" It is theorized that the long process of hardware design could have meant Ive was still employed by Apple directly at its conception, if the design work started in or before 2019. “
This sentence reminds us that Apple Silicon was probably in development for a number of years before it was announced. It also means the decision to leave Intel happened years ago too, during the years the armchair engineers here were demanding the move to AMD. I guess Apple wasn’t listening.
" It is theorized that the long process of hardware design could have meant Ive was still employed by Apple directly at its conception, if the design work started in or before 2019. “
This sentence reminds us that Apple Silicon was probably in development for a number of years before it was announced. It also means the decision to leave Intel happened years ago too, during the years the armchair engineers here were demanding the move to AMD. I guess Apple wasn’t listening.
I was a member of SPIE in the 1980s when grazing incident (X-ray) optics were being developed to permit imaging and photo mask line widths to approach the wavelength of light. Line widths are now 100 times better - insane (or alien tech reverse engineered ). Yes, developments span decades in some cases and so not hard to believe that Apple was making plans for many years. I'd not be surprised if Mr. Jobs was an instigator of fruits that we are reaping today and entrusted a role to Mr Ive, regardless of where he settled himself post-Apple.
So is that why it only comes with 2/4 USB-C ports?
The ports are my biggest/only real complaint with the new iMac. I’ve never thought that having all of the ports on the back was a good idea. Put at least one or two on the side so they’re accessible. aAnd limiting the low end Mac to just 2 ports??? It’s not a laptop; you can’t even make a half-assed space or power excuse. I’d also like to see at least one USB A port. Even 6 years after Apple declared ‘USB C is the future’ USB A is still incredibly common. My new Apple TV came with a USB A charging cable last week.
Market pressure. Companies still selling devices with USB-A are only looking at the here and now, not the longer-term longevity of the devices. USB-C supports USB-A (via an adapter), but not the other way around, so it makes sense to provide USB-C and let consumers downgrade if they need to.
Companies like Apple? My Apple TV came with a USB A cable. As did my a Apple BT keyboard.
USB-A devices, portable thumbs drive will still be in use despite those who want to see USB-A go away. Apple should of designed and bundled a nicely design matching coloured dock that has various ports HDMI, USB-A, USB-C, SD slots, included in the current price.
It's the laptops that should have at least one USB-A port. After all laptops are meant to be portable and carrying dongles around make it less so.
I’d rather they sell a “pro” keyboard that’s wired and has a series of ports on the rear. The external power brick offends me. Better still, make the iMac and bit thicker and more functional.
The deal between Ives and Apple, as was reported here as in other places, was that he would do work with Apple after he left. For how long?
As you know Ive works for his own design company now. The strange thing is, you can’t find anything that they’ve designed since he left.
There’s no reason he can’t be contracted by Apple any time. It was said that he left because he grew tired of the work environment and built his own company away from that.
USB-A devices, portable thumbs drive will still be in use despite those who want to see USB-A go away. Apple should of designed and bundled a nicely design matching coloured dock that has various ports HDMI, USB-A, USB-C, SD slots, included in the current price.
It's the laptops that should have at least one USB-A port. After all laptops are meant to be portable and carrying dongles around make it less so.
I’d rather they sell a “pro” keyboard that’s wired and has a series of ports on the rear. The external power brick offends me. Better still, make the iMac and bit thicker and more functional.
That would work well, too. The old wired keyboard used to have extra ports on it which were more convenient. Personally, I miss the wired keyboard - it was cheaper, more functional and more reliable. I’ve had repeated connection issues with my Apple BT keyboard requiring me to turn it off and back on.
USB-A devices, portable thumbs drive will still be in use despite those who want to see USB-A go away. Apple should of designed and bundled a nicely design matching coloured dock that has various ports HDMI, USB-A, USB-C, SD slots, included in the current price.
It's the laptops that should have at least one USB-A port. After all laptops are meant to be portable and carrying dongles around make it less so.
