Reliable source says no chance Apple will ax Mac Pro
One well-connected insider has given Mac users hope that Apple will release a new Mac Pro with a comment that there is no chance Apple will discontinue the line.
Jim Dalrymple of The Loop made the remarks on Wednesday during his "Amplified" podcast with Dan Benjamin, as noted by Marco Arment. Dalrymple has a proven track record with Apple predictions.
When asked by Benjamin if there is "any chance" that Apple will get rid of the Mac Pro, Dalrymple simply replied, "No." After a few seconds of silence, Benjamin followed up by asking "You're really confident in that? You feel good about that?"
Dalrymple responded by laughing. "Good, that's what I want to hear," Benjamin said before moving on.
Arment compared the exchange to a blog post by Dalrymple from February that succinctly confirmed a rumor of a March 7 iPad launch with the word "Yep." That report turned out to be accurate, as Apple did in fact hold its 2012 iPad launch on March 7.
Some sources have suggested that Apple may have been questioning the long-term viability of the Mac Pro, which was last updated in July 2010. For its part, the company has remained characteristically silent on the matter.
AppleInsider contacted Apple last week for comment on the status of the Mac Pro, but it did not hear back from the company.
Mac Pro petition
Dalrymple's confidence in the continued existence of Apple's Mac workstation comes as a Facebook petition calling for Apple to inform customers about the fate of the Mac Pro has been attracting attention. As of late Wednesday, the page had garnered more than 14,000 "likes" since the page was created in early May.
AppleInsider spoke with the page's creator, professional video editor Lou Borella, earlier this week. Though Borella admitted that he is hoping for a new Mac Pro with upgraded specifications, he said that the only thing he's asking for from Apple is an indication whether he and others should continue waiting for a new machine or make other plans.
"All they (Apple) have to do is say four words: 'Pro users, stay tuned,'" he said. "That's all they would have to say and the the 13,000+ people that are on the site right now would breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Apple still sees us, they're still committed...Everybody's patience meter which has gone all the way completely to frustrated would just automatically be reset back to zero."
Borella noted that Apple customers commonly experience "angst" when buying a product because "they're scared to death that they bought it too late in the life cycle" and Apple will release a new version the next week.
"No one's going to buy [the current Mac Pro] as it sits now for fear that next week Apple's going to say, 'Here's the new one,'" he added.
One AppleInsider reader did, however, report earlier this spring that he had in fact ordered a custom Mac Pro. The machine had seen repeated delays and had yet to ship as of April.
Interestingly enough, Borella's petition may be an example of the customer interaction Apple inspires that prompted Apple CEO Tim Cook to leave Compaq and join the Mac maker in 1998.
Cook said in an interview on Tuesday that he was impressed back then by the fact that Apple customers, unlike those of other PC makers, would get mad at the company but still continue to buy their products. "An Apple customer was a unique breed," he added, noting that customers connect with the company's products on an emotional level.
Jim Dalrymple of The Loop made the remarks on Wednesday during his "Amplified" podcast with Dan Benjamin, as noted by Marco Arment. Dalrymple has a proven track record with Apple predictions.
When asked by Benjamin if there is "any chance" that Apple will get rid of the Mac Pro, Dalrymple simply replied, "No." After a few seconds of silence, Benjamin followed up by asking "You're really confident in that? You feel good about that?"
Dalrymple responded by laughing. "Good, that's what I want to hear," Benjamin said before moving on.
Arment compared the exchange to a blog post by Dalrymple from February that succinctly confirmed a rumor of a March 7 iPad launch with the word "Yep." That report turned out to be accurate, as Apple did in fact hold its 2012 iPad launch on March 7.
Some sources have suggested that Apple may have been questioning the long-term viability of the Mac Pro, which was last updated in July 2010. For its part, the company has remained characteristically silent on the matter.
AppleInsider contacted Apple last week for comment on the status of the Mac Pro, but it did not hear back from the company.
Mac Pro petition
Dalrymple's confidence in the continued existence of Apple's Mac workstation comes as a Facebook petition calling for Apple to inform customers about the fate of the Mac Pro has been attracting attention. As of late Wednesday, the page had garnered more than 14,000 "likes" since the page was created in early May.
