bobolicious

Apple computers in my most recent experience no longer 'just work' and the only mac I'd consider now is an iMac I can still upgrade or replace consumables such as storage...

Is annual macOS churn for new hardware as brutal as Macworld was for product pipelines, eventually ended by SJ recognizing it was a big (just one of many) 'bag of hurt'...?

Even the most elemental mouse was 'upgraded' to 'onboard' proprietary batteries and the thing can't be used while it is being charged. Perhaps someone can explain how this (design or logic) change even remotely benefits customers...?

The loss of headphone jack on iPhone now begs an octopus of adapter dongle mess to use my 'better than apple' wired headphones and wall adapter. Wired headphones also never lose connectivity, require charging or require replacement (new proprietary batteries) every few years. How 'sustainable' is that...?

Have macs gotten faster? Yes remarkably so (especially graphics) and yet we have a mini that now only has integrated graphics - try the eGPU reviews to understand why this is a non-starter.

We've lost so many basic useful features (target display, flex vesa mount for iMac, among others) - less is not more for this lifetime business user and regrettably increasingly reticent customer...

I have found www.imaging-resource.com sets the bar for me with the technical detail in reviews including full size comparison shots, especially since there is now the suggestion of a 'pro' moniker, with prices to match...

MisterKit said:

I wonder if a new Mac shipping with Catalina could be rolled back to an earlier version. It’s a little over my head whether the built in security chips would not allow a rollback.

With such an aggressive annual cycle would supporting older macOS take resources (code, support knowledge, etc) and thus consume profit ? Would Apple say they want everyone to be on the latest and greatest 'user experience' ? How would those struggling with longer term work, orphaned if essential software, needlessly obsolesced high value hardware, etc. feel...?

I wish Apple would return to release on merit rather than on a planned calendar basis.

10.4 & 10.6 come to mind as precedents spanning multiple years:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacOS_version_history#Timeline

Did Steve Jobs end MacWorld for similar reasons ie. the annual deadline presssure it put on Apple?

Has such a burden been transferred more on new hardware customers ?

Should buyers get new macs soon if wanting the fullest support on the current not-just-out-of-beta macOS...?

...will the wide angle lens be very popular for many from extreme sports to photographers/videographers for landscape & buildings (realtors) and even social events, assuming the image quality is good...?  Is the ability to shoot multiple views (aka filmic pro) potentially transformative as well ?