I’d rather they sell a “pro” keyboard that’s wired and has a series of ports on the rear. The external power brick offends me. Better still, make the iMac and bit thicker and more functional.
That would work well, too. The old wired keyboard used to have extra ports on it which were more convenient. Personally, I miss the wired keyboard - it was cheaper, more functional and more reliable. I’ve had repeated connection issues with my Apple BT keyboard requiring me to turn it off and back on.
Actually that’s not a bad idea. But with hubs would it even be practical nowadays?
USB-A devices, portable thumbs drive will still be in use despite those who want to see USB-A go away. Apple should of designed and bundled a nicely design matching coloured dock that has various ports HDMI, USB-A, USB-C, SD slots, included in the current price.
It's the laptops that should have at least one USB-A port. After all laptops are meant to be portable and carrying dongles around make it less so.
Yeah because we all like waiting around while a USB thumb drive transfers data slowly at 5Gbps… instead of USB-C at double the speed
USB C is just a port and since many (most?) USB c ports are just usb 3.2 they aren’t any faster. (USB 3.2 maxes out at 10Gbps, by the way.) When I last looked at external drives, a large number were only USB 3.2, as well, so your argument doesn’t really hold up.
USB-A devices, portable thumbs drive will still be in use despite those who want to see USB-A go away. Apple should of designed and bundled a nicely design matching coloured dock that has various ports HDMI, USB-A, USB-C, SD slots, included in the current price.
It's the laptops that should have at least one USB-A port. After all laptops are meant to be portable and carrying dongles around make it less so.
I’d rather they sell a “pro” keyboard that’s wired and has a series of ports on the rear. The external power brick offends me. Better still, make the iMac and bit thicker and more functional.
I’ve no doubt had a hand in the overall shape amd thinness.
But there is no way he signed off on the power brick.
There is so much room inside the new enclosure that the brick contents could be expanded and shielded. - especially since they decided to use a chin to house the SOC.
Steve Jobs would not have went with the brick littering the floor idea. Neither would I’ve.
It seems some questionable design choices have come along since Ive’s role changed.
Big Sur has some unfortunate design choices as does the new iMac.
One of the biggest pluses in Apple design is that they know when to say “no” to things.
The fact that there is now a brick that just literally plops unceremoniously on your floor, littering it, is a definite sign that this is being forgotten.
Hopefully they remember this and fix it. This is Apple. They have a rich heritage in figuring things out better than anyone else. But the whole brick thing just screens cheap, tacky, and very Microsoft or Dell-like.
Here’s hoping I’ve had more of a hand in the forthcoming iMac Pro amd MacBook Pro designs.
This is a great point and all you have to do is ignore all the products that came during the Job and Ive tenure that had power bricks. G4 Cube? Never existed, original AirPort? Completely fictional. AirPort Extreme? never heard of it. G4 Mac mini? What's that? Cinema displays? Fake news. Intel Mac mini? bullocks to that.
That would be a great point - if we were talking a decade or more ago. And if we weren’t talking about desktop computers instead of routers and monitors, but since you brought it up...
Even the Apple thunderbolt display moved to packing the power supply INSIDE the enclosure. It used a CABLE which plugged elegantly into the wall. Nothing to trash up the floor. The Apple AirPort Extreme you mention? Yep. Cable. Direct to outlet. For the last couple generations actually.
Oh. You want to talk about the original, ancient versions. Steve Jobs took those and put the power supplies inside, thanks.
In fact, the old AirPort Extreme using a power adapter was one thing many reviewers derided as just another thing to have to manage or figure a way to hide.
Apple ended up moving the power supply inside of that exact same enclosure in the time capsule.
Thanks for making my point that the power brick was the old way of doing things. Those products are all around 10-15 years ago or more.
And Jobs himself presided over the move to enclosed power supplies. It’s not to say he’d never use a brick. That’s just how things were forever ago. But he would not now. There is no need to. And it looks nasty.
And by the way, the G4 cube was a flop. A rare bundle of bad decisions from a guy who was usually right, but also merely human.
