Tim Cook confirms updated Mac Pro coming in 2013
An email from Apple CEO Tim Cook confirms that the company is indeed working on a professional-level Mac to be released sometime in 2013, allaying current Mac Pro owners' fears that the desktop has reached its end of life.
An email Apple confirmed to be from Cook was sent to a Facebook group page dedicated to the Mac Pro on Monday and said that Apple is "working on something really great" for 2013, reports MacWorld.
While Apple revealed a slight performance bump to the Mac Pro at WWDC on Monday, the update wasn't the significant revamp many professional users were hoping for. The tower received a modest speed boost for its 12-core Xeon chips, but it was revealed that Apple is using CPUs based on Intel's two-year-old Westmere-EP architecture and not newer Xeon E5 silicon. After being posted as "New" on the Apple Online Store, the refreshed Mac Pro's label was dropped early Tuesday without comment from the company.
The email in full:
Apple used the WWDC keynote to announce a bevy of new products, including the next generation MacBook Pro with Retina Display, but the products were mainly targeted at consumers.
An email Apple confirmed to be from Cook was sent to a Facebook group page dedicated to the Mac Pro on Monday and said that Apple is "working on something really great" for 2013, reports MacWorld.
While Apple revealed a slight performance bump to the Mac Pro at WWDC on Monday, the update wasn't the significant revamp many professional users were hoping for. The tower received a modest speed boost for its 12-core Xeon chips, but it was revealed that Apple is using CPUs based on Intel's two-year-old Westmere-EP architecture and not newer Xeon E5 silicon. After being posted as "New" on the Apple Online Store, the refreshed Mac Pro's label was dropped early Tuesday without comment from the company.
The email in full:
Cook's message comes on the heels of comments made by a separate anonymous The New York Times source who claimed much the same on Monday. That report noted Apple was working on new models and new designs that would most likely make their way into stores next year. Interestingly, Apple also confirmed the NYT article on Tuesday to Forbes reporter Connie Guglielmo.Franz,
Thanks for your email. Our Pro customers like you are really important to us. Although we didn?t have a chance to talk about a new Mac Pro at today?s event, don?t worry as we?re working on something really great for later next year. We also updated the current model today.
We?ve been continuing to update Final Cut Pro X with revolutionary pro features like industry leading multi-cam support and we just updated Aperture with incredible new image adjustment features.
We also announced a MacBook Pro with a Retina Display that is a great solution for many pros.
Tim
Apple used the WWDC keynote to announce a bevy of new products, including the next generation MacBook Pro with Retina Display, but the products were mainly targeted at consumers.
Comments
Well this is going to be fun.
Fuelling an entire year of speculation and rumours. So much for 'doubling down on secrecy'.
Somewhat comforting
I can wait
I know someone's wanting to say Apple is doomed because he's not acting like Steve Jobs.
HEY TIM.............WHAT ABOUT A 17" MACBOOK PRO????
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank777
Well this is going to be fun.
Fuelling an entire year of speculation and rumours. So much for 'doubling down on secrecy'.
Yes, which makes me think, it's not what we're supposed to think it is.
Meanwhile, while we wait, can you tell us if or how Stephen Hawking answers that question, just to pass the time?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dickprinter
HEY TIM.............WHAT ABOUT A 17" MACBOOK PRO????
AirPlay.
Wow that makes me feel so much better. I love my MacPro and I am waiting for a new revamp so I can have another powerhouse to use for my mean machine, heavy duty processor and graphics crunching work.
I bet there will be a dual 8 core xeon processor (16 core total) .
I am happy they confirmed there will be a new Mac Pro. It would be especially nice if they offered some new and modern graphics cards on the Apple store to tide us over until the new ones are released next year. Would also be nice if Apple sold a thunderbolt and USB3 PCIx card in the Apple store. At least then I would know what Apple recommends and would be more comfortable buying from OWC or some other retailer. Specific Mac Pro accessories like PCI cards are very hard to find on the Apple store.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dickprinter
HEY TIM.............WHAT ABOUT A 17" MACBOOK PRO????
My understanding is that so few 17" MBPs were being sold relative to the other models, that it should be no big surprise that they dropped the 17" form factor. I would be buying a 17" right now to replace my old 2007 15" MBP if they had come out with some, but instead I'll be getting the new 15".
Should help people be comfortable about continuing to buy The Not-new Mac Pro since there is some assurance of a The New Mac Pro, circa 2013
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank777
Well this is going to be fun.
Fuelling an entire year of speculation and rumours...
Quote:
Originally Posted by tylerk36
I bet there will be a dual 8 core xeon processor (16 core total) .
And so it begins
Mac Pro fans scare me.
can you please explain to me what the current Mac Pro can't do for you? i use a Mac mini and i'm super happy with it.However, i understand many professionals like designers want something more powerful than a mini or Macbook Pro but all this madness why the Mac Pro wasn't updated i don't get.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jonyo
My understanding is that so few 17" MBPs were being sold relative to the other models, that it should be no big surprise that they dropped the 17" form factor. I would be buying a 17" right now to replace my old 2007 15" MBP if they had come out with some, but instead I'll be getting the new 15".
I'm gonna wait a few months and see if they surprise us with a 17" before I replace mine with a 15". I'll be happy with the 15" Retina flavor. I do wonder if we should expect new cinema displays soon.
There are some who believe Apple is "freezing the market" by making the announcement of new MPs and iMacs for next year. They'd never have done this back when the Mac platform was the only "leg on the stool". Now, with iPads and iPhones selling like proverbial hotcakes, they can afford to suffer the consequences of making this announcement...and provide a comfort zone for MP and iMac users.
I can't wait to see what ? creates.
Oh, and one more thing, thanks, Tim.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dickprinter
HEY TIM.............WHAT ABOUT A 17" MACBOOK PRO????
I think the current answer to that is that the retina 15" model has far greater resolution and more screen real estate than the old 17" did.
So unless you have bad eyesight (which lets face it isn't really a computer manufacturer's problem), the 15" will work for most of those that used to use the 17". Also Apple has spent the last five years or so adding all kinds of technology to the OS to help people deal with doing more on smaller screens like multiple desktops, Mission Control, fast app switching, full screen apps, swiping, etc., so you could use those as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by animatedude
Mac Pro fans scare me.
can you please explain to me what the current Mac Pro can't do for you? i use a Mac mini and i'm super happy with it.However, i understand many professionals like designers want something more powerful than a mini or Macbook Pro but all this madness why the Mac Pro wasn't updated i don't get.
What we're so up in arms about is the priority (or lack thereof) of the Mac Pro. The video card that the brand new Mac Pro is shipping with is three years old. The "new" processors that we got yesterday were released by Intel over a year ago. The actually-new, Sandy Bridge E5 processors that Intel released (and the chipset that also allows faster RAM) was released in April. Other companies are shipping machines based on that architecture, but not Apple. I'm not TOO upset by the lack of USB 3 and Thunderbolt. Apple has never gone out of their way to add anything to the reference Intel motherboards, and the chipset that supports those functions isn't yet available.
The bottom line is that Apple updated this machine to early-to-mid 2011 specs with a 2009 video card -- in July 2012. What's not to be irate about?