High-end graphics workstation in Apple's future?

shetlineshetline
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Considering the software acquisitions Apple has been making lately, and the need for something with a bit more horsepower than the current hardware provides, would it surprise anyone if Apple were considering porting OS X and some of that software to a new Apple-branded high-end graphics workstation?



It's just a passing thought, not something I have a strong opinion about either way, and I was wondering what others might have to say about the idea.



I'd much rather see some seriously revved-up Power Macs myself, if I had to choose
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 37
    ibrowseibrowse Posts: 1,749member
    I do graphics, so if this was true, I'm there.
  • Reply 2 of 37
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,423member
    I think this is possible if Apples overall sales improve.



    Xserve has to be popular.



    Apple must continue to make inroads in Education and Design.



    Marketshare and increasing sales will help "pay" for the high end(profitable) boxes.
  • Reply 3 of 37
    ibrowseibrowse Posts: 1,749member
    I think that with the eMac, Xserve, and whatever this big thing at MWNY is, their sales should be just fine. They're up to something.
  • Reply 4 of 37
    bobthetomatobobthetomato Posts: 665member
    [quote]Originally posted by iBrowse:

    <strong>I think that with the eMac, Xserve, and whatever this big thing at MWNY is, their sales should be just fine. They're up to something.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Plucking their iBrowse?
  • Reply 5 of 37
    vvmpvvmp Posts: 63member
    Can it be that Apple has purchased these high-end FX Apps in order to water them down into another "i" application in order to run comfortably on an imac? Maybe call it the iFX!
  • Reply 6 of 37
    scott f.scott f. Posts: 276member
    [quote]Originally posted by Vvmp:

    <strong>Can it be that Apple has purchased these high-end FX Apps in order to water them down into another "i" application in order to run comfortably on an imac? Maybe call it the iFX!</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Doubtful.



    Sure... some aspects may creep into an iApp... but when you "Buy-out" a company and it's assets, it' is to acquire something to strengthen you. The applications will most likely serve the higher-end like Final Cut Pro and DVD Studio Pro do. Those are far from iApps. It would be foolish to buy a software package that serves high-end video editing and dumb-it-down then give it away for free without offering a version that GENERATES REVENUE for the company.
  • Reply 7 of 37
    zazzaz Posts: 177member
    [quote]Originally posted by Scott F.:

    <strong>



    Doubtful.



    Sure... some aspects may creep into an iApp... but when you "Buy-out" a company and it's assets, it' is to acquire something to strengthen you. The applications will most likely serve the higher-end like Final Cut Pro and DVD Studio Pro do. Those are far from iApps. It would be foolish to buy a software package that serves high-end video editing and dumb-it-down then give it away for free without offering a version that GENERATES REVENUE for the company.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Well, maybe in theory. They did buy-out SoundJam from C&G and DiskMaster...



    ...commonly know today as iTunes and Disk Burner.



    On a different level, to be sure, but your statement is not exactly all encompassing.



  • Reply 8 of 37
    programmerprogrammer Posts: 3,458member
    [quote]Originally posted by zaz:

    <strong>



    Well, maybe in theory. They did buy-out SoundJam from C&G and DiskMaster...



    ...commonly know today as iTunes and Disk Burner.



    On a different level, to be sure, but your statement is not exactly all encompassing.



    </strong><hr></blockquote>





    Well, except that iTunes integrates with iPod, and the DiskBurner makes the SuperDrive models worth buying. These are very consumer oriented, whereas the software that they've been buying up is really targetted at the professional market. Perhaps Apple will take a crack at bringing 3D authoring to the masses, but I doubt it -- its just not something that Joe Public is going to have the skills to use.



    As for a high end 3D workstation... heck, why not buy POWER4-workstation chips from IBM and the next generation nVidia cards, slap 'em together and sell 'em for $12-15K a pop. They could stake out a big chunk of that market starting in about September.
  • Reply 9 of 37
    shetlineshetline Posts: 4,695member
    Of course, there's this to consider: I'm sure Steve would be very happy to have Pixar using more computers that bear an Apple logo, not just for some of the lightweight work, but for the heavy-duty rendering as well.



