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A new Mac Pro or just a bunch of peripherals?

Monday, February 11, 2013 · 12:22 pm · 28 Comments

“Somewhat surprising was the Mac Pro refrain from a number of Mac managers at the recent Macworld/iWorld Expo in San Francisco,” David Morgenstern writes for ZDNet. “They were concerned over the missing piece in the current Mac lineup: a new Mac Pro. Apple gave the multi-multicore system a minor speedbump last summer, which one content professional called a ‘non upgrade.’”

“Following the release of Apple’s new difficult-to-upgrade iMac models in late 2012, some content pros wondered whether Apple sees Thunderbolt as the only answer to professional-market concerns,” Morgenstern writes. “Instead of a new Mac Pro with an advanced bus architecture and supporting highly-multicore processors, Apple would point to the iMac, which can be expanded with Thunderbolt.”

Morgenstern writes, “Content creators want a new Mac Pro. Is Apple listening? And what is their strategy?”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Apple has already said the answer is coming very soon.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader "Sarah" for the heads up.]

Categories: News

Tags: iMac, mac, Mac Pro, Mac tower, macbook pro, Macintosh, Thunderbolt, Tim Cook

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Comment Feed

28 Comments

ChrissyOne

Monday, February 11, 2013 - 12:36 pm · Reply

Come on, Apple. People need PCI slots so they can say they have PCI slots.
- ppeterson
  
  Monday, February 11, 2013 - 1:13 pm · Reply
  
  What’s your current set up, C1? Are you using an iMac with something like the G-Tech 4TB G-RAID Thunderbolt Hard Drive or such? If so, are you happy with it vs. a MacPro? This is not a factious question, I’m really trying to figure out what to do about running Apple’s pro apps, especially FCPX, on a machine I don’t think can handle it. Thanks.
  - Jim
    
    Monday, February 11, 2013 - 2:35 pm · Reply
    
    I run FCPX on a 2011 iMac 27″ 3.1GHz i5 with 16GB RAM.
    
    It runs better than the MacPros I’ve had. Could it be faster? Always. Does it impede my workflow? Only at the end when everything is coming together for an export.
    
    I’m producing a 20 minute 1080p video every two weeks, with smaller incidentals in between.
    
    On occasion I let Activity Monitor show CPU History just out of geekieness — and I visually miss all those other cores working on my behalf, but I’m so old I find other productive uses of my time while I wait on something I feel I need to see after a background render has finished processing. My segments tend to not be chopping between camera angles, so applying a color match can background render for a while before I get to watch a several-minute segment that is fully rendered. But that’s really a nit, since I know what the color match is going to do right away, anyway.
- Mike
  
  Monday, February 11, 2013 - 1:21 pm · Reply
  
  you have got to be kidding.
  
  Thunderbolt is a step forward for many things, but PCI slots have their place — direct connection to the motherboard will always be the fastest connection.
  
  For Apple to abandon internal expansion would be sheer stupidity. The “just wait” BS from Apple has gone on long enough. Stop treating your enterprise customers like unwanted guests!
  - 3l3c7ro
    
    Monday, February 11, 2013 - 1:26 pm · Reply
    
    If I read you correctly, you are advocating that Apple release something quickly and not worry about whether it is polished and complete. Is it your attempt to make Apple more Dell like?
    - Mike
      
      Monday, February 11, 2013 - 1:48 pm · Reply
      
      @ 3I3… :
      
      how on earth did you infer this from what I wrote?
      
      Apple has simply not placed adequate attention on the professional market, and that is why Apple is in danger of losing it altogether. With the cash and resources Apple has, there is no excuse.
      - thethirdshoe
        
        Monday, February 11, 2013 - 2:16 pm · Reply
        
        I’d say folks are just lucky that Pros have not gone the way of the server.
        
        Who knows which way Mr. Jobs wanted to go with the Pro.
      - 3l3c7ro
        
        Monday, February 11, 2013 - 3:17 pm · Reply
        
        “The ‘just wait’ BS from Apple has gone on long enough.”
        
        I read that ‘just wait’ is BS and it clearly indicates that you think that Apple should NOT ‘JUST WAIT’. The alternative is to slap something together and get it out the door ASAP and basically follow Dell’s lead.
        
