Just Mac

applepiapplepi
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Do you guys think instead of calling it a Mac Pro Apple might just call it a Mac? Or is that too generic?



If they call it a Mac Pro then we have a Mac Mini and a Mac Pro. But we don't have just a Mac to go inbetween. Kind of like how we have the regular macbook versus the macbook pro.



Obviously everyone is assuming the iMac is the "regular" mac. But that doesn't really stick to Apples current naming conventions very well. Plus for all we know the imac could become just a certain niche product.



Now that Apple has moved into the x86 world and introduced bootcamp they have a little more room to stretch. And everyone knows the tower rules in the PC world. So do you think it's possible Apple will release two tiers of tower systems? One being a higher end spec'd Mac Pro and the other being a less expensive and middle of the road spec'd "Mac"?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 12
    chuckerchucker Posts: 5,089member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ApplePi

    Obviously everyone is assuming the iMac is the "regular" mac. But that doesn't really stick to Apples current naming conventions very well.



    No, but the name iMac has become so iconic that renaming it to "Mac" would needlessly confuse.



    Quote:

    Plus for all we know the imac could become just a certain niche product.







    Quite the opposite.
  • Reply 2 of 12
    gargar Posts: 1,201member
    no
  • Reply 3 of 12
    nathan22tnathan22t Posts: 317member
    it's too crazy to have the kind of "Mac" you have to be "a Mac".

    just think of the endless confusing conversations...
  • Reply 4 of 12
    nauticalnautical Posts: 109member
    Exactly! Apple can never release a product simply named 'Mac' since that would bring about endless confusion. If someone then asked me what kind of computer I have, and I would answer like I always do; that I have a Mac, then that could easily be misinterpreted to mean the product Mac and not the Powerbook that I actually own.



    Mac is a platform and not a specific product on said platform.
  • Reply 5 of 12
    @homenow@homenow Posts: 998member
    If Apple releases a computer named a Mac it will not be a PowerMac replacemnet, nor an iMac replacement but a mini-tower style computer priced between $1000 and $1800 leaving the $2000+ range for the Mac Pro. There is arguably room for such a model if it will help to build market share rather than just taking iMac sales. The R&D for such a computer would also be "cheap" since it could basically use a standard Intel mother board.



    To this end, I think that the current iMac can hold it's own against a mini-tower model for most consumers, and those that would buy the tower over the iMac would only be looking at it as an option becouse the price of the PowerMac is quite a bit more than the iMac. There was a time when the iMac and the PowerMac were a lot closer in price than they are today, and in fact their prices "overlapped" at the high end iMac and low end PowerMac. Today however the iMac has monitor choices that are competetive in the consumer space and could hold their own in some buisness circles. The real challenge would be to find a feature set for a mini-tower that could compete with the iMac without overshadowing it in performance or being too "underwhelimng" to compete.
  • Reply 6 of 12
    applepiapplepi Posts: 365member
    @homenow

    That's exactly what I'm saying.



    Technically the platform is x86, the operating system is OSX, and the computer is whatever system you happen to have (imac, macbook, ect). So I don't think it would be that off the wall for Apple to release a computer just called a Mac. I don't think it would really confuse either.



    Take this scenerio



    Bob

    Hey Jim what kind of computer do you have?



    Jim

    A Mac



    Bob

    Oh yeah I heard those were pretty good

    (imagining a small tower like system just called a Mac)



    Jim

    Yeah I love mine

    (thinking to myself, well actually I have a macbook but what does it really matter)



    If Jim wanted to get technical he could have said macbook or imac.



    Also I think a plain jane Mac tower could probably start at about $800. The mac mini has it's place and so does the iMac. So even if there is price overlapping the products themselves all have a purpose and as I said now that Apple are in the x86 world they have room to stretch and overlap a little bit.
  • Reply 7 of 12
    kenaustuskenaustus Posts: 924member
    I can see a mid-range headless Mac called the Mac. Might actually buy one as I now have a PB hooked up to a 23" display in the office. I really don't want a huge tower (been there, got the t-shirt) and there is no way I'm giving up my display. I also can't see going with a mini as there isn't that much to gain for me.



    If Apple does go this way I can see the Mac Mac having a single processor while the Mac Pro has two. Lots of options on the Mac Mac, especially in the areas of HDs and graphics - all within a smaller case that can easily hide behind the display.



    Maybe release it in time for the Christmas buying season.
  • Reply 8 of 12
    rageousrageous Posts: 2,170member
    the whole point of the other name changes was to introduce the Mac moniker into the name. I do wish they'd stick with Power Mac.



    Uber Mac would do though
  • Reply 9 of 12
    jtblqjtblq Posts: 86member
    Mac Pro

    Pro Mac

    Mac XL

    Mac XL Pro

    DuoMac

    MacDuo

    ExtremeMac

    MacExtreme

    PMac

    MacTower

    MacTower Pro

    TowerMac

    TMac

    SuperMac...lol

    UltraMac

    UltimateMac

    UMac

    Yahweh Mac

    Elohim Mac

    Mega Mac

    Mac Quatro

    Quatro Mac





    and of course...

    Royale Mac© with Cheese.
  • Reply 10 of 12
    scubakid92scubakid92 Posts: 10member
    mac home (possible media center/mid to low range tower)

    maclite (light sub notebook)
  • Reply 11 of 12
    mjteixmjteix Posts: 563member
    What about:

    Mac Pro Dual (with 1 dual-core Conroe CPU)

    Mac Pro Quad (with 2 dual core Woodcrest CPUs)

    ?
  • Reply 12 of 12
    blenngblenng Posts: 17member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by JTBLQ



    and of course...

    Royale Mac© with Cheese. [/B]





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