AppleInsider spoke with the page's creator, professional video editor Lou Borella, earlier this week. Though Borella admitted that he is hoping for a new Mac Pro with upgraded specifications, he said that the only thing he's asking for from Apple is an indication whether he and others should continue waiting for a new machine or make other plans.
"All they (Apple) have to do is say four words: 'Pro users, stay tuned,'" he said. "That's all they would have to say and the the 13,000+ people that are on the site right now would breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Apple still sees us, they're still committed...Everybody's patience meter which has gone all the way completely to frustrated would just automatically be reset back to zero."
Borella noted that Apple customers commonly experience "angst" when buying a product because "they're scared to death that they bought it too late in the life cycle" and Apple will release a new version the next week.
"No one's going to buy [the current Mac Pro] as it sits now for fear that next week Apple's going to say, 'Here's the new one,'" he added.
One AppleInsider reader did, however, report earlier this spring that he had in fact ordered a custom Mac Pro. The machine had seen repeated delays and had yet to ship as of April.
Interestingly enough, Borella's petition may be an example of the customer interaction Apple inspires that prompted Apple CEO Tim Cook to leave Compaq and join the Mac maker in 1998.
Cook said in an interview on Tuesday that he was impressed back then by the fact that Apple customers, unlike those of other PC makers, would get mad at the company but still continue to buy their products. "An Apple customer was a unique breed," he added, noting that customers connect with the company's products on an emotional level.
Comments
All these pro users that say they have been around for ages should know that Apple isn't going to give them that kind of hint. If you need the computer now, buy it now. If you don't then wait until you do.
But asking Apple to tell you something so you feel better or know to wait is asking for something even consumers ask for and neither group has ever gotten and even under Tim Cook aren't likely to
I have a 2007 MacPro 2,1 8 core. I have upgraded the RAM and Graphics. It still runs better than most new PC's. My games in Winders 7 run great. Sad that Mountain Lion won't run on it . I do plan to buy a new MacPro. I can't imagine owning any other kind of desktop. It makes me feel better to know that the MacPro may be around for a little bit longer. Being that the ROM needs to be 64 bit in order to run the new Mountain Lion, I guess it's time to upgrade.
I did get Mountain Lion to run on my 2007 MacPro. I had to install it on a supported Mac then modify the Kexts and replace some from lion and then edit the com.apple.boot.plist. It ran but not to good. Kinda sucks.
That's not quite true. The iPod Classic hasn't been updated in 994 days whilst the Mac Pro was updated 674 days ago. If you exclude that product then the Mac Pro is at the top but just barely.
Here is a list of the ones that stuck out to me:
Are there any numbers telling how many Mac Pros are being sold to consumers? Does it even reach over a million units a year? It just seems as though if a company can't be bothered to update a product for that long a time, they're not concerned about that target audience. As fast as Intel comes out with new processors and to not let the once top-of-the-line product get newer processors for two years or so, it just seems criminal. I thought that Apple had an inside track with Intel on acquiring new processors.
Quote:
"No one's going to buy [the current Mac Pro] as it sits now for fear that next week Apple's going to say, 'Here's the new one,'" he added.
And that's exactly the reason why Apple doesn't utter a word. If I were Apple, I wouldn't either. Hmmm, make money today or next year?
Quote:
Originally Posted by charlituna
All these pro users that say they have been around for ages should know that Apple isn't going to give them that kind of hint. If you need the computer now, buy it now. If you don't then wait until you do.
But asking Apple to tell you something so you feel better or know to wait is asking for something even consumers ask for and neither group has ever gotten and even under Tim Cook aren't likely to
except the performance difference between current gen hardware and 2010 is miles apart, literally. I mean heck, even if they released an update tomorrow, it'd be based off sandy bridge server chips and even that is half way through it's life cycle, it's a shame really. I'm waiting for a new mac pro cause 2010 one does not have the performance i need for my 2012 tasks. the 5870 graphics card we have is also quite obsolete, the 7000 series is half way through it's life cycle. It's not just about owning a mac pro it's about the commitment to it. This is first time apple has ever let it go this long. the mac pro had 5 generations, all 1 year apart, then all of a sudden, 2 and a half years and nothing. THAT is is the concern. If the product line is discontinued, why would we want to buy a 2010 model that's overpriced and charged like it's actually still 2010, so a 2012 imac can run circles around our twice as expensive unit?
