Notsofast

cartoonspin said:

It doesn't matter if you support the President or not.  China will not blink.  There have been two extensions with no results.  This is a matter of national pride for China and they will not blink.  So here we are waiting for a real resolution that will not happen.

No one knows the outcome. One thing we do know is that the tariffs have hastened Apple and many other companies long over due diversification. It's a great thing that Apple  and others have begun to move manufacturing out of China.  It benefits everyone to not have these major companies so dependent on one country, especially a communist dictatorship. China is undoubtedly sweating it as the manufacturing that is being moved elsewhere will not be coming back, so there will be a permanent loss of jobs.  Companies will also be more hesitant to locate future factories there.  

macxpress said:

Trump is also living a fantasy dream too! Even if Apple did, I bet it would most be ran by robots so in the end, very little jobs would be created and most of the parts would come from China anyways so what different does it make? Apple should spend Billions to create 50-100 jobs? Just doesn't make business sense. 

You have a popular misconception.  Most of the parts don't come from China.  China is largely an assembly point. See, for example, this artlcle

https://www.lifewire.com/where-is-the-iphone-made-1999503

 And no, it doesn't take "billions" to build a manufacturing plant of this scale to assemble the MacPro.  It may well be cheaper to contract out the manufacture of the MacPro, but no it doesn't take billions.  Apple invested 100 million in the Austin plant so it could produce Mac Pros.

 Apple obviously has concluded they won't make enough of the new MacPros to make it worth the trouble to keep manufacturing in Austin.  Instead, they are going to throw it to one of their contract manufacturers/assemblers, Quanta.  Quanta also has a plant in Ireland.  You heard it first here,  don't be surprised if Quanta assembles the MacPro in Ireland to avoid the tariffs. 

Finally, one small thing you are forgetting--the existing MacPro is made in Texas!  LOL, so you see it's entirely possible to assemble it there.

macplusplus said:

melgross said:

It’s difficult to keep engineers from acquisitions. Many may stay, and many may leave.

I think the reason to keep engineers is more preventing them from losing a job than keeping them as assets. Under the job guarantee Apple offers they may choose whatever carrier path they want.

Are you suggesting Apple's focus is on maintaining jobs, and not engineers as valuable assets?  It's the opposite. Apple isn't running a government job creation program, so if those employees don't provide value, they will be released to do something else. It's not to be heartless, it's just how a successful business needs to operate generally, or you won't be in business for long and everyone will be out of a job.  

entropys said:

Apple Music needs work in its GUI.
The services are largely interchangeable, the best GUI and value for money will win.

Actually, since it is largely a commoditized service, the lowest cost will win.  That's why Spotify is trapped in a unwindable model.  Venture capitalists made their money, and now Spotify is placing its hope on being bought out by somebody.  Spotify has hemorrhaged money, pays artists much worse, is a one trick pony competing against companies that can leverage their music as part of their ecosystems, e.g., Apple, Amazon and Google, and since it is de facto commoditized product, can't raise prices to offset losses. 

jbdragon said:

Apple needs a lower price point. Limit the hours or something. I don't hardly use Apple music and yet pay the same as someone that may have it on 10 hours daily.

Heck, if you use iTunes gift cards from Costco and other places and purchase a year, it works out to be a little over $7 per month for unlimited access on demand to everything.  How much lower would you expect them to go?