Mac sales are down because they haven't updated the Mac Pro in years (and still haven't!) and the iMac is over a year old...and the Mac Mini, well...
...they aren't maximising Desktop sales. That's up to them I guess. But the components are there.
It's up to them.
We're still in a recession. Don't let anyone kid you otherwise. (Hello to the gamblers on Wallstreet...) Apple chose to hike their prices in 2008. I've been amazed that their sales grew as they did. Well done them, I guess.
It was a matter of time before they reached the ceiling. A grand for a 21 inch entry iMac with integrated crapics...that's over a year old. No surprise sales are down. Just over 2 grand for a 'pro' with a quad processor and an ancient gpu? Puh-lease.
iPods? Same 'ancient' feature creep. Same Apple. Nickle and diming. 'Money isn't everything.' Steve Jobs. No. But we'll screw your pooch for out of date tech'.
They've had a good run. Especially in the last year as prices stay inflated and the desktop line rots.
If they get nominal growth thanks to the laptop updates then they've done well.
Roll on the retina iMac sometime next year. With a decent GPU I hope.
Lemon Bon Bon.
I don't think the delays between model upgrades is that big a deal any more. Even today's iMac is more than fast enough for the overwhelming majority of users. The Mac Pro is slightly different, but it was only a couple of months ago that Intel had faster Xeon processors available - and even there, the difference is modest. The Mac Mini is the same as the iMac - the current version meets most people's needs quite well. Even my 5-6 year old MacBook Pro handles most of the tasks I do with aplomb, so anyone with a 2-3 year old computer is probably not in a hurry to upgrade.
In the 90's, you couldn't get enough computer horsepower and there was a huge incentive to upgrade as soon as a faster computer came out. Today, not so much.
Now, Retina display might change that equation slightly. Or if they ever come out with another great feature that can not be readily accomplished with the older models. But features will drive upgrades, not a tiny increase in CPU power.
I don't think the delays between model upgrades is that big a deal any more. Even today's iMac is more than fast enough for the overwhelming majority of users. The Mac Pro is slightly different, but it was only a couple of months ago that Intel had faster Xeon processors available - and even there, the difference is modest. The Mac Mini is the same as the iMac - the current version meets most people's needs quite well. Even my 5-6 year old MacBook Pro handles most of the tasks I do with aplomb, so anyone with a 2-3 year old computer is probably not in a hurry to upgrade.
In the 90's, you couldn't get enough computer horsepower and there was a huge incentive to upgrade as soon as a faster computer came out. Today, not so much.
Now, Retina display might change that equation slightly. Or if they ever come out with another great feature that can not be readily accomplished with the older models. But features will drive upgrades, not a tiny increase in CPU power.
I agree the Mac Pro is slightly different and not just from the CPU standpoint. I didn't used to agree about a mid tower but with the advances like Thunderbolt I now believe there could be a smaller Mac Pro since external storage via TB really makes more than two bays obsolete and video technology has advanced recently enough to end the poor video pros seem to always get by default. I really hope Apple have a sleek new, lighter mind blowing pro machine in the works.
I agree the Mac Pro is slightly different and not just from the CPU standpoint. I didn't used to agree about a mid tower but with the advances like Thunderbolt I now believe there could be a smaller Mac Pro since external storage via TB really makes more than two bays obsolete and video technology has advanced recently enough to end the poor video pros seem to always get by default. I really hope Apple have a sleek new, lighter mind blowing pro machine in the works.
Hmm, less HDD. I think people would like the option to add more HDD's into a newly internal design. Personally I cannot stand the noise, that's why I am moving to PCIe SSD. By compressing everything (jpg vs raw, mp3 vs flac/Apple lossless etcetera) I am able to keep things small. But Pro People will might like a MP with ?12 perpendicular HDD's in it(?)
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Thank you, beat me to it. Thread derailment at it's best eh?
I assume Mac sales were related to those awaiting release of new product, nothing alarming if so.
I don't think the delays between model upgrades is that big a deal any more. Even today's iMac is more than fast enough for the overwhelming majority of users. The Mac Pro is slightly different, but it was only a couple of months ago that Intel had faster Xeon processors available - and even there, the difference is modest. The Mac Mini is the same as the iMac - the current version meets most people's needs quite well. Even my 5-6 year old MacBook Pro handles most of the tasks I do with aplomb, so anyone with a 2-3 year old computer is probably not in a hurry to upgrade.
In the 90's, you couldn't get enough computer horsepower and there was a huge incentive to upgrade as soon as a faster computer came out. Today, not so much.
Now, Retina display might change that equation slightly. Or if they ever come out with another great feature that can not be readily accomplished with the older models. But features will drive upgrades, not a tiny increase in CPU power.
I agree the Mac Pro is slightly different and not just from the CPU standpoint. I didn't used to agree about a mid tower but with the advances like Thunderbolt I now believe there could be a smaller Mac Pro since external storage via TB really makes more than two bays obsolete and video technology has advanced recently enough to end the poor video pros seem to always get by default. I really hope Apple have a sleek new, lighter mind blowing pro machine in the works.
Hmm, less HDD. I think people would like the option to add more HDD's into a newly internal design. Personally I cannot stand the noise, that's why I am moving to PCIe SSD. By compressing everything (jpg vs raw, mp3 vs flac/Apple lossless etcetera) I am able to keep things small. But Pro People will might like a MP with ?12 perpendicular HDD's in it(?)