Some Mac Pro support pages archived by Apple, will no longer be updated

AppleInsider

Apple has moved some of its support pages specifically detailing the redesigned 2013 Mac Pro to the archives, and will no longer be updating them, signaling a possible refresh or retirement of the computer.

The pages detailing the port configuration, orientation of the computer, and recommended software and firmware updates have all been shuttered.

The external ports page was last updated in September 2015. The software and firmware page was updated in March 2015, with the Mac Pro orientation page most recently revised in December 2015. The external port configuration document was last viewed by AppleInsider in early August, and at that time it lacked the announcement that the page was archived.

Other, older documents, like the iPhone 4 technical specifications and a similar document on various, discontinued iPads remain, and some were last updated in 2012 or earlier.

Apple's redesigned Mac Pro was shipped after a long period with no updates to the larger aluminum tower Mac Pro. A longer period has elapsed since the release of the cylindrical Mac Pro, than between any other update to the line.

Revolutionary for its time, the GPU performance outclassed anything else available. Since original release, three generations of Intel Xeon processors suitable for a Mac Pro have passed, and some mid-range commercially available GPUs meet or exceed the Fire Pro series included in the computer.

While new MacBook Pro hardware is rumored for some time in October, there have been no recent rumors supporting an imminent Mac Pro refresh.

AppleInsider has reached out to Apple for comment on the matter.

MacPro

Think you might have a typo there

"Apple has moved four some of its support pages specifically detailing the redesigned 2013 Mac Pro to the archives, and will no longer be updating them, signaling a possible refresh or retirement of the computer."

mobius

There's also an important missing word in the title...

Did you mean "...will no longer be updated"?

volcan

Probably retiring it. The design was goofy in my opinion. Sort of like the Cube was. I still love my original Mac Pro which I recently completely upgraded with all new everything and even though it was EOL with Lion, there is a nice hack that lets you install the latest OS. Not anywhere as fast as the new model but still quite serviceable.

altivec88

I know that secrecy builds up suspense and stuff but for us Pro's, secrecy just means lack of communication with the company that is providing us with tools.

I just wish they would come out and tell us what is going on.  If they are planning an upgrade, can't they at least gives us an announcement to stay tuned and show us a grill or something.  If they have decided to get out of the pro market, can't they have the decency to just let us know.   I need to upgrade our systems.  Should I be switching to PC?  Should I be waiting a few more month?  I don't want to switch but I really can't operate my business like this anymore.  

Apple get your act together.

roake

digitalclips said:

Think you might have a typo there

"Apple has moved four some of its support pages specifically detailing the redesigned 2013 Mac Pro to the archives, and will no longer be updating them, signaling a possible refresh or retirement of the computer."

Just a dream of his.

There is no way they are "retiring" the Mac Pro, not after that "Can't innovate, my ass." speech when it was announced.

Apple will continue to support high-end needs.  I suspect we will see a refresh soon, with support for four simultaneous 4K Thunderbolt monitors simultaneously.

ireland

Well obviously Apple has a new Mac Pro coming. Expect 6-10 thunderbolt 3 (USBc) ports and updates graphic and processors. News at 11.

TurboPGT

altivec88 said:

I know that secrecy builds up suspense and stuff but for us Pro's, secrecy just means lack of communication with the company that is providing us with tools.

I just wish they would come out and tell us what is going on.  If they are planning an upgrade, can't they at least gives us an announcement to stay tuned and show us a grill or something.  If they have decided to get out of the pro market, can't they have the decency to just let us know.   I need to upgrade our systems.  Should I be switching to PC?  Should I be waiting a few more month?  I don't want to switch but I really can't operate my business like this anymore.  

Apple get your act together.

Just asking: how is it remotely possible that you "can't operate your business anymore" with a 2013 Mac Pro(s)? So much so that would consider a generic PC with presumably better specs-on-paper?

Mike Wuerthele

Typos eradicated. Long day, preceding an even longer one tomorrow. Thanks.

lkrupp

TurboPGT said:

altivec88 said:

I know that secrecy builds up suspense and stuff but for us Pro's, secrecy just means lack of communication with the company that is providing us with tools.

I just wish they would come out and tell us what is going on.  If they are planning an upgrade, can't they at least gives us an announcement to stay tuned and show us a grill or something.  If they have decided to get out of the pro market, can't they have the decency to just let us know.   I need to upgrade our systems.  Should I be switching to PC?  Should I be waiting a few more month?  I don't want to switch but I really can't operate my business like this anymore.  

Apple get your act together.

Just asking: how is it remotely possible that you "can't operate your business anymore" with a 2013 Mac Pro(s)? So much so that would consider a generic PC with presumably better specs-on-paper?

Yes, I’d also like to know why you “can’t operate your business anymore” with a 2013 Mac Pro? That’s a pretty laughable statement to make you know. 

joe28753

In order to drive an external 5k monitor, you currently need two cables. I predict the release of a single-cable 5k Apple monitor and new Mac Pro will coincide with the availability of Thunderbolt 4 or whatever the next DisplayPort version is that supports it. I think I read the estimated time frame was late 2016.

dacloo

Tim Cook about the Mac Pro: "Can't innovate anymore, my ass!" 

Such a flawed design and proof they are totally lost on how to serve the professional industry.
A bad thing, since it will change perception of their brand.
You need to support all verticals to have a healthy ecosystem in the long run.
 
Starting this year I'm buying PC's again for my team after sticking with iMacs for years.
Reason: iMacs have slow GPUs (we're into VR) and are overpriced.