        Mike
        
        Monday, February 11, 2013 - 4:58 pm · Reply
        
        @ 3I3… :
        
        My point is that Apple has had several years to implement Thunderbolt to the Mac Pro, improve its graphics card options, add more horsepower, to update its Pro apps, etc. Cook needs to allocate the resources and get it done right ASAP. He clearly hasn’t been paying attention to the Pro market, which is a missed opportunity as well as being highly insulting to those who have gone out of their way to integrate Apples into their business. Apple should not be ceding the workstation market to HP and Dell… yet to any objective observer, that’s what’s happening.
  - ChrissyOne
    
    Monday, February 11, 2013 - 3:25 pm · Reply
    
    “how on earth did you infer this from what I wrote?”
    
    My point is not that no one needs expansion slots. But most people who think they need them for ‘many things’ actually don’t.
    
    In regards to “ppeterson” above – there are plenty of fast external storage options for people who do large projects with video. This is what most people need. But I’ve seen countless Mac towers sitting on designer’s desks that have never been opened. There is a real need for these machine for some, but it’s mostly the lingering ‘perception’ that these are needed to do professional work, which is simply not the case.
    I do 1080p video projects in FCPX on my nearly 2-year old i5 MacBook Pro with 8GB of ram. The newer iMacs have significantly more power than that. Coupled with a Thunderbolt RAID, it would be no slouch running FCPX or Premier.
    
    I’ve been using iMacs over MPs for yeas now because for the price differential, I can afford to upgrade the whole machine more often and get faster bus speeds and all the other new technologies (like Thunderbolt) that came along to boot. It’s not for everyone, but I think this whole narrative that Apple is ignoring the pro market is a bit overblown.
    - GM
      
      Tuesday, February 12, 2013 - 2:50 am · Reply
      
      “Video projects” such as yours probably work well for you with your current setup. Small projects can utilize a MacBook Pro. Obviously professionals use MacBook Pros to supplement our Mac Pros. They’re very handy for small things. Try running ProTools on the MacBook Pro. Walk into any major studio or a large independent studio in Hollywood and count the Mac Pros.They aren’t just sitting there. They are however waiting to be replaced with new Mac Pros. And yes, Apple is late.
      - ChrissyOne
        
        Tuesday, February 12, 2013 - 9:02 am · Reply
        
        Evidently you missed the part that said “In regards to “ppeterson” above…” who doesn’t sound like a Hollywood studio to me.
bjr001

Monday, February 11, 2013 - 12:44 pm · Reply

Apple gave us a clue when they announced the Mac Pro would no longer be sold in Europe because of new regulations. The new device will likely have a new name, the iPro, iCube.
- Truth
  
  Monday, February 11, 2013 - 1:03 pm · Reply
  
  Wrong!
  
  Apple announced when the updated MacPro is coming back to Europe.
  
  This was a regulatory compliance issue, not an end of the mac pro issue.
  - bjr001
    
    Monday, February 11, 2013 - 1:39 pm · Reply
    
    Apple may have used a poor choice of words when announcing the end of the Ma Pro in Europe as they left the door open to interpretation. They have said that a new Mac Pro will come. Whether that is the name ei, New Mac Pro, the same old name or some other name is left to be seen. Also, cut down on your coffee.
    - Not Again
      
      Monday, February 11, 2013 - 2:23 pm · Reply
      
      Here is the direct information:
      “On March 1, an amendment to the EU’s Information Technology Equipment Safety Standard will go into effect, rendering the Mac Pro noncompliant. Evidently, the machine’s fan guards don’t meet the updated standard and, rather than redesign them, Apple has opted simply to stop shipping the Mac Pro to EU member states.”
      
      The New updated Mac Pro will take its place.
      
      In closing its still a Mac Pro, and why put a few million into updating a system that’s going to be replaced soon anyway.
      
      brj001, You are Wrong on all Accounts., it’s people like you that get stupid untruthful and ridiculous rumors started, why is it people like yourself that have this wide range of nformation at your disposal chose to be Lazy, not researching before you text out a ridiculous statement like you did?
      
      “brj001 says the Mac Pro won’t have the same name but … But…. but…”
      
      Just to help you understand brj001, The Mac Pro will still have the same name in the EU, the Mac Pro was pulled due to not having the March 1st regulations needed to remain without a Fan Guard Fix that was not with doing for Apple since the New Mac Pro will have those fixes incorporated n them.
      
      And Apple was very clear on this, You just didn’t go back and research before posting.
      - bjr001
        
        Monday, February 11, 2013 - 3:49 pm · Reply
        
        Dear,
        Truth, Not again or what ever else you happen to call yourself(s)
        
        From my original statement I only expressed conjecture on a possible new name of the new upcoming Mac Pro just to have a discussion. This evidently was more than your current psychosis could handle as you have gone off the deep end in name calling and an over bearing need to be right and more importantly, that others be wrong.
        