    IBM's Power4 is binary compatible with the G4, except for maybe the Altivec stuff, right?
  • Reply 10 of 37
    bartobarto Posts: 2,246member
    I would imagine that a Power4 would be used in a high end workstation.



    However, whats the point? A new G4 for (relativly) lightweight stuff like photoshop, and an Xserve farm for Lightwave/Maya etc rendering.



    If Apple releases clustering software for the Xserve, where's the need?



    Barto
  • Reply 11 of 37
    drewpropsdrewprops Posts: 2,321member
    Bring it on...I'm ready for some big iron.



    D
  • Reply 12 of 37
    macommentarymacommentary Posts: 196member
    I've been saying rackmount server for 2 years... and iPhoto ever since iTunes came out... you bet that there's something floating around Apple that is in this area... it'll just be a while comming imho.
  • Reply 13 of 37
    macroninmacronin Posts: 1,174member
    Think of all of the talk about Power4 derivatives, DDR SDRAM & DDR FSB, RapidI/O & HyperTransport, nVidia dual GPU AGP 8x OpenGL cards, FireWire2...



    Mix in Silicon Grail & Nothing Real purchases...



    Apple is gonna give us something incredible soon...



    Maybe MWNY2002, maybe Siggraph2002...



    Now if they could just purchase Maya from A|w...



    :cool: Maya for Mac OS X :cool:
  • Reply 14 of 37
    tsukuritetsukurite Posts: 192member
    [quote]Originally posted by BobtheTomato:

    <strong>



    Plucking their iBrowse?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Been saving that one for a special occaision, havent' you?



    <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" /> <img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[No]" />
  • Reply 15 of 37
    vvmpvvmp Posts: 63member
    The MacWorld NY theme could be "Resurection of the Twin Twrs"....as in 2.0 & 2.4 gig PwrMac g5s with Rudolph Guliani making a showing at the Keynote. Although such a marketing scheme might backfire?
  • Reply 16 of 37
    amorphamorph Posts: 7,112member
    Anything that exploited the WTC disaster that baldy would - and should - introduce Apple to a world of pain.



    I think there will be a significant, but not earth-shattering, update to the PMs at MWNY, although they might be announced but not released. If not, Seybold.



    Then, only 6-9 months later, there will be a big bump, or even the introduction of a higher-end line.



    That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
  • Reply 17 of 37
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    [quote]Originally posted by Amorph:

    <strong>Anything that exploited the WTC disaster that baldy would - and should - introduce Apple to a world of pain.



    I think there will be a significant, but not earth-shattering, update to the PMs at MWNY, although they might be announced but not released. If not, Seybold.



    Then, only 6-9 months later, there will be a big bump, or even the introduction of a higher-end line.



    That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. </strong><hr></blockquote>

    That's my story too. We will see in the future if we were right.



  • Reply 18 of 37
    bellebelle Posts: 1,574member
    [quote]Originally posted by Amorph:

    <strong>Anything that exploited the WTC disaster that baldy would - and should - introduce Apple to a world of pain.</strong><hr></blockquote>

    No "Blazing Dual Towers", then?
  • Reply 19 of 37
    randycat99randycat99 Posts: 1,919member
    Oh-behave! [said like Austin Powers]
  • Reply 20 of 37
    stevessteves Posts: 108member
    [quote]Originally posted by Amorph:

    <strong>I think there will be a significant, but not earth-shattering, update to the PMs at MWNY, although they might be announced but not released. If not, Seybold.



    Then, only 6-9 months later, there will be a big bump, or even the introduction of a higher-end line.



    That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. </strong><hr></blockquote>



    Yup, I agree to that. Of course, a sufficiently vague prediction such as this will almost always be true. Count me in for the same prediction this time next year as well!



    Steve
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