DRB

When Apple decided to move from PowerPC (RISC) to X86 (CISC), they had a strategy to move ALL of their computers to the X86 platform. It took a couple of years for the roll out of the hardware products, but it took a few more years for the software apps to be re-written from the ground up to X86, Microsoft being one of the hold outs. Apple DOES NOT HAVE a complete platform of ARM based processors that they can roll out a completely new line of Macs that are ALL based on ARM processors. PERIOD. I highly doubt Apple is going to muddy up and confuse everyone by having some Macs running ARM and other Macs running X86. it will cause more confusion with the application developers and that's going to cause even more confusion. Apple has already stated that they have no intentions of replacing X86 Based Macs with ARM. The only public statement they've made is that they are doing to AUGMENT X86 Macs with ARM for either enhancements or new features, which they have done by using these T chips to add security features, controllers, security features, Fingerprint ID sensing. So, they have reached their obligation and will continue doing so. Until Apple makes a public statement that they are switching to ARM based Macs ditching X86, anything discussed is PURE speculation, rumor, or guessing. There is NO validity to it UNTIL Apple says there is.. Microsoft is just dabbling in ARM processors for Windows devices, and they can do that because they failed in the smartphone industry with Windows phones on ARM. They failed at their first attempt with their ARM based Surface Products. I see them as just dabbling with Windows based ARM computers, but time will tell if they are successful at it and because they have over 90% market share in the installed base of computers, they can afford to dabble in it. Apple can't afford to dabble in it and fail.. They don't have a big enough market share to split off some of their Mac computers to ARM and their others running X86. Now, what's MORE plausible to me is a new designed laptop with a touch screen that's ARM based running a future version of iOS that adds more features that are in macOS. THAT I can see them possibly doing since iOS is their OS for ARM based computers. But running macOS on ARM for only a few or one selected units? Nah, don't be silly.

lkrupp said:

There is absolutely no need to explain the price of the Mac Pro to anyone. The market it was built for knows full well the value of the machine. As usual the tech media is hell bent on spinning this as another example of Apple’s “overpriced” hardware. There’s already a video on YouTube by some complete dimwit claiming the Hackintosh he built outperforms the Mac Pro for a quarter of the price. Stupid is as stupid does. The complaints here in AI are from sub-Pro hobbyists and so-called Prosumers who thought they would get a tower with slots starting at $1999.00.

This isn't another example of spinning Apple's "overpriced" hardware. They are trying to bust the myth that Apple's "overpriced". Yes, you are correct in that there are different groups of people that like to create myths concerning Apple's pricing for the MacPro, but this article is busting that myth by comparing Apple's pricing for the MacPro to the HP Z Station, which is a close competitor for a high end PC workstation.

svanstrom said:

Cook has lost too much credibility the way that he sucks up to both Trump and China.

He's trying to get rid of tariffs on Apple products, which is part of Tim's job. Unfortunately, he has to work with a President with questionable objectives, but he's the one Cook has to deal with.

rcfa said:

I love the Touch Bar, especially the version with a discrete esc key.

The only issue with it: it doesn’t default to function keys during boot, but is blacked out. This makes dealing with booting a boot-camp partition in Windows recovery mode problematic without external USB keyboard.
And that’s a problem the ARM based Macs won’t have to worry about until M$ officially releases Win10-ARM.
So, yeah, I’d miss the Touch Bar! 

Also: who needs a stupid proprietary MagSafe power cable, when there are plenty aftermarket USB-C MagSafe-like cables?

The reason why people like the MagSafe connector is that the laptop disconnects if you accidentally trip over the power cable.  I know first hand that it happens quite often and having the MagSafe does come to the rescue.  But I also see your point in that one must buy a proprietary power cable.

I wish that if they do use MagSafe, that we aren't REQUIRED to use it and we can use a USB-C cable instead, we just lose using that port for something else..  AND, if they do have MagSafe that they make the cable detachable from the power brick so if the cable needs replacing, we don't have to replace the power brick along with it..

gmgravytrain said:

I'm am fully betting on Apple Silicon MacBooks to crush sales to students and people needing to work from home.  However, Apple will need to set some reasonable prices to attract the cheapskates who are willing to settle for Chromebooks.  Apple absolutely must gain laptop market share against Windows laptops running Intel processors.  A powerful, super-slim MacBook design with all-day battery life should be extremely attractive to consumers.  Apple better not blow this opportunity.  It would be too much to hope for if Apple can upset the entire X86 processor laptop market with its Apple ARM processors.  Those power-sucking Intel chips have just about hit a wall but the AMD chips have a much better chance.

The ARM chips used in the Developer's units are probably too expensive to use in a Chromebook killer, at least the $200 to $300 models.  I don't know if Apple's going to ever go after the no profit business model.  I think they are just going to use the iPad Air to cover that crowd and just add more functionality to iPad OS instead..

designr said:

razorpit said:

Only problem is the company will pull all the people that made the same bad governmental decisions in CA to TX. Eventually Texas will eventually end up ruined like Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, etc.

THat's exactly what's happening in Colorado. Bail out of California. Come bid up housing in Colorado. Then start re-creating CA at the political level. 

Actually, I can't think of anything good the Republicans have done when CA had a Republican Governor..  Reagan shut down mental hospitals to save money and all it did was put mentally ill patients on the streets.   Way to improve California..