around like MS is doing.
I doubt that… but I guess if we wait long enough we’ll find out.
I’m not so sure about that. I think the problem is, technology is at a bit of a stand still. Tablets, computers etc aren’t changing much, it’s only really the technology in them that’s changing. There’s no amazing show in that. Nothing for the crowd to go WOW. We put more RAM in it and we used some new ports. Be amazed!
I think people are expecting Apple to reinvent the computer and phone each year and are disappointed when it doesn’t happen.
You could argue Apple is behind on the technology on the inside, but I think it must come down to cost. Cost v Profit. The current speed of the MacBook Pro and the iMac is pretty good for most people these days. I mean most people are happy if the mail client opens in one bounce and your photos load quick enough. It’s only geeks and professionals screaming out for the latest and greatest.
My 2013 Mac Pro is fast enough for me. I’ve thrown lots of things at it and it doesn’t show signs of slowing down. Sure I think it’s a bit $$$ these days and they should upgrade the CPU and add on Thunderbolt 3, but Apple have always been slow to upgrade the Mac Pro. I don’t think that shows the end of the Mac at all.
The only thing that surprised me at the recent event was the lack of updates to the iMac. But that might be some sort of silent update closer to Christmas. Again they can’t make a big show out of that, because most people would go big deal.
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Taking a step back and getting back to the original topic, is Apple a victim of its success? There was a time that it could control the entire supply chain and keep things under wraps, but now any new technology is known well ahead of time. Imagine for a minute that we hadn’t had all the leaks about the touch bar and that the first time we learnt about it was at the event. Would we have said “Wow! what an amazing piece of technology. Apple does it again”?
Nope… I’m still an advocate of touch screens regardles, and the surface, if not the surface book or anything like that proves touch capability can be used adequately well. We’re stuck though in another Apple myth which this time could be a lot more detrimental then not acceding to Blu-Ray, because Jobs thought the digital download was the be all and end all, rather than a supplement. It looks like perceptive touch is going to come whether Apple likes it or not and for me the touch bar is not that answer.
It seems at the moment that Microsoft are doing all the innovating while Apple is standing by. The perceptive pixel acquisition has largely helped that and given Microsoft a new level of innovation.
[quote=“Orestes, post:81, topic:2876”]
not acceding to Blu-Ray[/quote]
I remember when I bought my iMac many moons ago the two things I wanted was USB3 and blu-ray support. Funny how it took Apple so bloody long to support USB3 and now they are too quick to ditch it and only support USB-C. smh
Physical media is a thing of the past now and good riddance.