I don't want an imac though, i want expansion, durability, and quality. I want a high end graphics card, not a mobile gpu thrown in a tiny enclosure that's posing as a desktop computer. The mac pro is the only good mac hardware they mac. macbook pros are pretty but are full of issues. They run to hot, they have a very short shelf life. Almost no expansion to speak of, a poor long term investment really. I get 4-5 years out of a mac pro easy (when it's bought current gen, not 2.5 years obsolete).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aldaris
Apple has never let a product go this long without an update. This is new territory.
They have let other products languish, and Apple rarely updates anything without updated cpus (note rarely). The Sandy Bridge E thing has annoyingly been a very long rollout, and we're just starting to see other companies ship machines based on it. Prior to that, you may have seen a couple added options like Quadro 5000 or 6000s that weren't available at the start of Westmere. Overall prior to the past month, they were just as stuck in the 2009-2010 era. You can still order many machines with the original nehalem cpus. The reasons to buy the lower current hardware configurations have dropped off more and more, but they still exist. It doesn't make an imac into a replacement for a 12 core. Seeing as the 2010 upgrade went way past the one year mark too, people immediately started the death knell for the mac pro and proclaimed it the last of its kind. The only truly out of place thing is the way their configurations are organized and priced. I think the base mac pro is priced pretty high relative to the market it serves, and they could have bumped up the options in the 8 core given its price point. Overall it's pretty meaningless to look at this without full hardware availability. They could have updated some things, but the AMD 6XXX series was unimpressive and wouldn't have offered a huge bump in performance over the 5870. Beyond that Apple doesn't like to do price breaks as you can't just switch to another brand while maintaining an identical software/OS configuration. If you look at it in context, nothing is outside of Apple's usual behavior (even if their normal behavior annoys me too). The way everyone is trying to read the tea leaves and frayed usb cables won't get them anywhere.
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Originally Posted by macinthe408
And that's exactly the reason why Apple doesn't utter a word. If I were Apple, I wouldn't either. Hmmm, make money today or next year?
Apple has taken it's new machines that were replaced (by new models) and stripped them down for replacement parts. Also Apple has sold them on the Save Discounted Store. I do agree though why say anything. Tim did mention at the D10 that there is gonna be some new stuff coming out this year. I would imagine at the WWDC and right before the holidays. Makes sense.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
AppleInsider contacted Apple last week for comment on the status of the Mac Pro, but it did not hear back from the company.
Check your email again - I'm sure Apple's courteous reply is waiting there.
Apple's last Mac Pro update was back with the DP Intel E5620, released Q1 2010, Nehalem architecture using the X58 Chipset
There has since been one new socket introduced (Socket 2011 for DP/MP) and the existing Sandy Bridge/Ivy Bridge socket is being retired with the next UP chip (1155 replaced by 1150)
The Single Processor (UP) systems Intel has stated only will support 4 cores (8 with Hyperthreading), so it makes more sense to just go straight to the Socket 2011 platform and use the E5 in the UP/DP configuration.
The Socket 2011 Sandy Bridge-E/EP parts are currently where Apple Mac Pro's could use them, Just waiting for the Intel C608 chipset that supports USB 3 and PCIe 3. Or maybe they'll just put USB3 on a chip and connect it to the PCIe3 anyway. I can see potential reasons why delaying till now (eg no PCIe3) but if they wait any longer, they'll wait until DDR4 is out.
I hope he's right. They did just acquire that audio editing software company, so maybe that is for the pros too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MysticalOS
except the performance difference between current gen hardware and 2010 is miles apart, literally. I mean heck, even if they released an update tomorrow, it'd be based off sandy bridge server chips and even that is half way through it's life cycle
The latest sandy bridge Xeons were only released 17 DAYS AGO.
Now that the Sandy Bridge Xeons (EP-32nm) have been released, Apple can finally make a new MacPro using this new EP Range. Don't hold your breath for Ivy bridge because the Xeon line is always behind by a considerable degree. The first workstation grade Xeons were released several months later.
Yes, there are Ivy Xeons out now but they aren't exactly fast. They're targeted for Micro Servers and the current Crop of Sandy Bridge Xeons kicks their teeth 6foot across the room.
