wiggin

grangerfx said:

Serious question: Why would it cost more to make iPhones with robots in the USA than it would in China?

Even Skynet needed humans to do some tasks the robots couldn't do.

But seriously, let’s see…property taxes, energy costs, environmental regulations, cost of constructing the factories, retooling the assembly lines every year for new iPhone models, cost of shipping the parts and raw materials across the Pacific (could be higher than the cost of shipping the resulting final product), inventory cost for keeping enough parts/raw materials in the US to account for any disruptions in the trans-Pacific supply chain, waste disposal costs. And of course, even with robots you’d still likely need far more skilled labor to run and maintain the factories than is readily available in the US.

In all likelihood, by the time Apple could build the factories, train the staff and begin production, Trump would no longer be President. So would it be better to just ride it out?

cali said:

 Here's an idea: 

 Apple has manufacturing plants in every country they sell in. This would reduce shipping times and costs in the long run correct? 

Or am I wrong ?

That would be a parts supply chain nightmare! One country will have a surplus of part X while another is running low. Tracking and warehousing the parts at each location would be expensive. Every location would have to have a full set of skilled labor (and/or robots) and one assembly line might sit idle because they have surplus finished product in their country's sales channel while another assembly line in another country would be struggling to keep up with their demand. And every time Apple updates the design, manufacturing engineers would need to travel to each and every assembly line to implement, test and verify the new process to ensure it is meeting Apple's strict quality standards.

titantiger said:

macxpress said:

titantiger said:

fallenjt said:

I don't understand the whining behind this. If you can spend $1800+ for a laptop, why skim $200 for the storage? Really don't get it!

Because some people can't spend $1800 for a laptop.  It might be a stretch for them to spend $1499 for one and they can't afford pricey upgrades from Apple.  But they want to remain Apple customers and they buy the best one they can afford.  And if they need more storage later, they used to be able to know they could easily snag a larger drive off Amazon or from OWC for a good price and pop it in themselves in minutes.

Then go buy something else. Nobody is forcing you to buy a new Mac. Its only a matter of time until other manufacturers follow suit with the rare exceptions. 

Why is this always the response from a certain segment of the Mac user base?  I like Macs.  But when Apple does something like this, I prefer that it be something of genuine benefit if they are going to take capabilities away from me.  How is that some radical opinion to hold that warrants a "go buy something else", "take it or leave it" kind of response?  

Perhaps if he doesn't like all of the posts here that he disagrees with then he should simply go post somewhere else. Clearly that is his recommended strategy...if you don't like something don't criticize it. Just give up on it and leave.

macxpress said:

WestCoaster said:

I have been using Macs professionally for twenty years—and like many, feel the divide between Apple and its professional users has become intolerable. Specially given the price point Apple is asking for these new models. 

I have been embarrassingly close to being a "fan boy" for Apple... and I want nothing more than continue what has been a great relationship. But, for me personally, I just don't know if that is possible any more. That really upsets me to even say, but that goes to show the connection people have had with Apple. It has been/is, a relationship, unlike the Win-box ilk.

People end marriages for a lot less! Watch out, Apple (tongue in cheek).

I need another coffee...

So go buy something else thats as good or better as what Apple is offering. 

Oh wait...

What you fail to realize is that it's not about wanting something that's better than what Apple is offering. It's about wanting Apple to offer something "better" (in quotes because "better" is entirely dependent on what your individual criteria are). Either way, it's still about wanting something Apple. Sog just posted above yours about Apple no longer being a niche company and no addressing a "massive market." If that is true, why do they still maintain such a limited product lineup? Yes, we know, we know...efficiency of scale (hyper-efficiency can hit a point of diminishing returns), inventory simplification (because their inventory app will crash if they add another SKU), and limited resources (how much money do they have in the bank?).

I know Apple can do no wrong and should never be questioned, but isn't wanting something better what drives innovation and progress? Or at the very least gets you a discount on your USB-C and TB 3 accessories through the end of the year. 

macxpress said:

SpamSandwich said:

This is Pro?

I didn't know Pro meant removable storage? I wonder how many times someone has actually changed their storage later on?

For me personally, every Mac I've owned except a Mac Classic and a PowerBook 190cs. Oh, and except my just purchased 2015 MacBook Pro. The other 9 all received upgrades, some multiple. I do realize this is not typical of most users, and it's "bad" for Apple's business model because it means I get 1-3 years more usage before needing to buy a new Mac.