Apple gained itself an incredible amount of good will today by announcing: the 2013 Mac Pro wasn’t expandable enough and that a more modular model is in the works, along with new Apple displays; new iMacs are coming this year, some with pro level capabilities; and that the Mac mini is staying in the line-up.
Hopefully, the company has learned that it’s okay to admit that you made a mistake (ie, the 2013 Mac Pro and cancelation of the Thunderbolt Display). Concerning the latter, it’s obvious that the promotion of the LG UltraFine displays as suitable replacements for Apple’s own monitors didn’t exactly go smoothly.
In a roundtable discussion about the future of the Mac, Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, apologized about the “pause in upgrades and updates” to the Mac Pro, and promised that Apple will have “something great” to replace it and that Apple chose to be more transparent with today’s news because it “cares deeply” about pro users that “invest so much” in the Mac.
“We’ll talk about what’s going on and frankly be a little more transparent with some of the things we’re doing, some of the places we’re going, because our pro users desire that and we care deeply about them and we’re dedicated to communicating well with them and helping them understand what we’re doing and what we’re up to. We want to be as transparent as we can, for our pro users, and help them as they make their buying decisions,” he added. “They invest so much in the Mac, we want to support them, and we care deeply about them. So that’s why we’re here.”
Today’s announcements indicate that Apple does listen to its users and is — shockingly — able to admit mistakes. Kudos to the company for doing so. I think today’s developments reassure a lot of Mac users.
Now about those reports that Apple is abandoning the AirPort Express, the AirPort Extreme, and AirPort Time Capsule, I hope Apple will reconsider. After all, the company ranks highest in overall satisfaction among wireless router manufacturers in a study by J.P. Power. This despite the fact that hasn’t refreshed its routers since 2013 and lags behind in matching new standards from the wireless industry.
The AirPort Express, the AirPort Extreme, and AirPort Time Capsule help make staying in the Apple ecosystem a more enjoyable, cohesive experience. I hope the router products will join the Mac Pro in a phoenix-like return from the ashes.
