retrogusto

He really puts the “class act” in “class action.”

I get the concept, but for a lot of people there’s something inherently disconcerting about seeing a bunch of nice things destroyed, and most ads (including Apple’s) try to make people feel good. If Tesla made an ad with Elon Musk smashing a garage full of immaculate classic cars with a sledgehammer, some people would be uncomfortable watching it, even if the concept makes sense, and even if you can guess that CGI was probably involved. And of course some people aren’t bothered (and think everyone should be like them) but with advertising, you generally want to appeal to the largest possible audience. 

ndornquast said:

Some info to be aware of:

• 10 core processor only available on TB versions, 256 & 512MB versions get 9 cores (3e & 6p).
• 1TB option is $600 (60%) more than base option, $400 more than 512GB version.
• Textured nano glass requires TB option.
• Wide angle camera is dropped.. only one camera on rear.
• GPS still requires cellular version, which is $200 upgrade.

I am extremely disappointed Apple continues to bundle options.  Why should I have to buy storage I do not need to get the processor I want??

To get better processor and GPS, with AppleCare and tax is now $2,070.. and that doesn’t include any accessories.. and that’s the 11” version.

After I ordered mine, I also noticed that the 1TB and 2TB models have 16GBof RAM, whereas the other models have 8GB. I was surprised that they didn’t make this more clear in the marketing, because some people certainly would have upgraded the storage just to get the extra RAM. 

Since 2012, Apple has bought back shares worth $674.9 billion, mostly at a price well below where it’s currently trading, so in retrospect it looks like a pretty good use of the funds, especially since shareholders are taxed on the increased share value at capital gains rates, which (at least in the U.S) are very low. There have been cynics all along the way, of course, but if Apple were concerned about their pipeline and future prospects, they would not be working so aggressively towards a cash-neutral position. 

Seems crazy, but given how long the most recent upgrade cycle was, and the fact that we’re only a few weeks from WWDC and 4 months from the traditional iPhone upgrade season, it doesn’t seem completely impossible. If Apple is on the verge of announcing significant AI advances, either the new devices would need to support the new technologies, or the next hardware update would be expected very soon. A lot of customers will be angry if they upgrade to the latest “Pro” device after a long period of stagnation and that device becomes obsolete a few months later. Of course, the rumors that a major AI advance is imminent may also be unfounded.