Power bricks suck. And do not belong in a 2021 Apple desktop.
Heck even the iPads external charger plugs neatly into the wall outlet and doesn’t litter the floor. MacBook Pro? Power adapter/charger plugs neatly into the wall.
Nobody wants a brick littering the floor. This isn’t 1990s or early 2000s. This is 2021 Apple. And power supply is an integral part of the computer. You literally cannot separate the two. The whole sleekness of the iMac is thrown off by the extension of it just plopped wherever you can find to put it.
Apple, please put the power supply back inside the enclosure. It’s the right thing to do.
So is that why it only comes with 2/4 USB-C ports?
The ports are my biggest/only real complaint with the new iMac. I’ve never thought that having all of the ports on the back was a good idea. Put at least one or two on the side so they’re accessible. aAnd limiting the low end Mac to just 2 ports??? It’s not a laptop; you can’t even make a half-assed space or power excuse. I’d also like to see at least one USB A port. Even 6 years after Apple declared ‘USB C is the future’ USB A is still incredibly common. My new Apple TV came with a USB A charging cable last week.
Not sure if you’re old enough to remember when the original iMac came out and all it had was USB for connectivity. Apple pushed the industry to adopt a brand new technology and eventually they did. Same game with USB C, Apple is pushing the industry to go USB C/Thunderbolt for connectivity, as they should. One port to do everything? No brainer. For all those complaining about not having USB A, there are plenty of USB A/3/etc to USB C cables available to purchase on Amazon. Again, it’s a mostly non issue.
I’ve no doubt had a hand in the overall shape amd thinness.
But there is no way he signed off on the power brick.
There is so much room inside the new enclosure that the brick contents could be expanded and shielded. - especially since they decided to use a chin to house the SOC.
Steve Jobs would not have went with the brick littering the floor idea. Neither would I’ve.
It seems some questionable design choices have come along since Ive’s role changed.
Big Sur has some unfortunate design choices as does the new iMac.
One of the biggest pluses in Apple design is that they know when to say “no” to things.
The fact that there is now a brick that just literally plops unceremoniously on your floor, littering it, is a definite sign that this is being forgotten.
Hopefully they remember this and fix it. This is Apple. They have a rich heritage in figuring things out better than anyone else. But the whole brick thing just screens cheap, tacky, and very Microsoft or Dell-like.
Here’s hoping I’ve had more of a hand in the forthcoming iMac Pro amd MacBook Pro designs.
You seem to have a selective memory. Quite a few Apple products have/had power bricks. Care to guess again what Steve Jobs would not have done?
I’ve no doubt had a hand in the overall shape amd thinness.
But there is no way he signed off on the power brick.
There is so much room inside the new enclosure that the brick contents could be expanded and shielded. - especially since they decided to use a chin to house the SOC.
Steve Jobs would not have went with the brick littering the floor idea. Neither would I’ve.
It seems some questionable design choices have come along since Ive’s role changed.
Big Sur has some unfortunate design choices as does the new iMac.
One of the biggest pluses in Apple design is that they know when to say “no” to things.
The fact that there is now a brick that just literally plops unceremoniously on your floor, littering it, is a definite sign that this is being forgotten.
Hopefully they remember this and fix it. This is Apple. They have a rich heritage in figuring things out better than anyone else. But the whole brick thing just screens cheap, tacky, and very Microsoft or Dell-like.
Here’s hoping I’ve had more of a hand in the forthcoming iMac Pro amd MacBook Pro designs.
You seem to have a selective memory. Quite a few Apple products have/had power bricks. Care to guess again what Steve Jobs would not have done?
Of course they have. Back in the day.
This is 2021. Jobs always pushed for the streamline.
Cable management is huge both at home and at work. You really think Steve Jobs would find this acceptable on the most modern version of Apple’s most popular desktop?