Quote:
Originally Posted by benanderson89
The latest sandy bridge Xeons were only released 17 DAYS AGO.
Now that the Sandy Bridge Xeons (EP-32nm) have been released, Apple can finally make a new MacPro using this new EP Range. Don't hold your breath for Ivy bridge because the Xeon line is always behind by a considerable degree. The first Sandy Xeons were released in 2011, a year after their desktop counterparts.
Yes, there are Ivy Xeons out now but they aren't exactly fast. They're targeted for Micro Servers and the current Crop of Sandy Bridge Xeons kicks their teeth 6foot across the room.
Apple doesn't like releasing a product unless they can make it compelling enough to warrant an new model. Intel hasn't released a replacement for the processors Apple is using for their current lineup. I believe Apple had made an announcement a while back eluding to a new model later this year. So, just be patient and you'll probably have something worthwhile.
Obviously, new processors, Thunderbolt, and graphics cards are areas of improvements, but i am wondering what other aspects they can revise as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by drblank
Apple doesn't like releasing a product unless they can make it compelling enough to warrant an new model. Intel hasn't released a replacement for the processors Apple is using for their current lineup. I believe Apple had made an announcement a while back eluding to a new model later this year. So, just be patient and you'll probably have something worthwhile.
Obviously, new processors, Thunderbolt, and graphics cards are areas of improvements, but i am wondering what other aspects they can revise as well.
Higher clocked memory (1600)? More memory as standard? SSD+HDD as standard?
Workstations such as the HP Z sell for the same price as the Dual Processor Mac Pro line (around £2800 in the UK) and come with only one CPU (with no second socket, I think) and no graphics card. To really push the MacPro away from the top end iMac and other workstations, I think Dual Processor should be standard. But I'm daydreaming now, aren't I?
Being well connected doesn't necessarily give you inside info. His original iPad expectations were clearly speculative:
http://www.loopinsight.com/2010/01/08/prediction-apple-to-release-two-tablets-and-other-prognostications/
Jim Dalrymple owns a Mac Pro and probably has owned similar models for a number of years. Like many Mac Pro owners, he'd feel insulted if Apple suggested his next machine should be an iMac just like many Final Cut Pro users would feel insulted being asked to use iMovie. The problem lies in how people perceive Apple's products. Final Cut Pro X is not iMovie and the iMac is no longer a toy.
'Cut it off, do it, it's unfortunate but cut off the old people. If everything is tailing off so that you can continue to use it on your old gear, then what reason do you really have to upgrade?'
Apply his reasoning on software to hardware.
What is Apple's problem?
During the honeymoon between Intel and Apple, Apple release Mac Pros with Xeon's not released officially.
Then Intel/Apple had a fallout over that Intel didn't license the CPU interconnect to Nvidia, so Nvidia was forced stop making motherboards.
Apple started to talk to AMD.
During the Intel/Apple exclusive agreement, Intel engineers designed Apples motherboards. I don't know how its today.
But if Intel still designs Apples motherboards: Making a bumped Mac Pro takes minimal effort. Drivers for Thunderbolt + drivers for a good graphic card. That should not take to long time.
The rumor is that Apple is redesigning the MacPro to a smaller case. The case haven't been updated in 7 years. I really don't care. The current design/case is amongst the greatest in the business. My MacPro is 100% silent during max load.
Since Apple decided to stop support 32bit EFI in 10.8, I will have to upgrade my Mac Pro.
That Apple is insane/greedy for removing support for 32bit EFI is another issue. An 8 core computer, with AMD 5 series graphics card is not supported by 10.8.
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Originally Posted by Marvin
Apply his reasoning on software to hardware.
And yet Intel continue to make both socket 2011 and socket 1155, so they must think there is a use case for both. Remember it's not just the quad channel memory, it's the extra PCIe lanes too. On an 1155 system if you try to plug in two 16 lane PCIe cards they will only get 8 lanes each.
Quote:
Originally Posted by macinthe408
And that's exactly the reason why Apple doesn't utter a word. If I were Apple, I wouldn't either. Hmmm, make money today or next year?
That can work both ways. If "nobody" is buying them now then there is no revenue today anyway.