That being said, iMac is the best computer for home use. I'm a huge fan.

atlapple

ireland said:

Well obviously Apple has a new Mac Pro coming. Expect 6-10 thunderbolt 3 (USBc) ports and updates graphic and processors. News at 11.

Maybe at the same time they could update the Macbook Pro, Macbook Air and iMac and Mac Mini. Something at some point would be nice. 

firelock

lkrupp said:

TurboPGT said:

Just asking: how is it remotely possible that you "can't operate your business anymore" with a 2013 Mac Pro(s)? So much so that would consider a generic PC with presumably better specs-on-paper?

Yes, I’d also like to know why you “can’t operate your business anymore” with a 2013 Mac Pro? That’s a pretty laughable statement to make you know. 

I believe what he is saying is that he cannot operate his business not knowing what Apple's plans are. I feel his pain and agree that Apple's trademarked secrecy is poison to the professional market. It wasn't so bad when computers and professional software were Apple's sole focus and you could rely on them to update everything each year regularly. Now we literally don't know year after year what Apple is planning. Will they sell separate monitors? Will they update their Mac Pros? Will they drop or cripple pro software like Aperture and Final Cut? For those of us in major corporations who have to plan our budgets 18 months out that makes life extremely difficult.

sockrolid

AppleInsider said:

... there have been no recent rumors supporting an imminent Mac Pro refresh.

And no recent rumors supporting an imminent iMac refresh.
And the iMac is arguably a more important product, to Apple, than the Mac pro.

amcliz

I will be gutted if Apple decides to retire the MacPro. I have only ever used this high end machine and always having what I felt was the best desktop tech available let my creativity feel like there was no limits to what I could do on this machine. I have a mid 2010 12 Core MacPro running El Cap,but I reckon MacOS Sierra will be the last OS Apple will let me upgrade to. I have always updated within 3-5 years, to stay moving forward and keeping up with the latest technology, it will be a sad day if they drop the MacPro and their commitment to the Pro community. I suppose all we can do is wait and see

mobius

Mike Wuerthele said:

Typos eradicated. Long day, preceding an even longer one tomorrow. Thanks.

Why, is there something happening tomorrow?

Aaah...you mean National Beer Lover's Day. 

http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-beer-lovers-day-september-7/

xzu

I was so excited for the Mac Pro 2013, purchased a couple for the office, loved them. In some ways they felt like they were made for me. I particularly like the storage tech, but the lack of expansion in a computer that starts at $2999 is really the value problem. Some of the design decisions are questionable, the size, prioritizing the silent operation. Sure I can put in on top of my desk now, rather than under it, but i have more than one person try to use it as a trash can over the years. This is not expansion! http://imgur.com/5P0suqc

I like the duel graphics cards, something that my hackintosh can't replicate. OS X runs so well on Intel hardware, the only thing I miss when switching between Windoze and Mac is the SLI. 

Admittedly my professions requirements don't match the vast majority of users. I hope Apple rethinks the design and gives us a compelling product!

rezwits

TurboPGT said:

altivec88 said:

I know that secrecy builds up suspense and stuff but for us Pro's, secrecy just means lack of communication with the company that is providing us with tools.

I just wish they would come out and tell us what is going on.  If they are planning an upgrade, can't they at least gives us an announcement to stay tuned and show us a grill or something.  If they have decided to get out of the pro market, can't they have the decency to just let us know.   I need to upgrade our systems.  Should I be switching to PC?  Should I be waiting a few more month?  I don't want to switch but I really can't operate my business like this anymore.  

Apple get your act together.

Just asking: how is it remotely possible that you "can't operate your business anymore" with a 2013 Mac Pro(s)? So much so that would consider a generic PC with presumably better specs-on-paper?

I find these comments so funny, due to the shear lack of Acknowledgement, that the macOS out classes Windows, and mostly Linux operating systems, SO FAR, that even if Apple released a finely tuned machine with a chip a full year behind the release date, that the OS easily makes up for that 5%-10% increase in speed. Mind you he didn't say for his GAMING needs, he said for his work. Getting a fully spec-ed PC is not even a reality or possibility. You can get a 72-core/144 thread PC/SuperSystem, that can get Windows installed and be assigned some number crunching task, and spend $10,000. Which is fine if you have a USE for it. But if you need a computer that you are going to INTERACT IN and OUT LEFT and RIGHT, moving the mouse, and fully INTERFACING computer with human, and not just setting the computer to free to number crunch something, there IS ABSOLUTELY NO COMPARISON. I am talking about people who are sitting there living and breathing their system, like 6 hours out of 8 daily. Trust me you want a mac, wth macOS... Now if you just use your machine for an hour or two to do this and that, fine get Windows. If you want to hardcore game for 6 to 8 hours out of day, then great get Windows. But if you want to eat this live this breath this, you want a mac...

thewhitefalcon

dacloo said:

Tim Cook about the Mac Pro: "Can't innovate anymore, my ass!" 

Phil Schiller said that, not Tim Cook.

sumergo

Mike Wuerthele said:

Typos eradicated. Long day, preceding an even longer one tomorrow. Thanks.

To feel better, and prepare for the AI "discourse" on Wednesday, do as this gentleman did (or your local equivalent):

" . . . weary after a dismal day with the prospect of a depressing morrow, I raised to my lips a spoonful of the tea in which I had soaked a morsel of the madeleine. No sooner had the warm liquid, mixed with the crumbs, touched my palate than a shudder ran through my whole body, and I stopped, intent on the extraordinary changes that were taking place in me. An exquisite pleasure had invaded my senses . . ."

;-)