Power bricks were the way things were on accessories, etc. and even small CE devices. But Apple moved away from that and set themselves apart by paying attention to the details. This is the first time an Apple desktop computer has had a power brick in an extremely long time, which was the point about taking a backward step. And this is 109% a backward step. Even laptops don’t have power bricks that lay on the floor. Neither does the iPhone or iPad. At the very least, an external power supply that plugs directly into the outlet instead of littering the floor should be in place. But even then... it’s a desktop. Just put the thing inside.
Question: if you could have the brick or a streamlined version without any noticeable form factor compromise, what would you choose?
So is that why it only comes with 2/4 USB-C ports?
The ports are my biggest/only real complaint with the new iMac. I’ve never thought that having all of the ports on the back was a good idea. Put at least one or two on the side so they’re accessible. aAnd limiting the low end Mac to just 2 ports??? It’s not a laptop; you can’t even make a half-assed space or power excuse. I’d also like to see at least one USB A port. Even 6 years after Apple declared ‘USB C is the future’ USB A is still incredibly common. My new Apple TV came with a USB A charging cable last week.
Not sure if you’re old enough to remember when the original iMac came out and all it had was USB for connectivity. Apple pushed the industry to adopt a brand new technology and eventually they did. Same game with USB C, Apple is pushing the industry to go USB C/Thunderbolt for connectivity, as they should. One port to do everything? No brainer. For all those complaining about not having USB A, there are plenty of USB A/3/etc to USB C cables available to purchase on Amazon. Again, it’s a mostly non issue.
I am old enough to remember, but to say that USB became a universal standard because Apple pushed it is a gross overstatement. Apple was recovering from near bankruptcy at that time and was a very minor player in the computer industry. USB became a universal standard because it sold itself. I was still using PCs at that time and actually built my own computer. USB was universally considered to be better than what it replaced and was the clear preference even before it became the universal standard. USB A has been the standard for more that 20 years. USB C has advantages for some applications, but in many cases it has none and USB A is more than adequate while USB C has the disadvantage of being new and less common. USB C also has the disadvantage of being a bit of a mess since the connector is standardized but the protocols/capabilities of a USB port and USB Cables are not.
USB A has been in use as a standard probably longer than any other connector/interface in the computer industry with the possible exception of VGA. There's nothing wrong with moving forward with USB C, but to ignore the fact that USB A will continue to be used for a significant time is a bit naive and forcing people to buy adapters to use their existing equipment simply forces an inconvenience on them for the sake of ideals.
" It is theorized that the long process of hardware design could have meant Ive was still employed by Apple directly at its conception, if the design work started in or before 2019. “
This sentence reminds us that Apple Silicon was probably in development for a number of years before it was announced. It also means the decision to leave Intel happened years ago too, during the years the armchair engineers here were demanding the move to AMD. I guess Apple wasn’t listening.
I would guess maybe long enough ago that Apple could have an Aseries+GPU prototype TrashCan Mac Pro hidden away in the vault.
The removal of the mains power circuitry from the computer body is likely a very forward looking design choice, something Apple is noted for. Now that the computer is fully solid-state (albeit with cooling fans) and thin and light, iMacs will appear in new, unfamiliar settings where lower voltage supplies might be preferred, such as in RVs. Apple might release further power options such as low-voltage conditioning modules for such applications. I can imagine the screen in an Apple car looking very much like my new iMac.
Comments
This sentence reminds us that Apple Silicon was probably in development for a number of years before it was announced. It also means the decision to leave Intel happened years ago too, during the years the armchair engineers here were demanding the move to AMD. I guess Apple wasn’t listening.
😐
There’s no reason he can’t be contracted by Apple any time. It was said that he left because he grew tired of the work environment and built his own company away from that.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.macworld.com/article/195787/airportex09.html/amp
USB A has been in use as a standard probably longer than any other connector/interface in the computer industry with the possible exception of VGA. There's nothing wrong with moving forward with USB C, but to ignore the fact that USB A will continue to be used for a significant time is a bit naive and forcing people to buy adapters to use their existing equipment simply forces an inconvenience on them for the sake of ideals.