jkichline

I had the iPhone 6 Plus and now the iPhone 7 Plus.  I got it for the camera which is amazing, but the screen is too big for my hands.  I pine for the days of my iPhone 4s and being able to use my phone with one hand.  I think the iPhone 8 would be about perfect if they can put a nearly as large screen as the iPhone Plus, but with the form factor of the standard iPhone with the advanced cameras.

No Flash for me.  If your website requires Flash or Java, I'm not using your business services.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that Apple probably was working closely with Imagination on ways to improve the GPU for use in iOS.  Apple, being a shareholder and deeply invested in the PowerVR architecture, probably wanted Imagination to not go and give away their strategic advantage to competitors. Which they did and are still doing because they want more and more.  Intel pulled this crap when they sold out Apple's MacBook Air to other manufacturers as an "UltraBook" and got them to undercut Apple pricing.

So Apple really only had one choice since they want to keep strategic leverage... part ways.  It's a win-win for Apple.  We know they want to pull development for chip design in-house anyway to maintain their strategic technological advantage by controlling their own destiny.  Pulling out of Imagination has caused the stock to plummet and caused them to layoff staff whom can be easily hired by Apple.  It has also made them more affordable, so Apple could come in and purchase the company and all their assets instead of drawing out a legal battle.

I think shareholders would be foolish to not entertain a buyout by Apple, especially if they can get a premium on top of the tanking stock.  While I believe Apple wouldn't have done something like this without having a replacement strategy, they could also be just calling their bluff to force them to the table on these matters.

I'll reiterate my stance on the topic.

First, Apple never, ever would abandon general computing. To think they would is absurd.  Same goes for pro devices.

The issue (once again) is that technology in the high end has stagnated, at least in the area where Apple is most profitable... portable computers (laptops).  This is where the majority of their macOS userbase lives and the trajectory they see in the marketplace.

The issue is that Intel has worked on more power efficient designs, but not necessarily more powerful designs.  Their chips are marginally faster with each iteration, and have become more efficient. Intel has slowed down below Moore's Law.  They've moved from tick/tock release cycles to "tick tock tock tock" cycles, with each new chip not really effecting performance, but supporting more features (USB 3.0, USB 3.1, TB3, etc).  Simply put... there is not any room for performance growth without changing the thermal and power thresholds in Apple's designs.  They are not one to be held captive by the business strategies of another company (see PowerVR/Imagination Technologies).  Intel has also worked hard to sellout on Apple's MacBook Air success by encouraging Apple's competition to create Ultrabooks, Chromebooks, etc.

I believe what Apple is waiting for is the moment when A-series chips become powerful enough to compete with Intel chips.  Not just powerful enough, but more powerful so they can tout some level of superiority over Intel chips.  This would allow them to redesign the MacBook with an A-series chip instead of Core-M.  This would provide better performance as well as superior battery life.  I think Apple is heading for completely controlling the vertical of their industry to give them a strategic edge.  They've seen it with iPhone and now they are back porting it to Mac.

Of course Apple will continue to use Intel in pro-level products and I expect them to redevelop the MacPro into a more professional-oriented variation that would fit in a rack and be upgradable. 

My hope is that they would see the logic in a product that I think would replace the "trash can" MacPro... there's a need for professionals to be mobile (laptops) but require more power when sitting at a desk.  The perfect combination would be a device that's like a hub that you connect into that provides additional processing power, GPU and connectivity to your desk's functionality.  That would allow workstations to be set up in an office and the user would simply plug in their laptop to enhance the experience specific to that task.

Anyway, just some thoughts.  I think Apple is in a lull due to market and industry forces and are waiting for technology to catchup.

I am hopeful that Apple will come out with a laptop designed around the A10 or A11 processor that beats these specs and outperforms Intel Core i5/i7processors too.  I think that will allow them to further reduce costs (no need to buy expensive chips from Intel) and have a huge App Store at their disposal.  Really it's minor software to support iOS, a bit more to support Mac OS but Apple has been heading that way and has the ability to do so.