        Coffee is not your problem, rather something much worse.
Cold

Monday, February 11, 2013 - 12:55 pm · Reply

I have a really bad feeling about this….
ppeterson

Monday, February 11, 2013 - 1:06 pm · Reply

I hate being reminded of Apple’s colossal blunder in abandoning the largest market on earth – commercial, corporate, government, professionals, etc. that require a powerful computer for their work. When Steve announced they conversion to a “mobile device company” he handed this market to the hated M’soft. People talk about how large the market is for gadgets and how much money Apple has accumulated going after that market but hide from the reality of a much bigger market that was given up in the quest for the fast profit that is now dwindling away to the competition’s crappy plastic stuff that the pop culture just as soon have as long as it has a larger screen and more and more useless features.

In the end, this is what has happened to AAPL and only those in deep denial refuse to acknowledge it. A new MacPro at this late date probably won’t turn things around. And, more and more speculation, like this story, is saying it won’t be the machine it should be anyhow.

So, Tim, keep turning out the tweaked up, mobile device gadgets and see what that gets you. You have plunged a once great company into a $400 stock that is going no where.
- breeze
  
  Monday, February 11, 2013 - 1:35 pm · Reply
  
  You are so clueless and probably zune brown.
- Tacitus
  
  Monday, February 11, 2013 - 1:46 pm · Reply
  
  The corporate market is more stable and conservative. By chasing only the consumer market Apple puts itself at the whims and dictates of fashion, all of which can change overnight.
  
  By producing a range of products that corporates, government etc would buy, Apple could have built a solid and steady base. Wouldn’t be easy since MS is well entrenched and it would take time, but it would be worth the effort.
  
  In my opinion anyway…..
  - Jim
    
    Monday, February 11, 2013 - 2:41 pm · Reply
    
    Apple, it could be said, dictates fashion, not the other way around. You know this from all the look-alike models other manufacturers make months after Apple ships the latest redesign.
    
    Apple’s biggest problem with institutional sales is that risk-averse CIOs demand roadmaps from their vendors and that is simply a non-starter with Apple.
Predrag

Monday, February 11, 2013 - 1:10 pm · Reply

There was a very clear, unambiguous and specific (in relative terms) response by Tim Cook when asked about Mac Pro situation. He clearly stated that there will be news “later next year” (meaning 2013). We are at most less than a year away from a new Mac Pro model. Cook is NOT Ballmer (or Colligan, or Lazaridis); he will only say things about which he knows he can follow through.
TimD

Monday, February 11, 2013 - 1:13 pm · Reply

Isn’t Apple just waiting for Intel to release a Xeon Processor that supports USB 3 and Thunderbolt?
- Mike
  
  Monday, February 11, 2013 - 1:45 pm · Reply
  
  You may be correct, Tim, though it is the motherboard that is the bottleneck, not the processor per se.
  
  Intel already offers the DZ77-RE-75K motherboard with USB3 and Thunderbolt — and its socket accepts only Core processors.
  
  That being said, Apple used to design their own motherboards. Why Cook isn’t lighting a fire to get this done is a big question. The “just wait” game has gone on for too many years.
  
  There is more than enough room in Apple’s product range to offer a prosumer-level expandable mid-range tower with Core i7 processors that blows away the current iMac. The Mac Pro can then be the grand-daddy of them all with Xeon and all the bells and whistles. Both products should have been rolled out 2-3 years ago.
melgross

Monday, February 11, 2013 - 3:37 pm · Reply

Actually, MDN, cook didn’t make it clear as to what the “new” Mac Pro would be. Just that one would be out this year. I’m waiting to replace my 2009 model, as later ones haven been enough of an upgrade to make the spending of $5,000, or more, worthwhile.

I’m waiting for an Express 3 bus machi e with Thunderbold, USB 3 (USB3 cards don’t work properly on Mac Pros), retained FW 800 ports (given up on anything faster there), a bigger power supply with 8 power lines for the top cards (rather than the lower power 6 pins we have now), and other forward moving features.

If Apple doesn’t do this, there will be a problem; I can guarantee it.
no-ios-e(xcitement)

Monday, February 11, 2013 - 4:02 pm · Reply

Darn… can’t get that 27″ imac into the server rack….
anim8me2

Monday, February 11, 2013 - 4:37 pm · Reply

We need a new Mac Pro and all the Pro apps are in need of updating.