MP All Models My theory on why Apple announced new Mac Pro today - New mid-tower

[Lumpydog]

MY theory on why Apple announced the new Mac Pro today:

Apple is releasing a new Mid-tower next week and wants buyers that are hot for the pro to purchase the pro now - rather than potentially re-thinking their purchase when the mid-tower is announced.

Think about it...

-Lumpy-

 

[MikeL]

Sure. Creating buyer's remorse and a feeling of being duped is great for business, particularly when people can cancel their orders and refuse shipment.

Your idea needs some work.

 

[Pressure]

14 days to return the product as well.

That would cause a lot of redundancy with the postal services

 

[ClaphamChris]

The BTO option of a single 4-core setup proves there's no minitower coming, I think.

Its pricing means it keeps the product matrix pretty much where it was.

Much as I'd love a minitower myself, can't see one coming now. Why would Apple destroy its own margins when it can make a compelling argument for users to buy the lower-end Pro?


Chris

 

[sushi]

Apple is releasing a new Mid-tower next week and wants buyers that are hot for the pro to purchase the pro now - rather than potentially re-thing there purtchase when the mid-tower is announced.

Doubt it.

Especially when you consider what happened when Apple dropped the price of the iPhone.

 

[darwinian]

Going to the single processor option knocks 500 USD off the base price. That makes it 2300, which is right where they want it, I think. Can't imagine them adding something as "boring" as a mini tower, regardless of the perceived demand .. heh.

 

[Crawn2003]

Doubt it.

Especially when you consider what happened when Apple dropped the price of the iPhone.

Second that, there is no market for a mid-range tower or consumer tower. I know there are many that would refute that but there isn't really a need for it.

If someone needs the power of a Mac Pro they are going to get a Mac Pro. There are many that think they need the power and they end up buying a Mac Pro and it's power gone to waste where an iMac would have been sufficient.

My own experience with that is I have a 8-Core Mac Pro. I use that for all my needs and had a dual G5 that was my previous machine that became my server when I got the Mac Pro Octo.

The G5 died on me and it was replaced with a Mac Pro 2.66 from Apple. Unfortunately it just sits there half the time as my server and rarely gets used. I can't sell it because I need the expandability for the hard drive space and I refuse to downgrade to a G5, Mac Mini, etc. because I don't want a desk full of external drives.

The only use I have for it, other than the server, is that if my Octo ever goes down at least I have the 2.66 as a back up.

~Crawn

 

[netdog]

The single processor Mac Pro is the new headless Mac.

 

[nylock10]

But it's still way too flipping expensive for a mid-range computer, even though it is a high quality Mac.

Really happy about the new Macs, gives me hope for the keynote to pay more attention to some sort of headless iMac, for my next Mac I'd like to get something more upgradable than an iMac but not as expensive as a Mac Pro.

But I don't see Apple doing that, as the iMac probably just is that mid-range computer.

 

[deathshrub]

Going to the single processor option knocks 500 USD off the base price. That makes it 2300, which is right where they want it, I think. Can't imagine them adding something as "boring" as a mini tower, regardless of the perceived demand .. heh.

Listen to this man. Mid-tower could happen but I don't see it happening. As far as I go, I'd be much happier with my 8 core machine.

 

[amtctt]

i'd say they released it now cause it's not really as exciting as other products that they'd want to talk about in the keynote. Professionals and enthusiasts yes, it's awesome, but the general public won't be too excited about a $3k computer.

 

[Grimace]

I wish we could ban the words "mid tower" from MacRumors. It ain't gonna happen!!

Apple likes its lineup and the demographics it serves.

 

[nylock10]

I just realized;

If anyone complains about the graphics going up to "just an 8800GT" and not an 8800GTX or Ultra, some Mac communities have made kexts for the 8800-series (I think it covers almost all the cards).

There's always the option of replacing whatever card you got with a higher end card and editing the kexts manually to enable video acceleration.

The problem is not everyone knows that, and not everyone is going to want to manually install a new video card/kexts after getting a new Mac Pro.

Maybe Apple will release an upgrade for the Mac Pro's graphics once the GeForce 9000 series comes out.

 

[bigandy]

I wish we could ban the words "mid tower" from MacRumors. It ain't gonna happen!!

If only... along with instant bans for anyone who posts a topic about the store being down

The mid tower won't happen, evar, if you ask me.

 

[Le Big Mac]

i'd say they released it now cause it's not really as exciting as other products that they'd want to talk about in the keynote. Professionals and enthusiasts yes, it's awesome, but the general public won't be too excited about a $3k computer.

Agree. Get the announcement out of the way. Jobs can put it first in his keynote--"Just released new Pros and Xserve . . . fastest . . blah blah . . . greatest . . . blah blah." Then move on to Leopard, iPhone, iPod, iLife, new products, and "one more thing".

 

[panzer06]

I wish we could ban the words "mid tower" from MacRumors. It ain't gonna happen!!

Apple likes its lineup and the demographics it serves.

I don't know, pushing the MacPro to the point that entry is really $3000 with the 8800GT is a pretty good indicator that some bridge product is coming. There is now a significant hole in the product line between the iMac and the MacPro.

The only reason to ignore this market is the 50+% market penetration for laptops (as more people buy laptops as their primary - only computer).

A Midrange Mac would do wonders to help accelerate the consumer switch from PC to Mac.

Cheers,

 

[network23]

This is the first thing I thought of when I saw the new higher-price for the entry level Mac Pro.

How many "average" computer buyers are ever going to be aware of the single proc option? Very very few. You go to Apple's site and all you see is $2799. The press release: $2799. Yes the option is there, but again, it's really just for the pros who may not need all those cores.

For all intents and purposes, you have the all-in-one at $1199 and the pro model at $2799. Huge disparity there.

Will it really be a mid-tower? Who knows. It might just be something completely different. People are talking about a beefier TV. *shrug* Again, I reiterate: There is a sizable segment of the population who don't want to buy another monitor along with their Mac. They already have monitors. They, such as myself, want something like a Mac Mini with the graphic capability of the iMac, or better. Look at the news articles that show Apple's market share rising, about folks disappointed in Vista and are looking to switch. Out of that potentially huge market, a vast majority will have monitors already. Some will be satisfied with the Mac Mini, but others will want more and a $2800 Mac Pro is too big a bill to swallow.

All I know is that I was set to place an order today for a Mac Pro, and now I'm waiting until after the keynote, just in case.

 

[26139]

Fantasy

I really think people need to give up on the hope of a mid-range tower. While you certainly are a vocal minority, it wouldn't seem to be good business sense for Apple to release such a product.

 

[je1ani]

Does this mean no Blu Ray configs? I'd imagine they would've put it in their pro model

 

[panzer06]

I really think people need to give up on the hope of a mid-range tower. While you certainly are a vocal minority, it wouldn't seem to be good business sense for Apple to release such a product.

What sort of business sense are you referring to? The kind that says leave money on the table? The business sense that says ignore a certain market segment just because you can?

The argument that any upgradable Mac beyond the MacPro would cannibalize iMac and/or MacPro sales is a fallacy. The buyer of a upgradable mid-range Mac (no matter the footprint) would appeal to an different market segment (granted some iMac users would opt for one but they would have purchased "a" Mac regardless) An upgradable Mac would appeal to Mac fans and switchers alike and would open up another segment of the consumer market to Apple.

People need to stop thinking in such narrow terms. A mid-range, upgradable Mac need not be an anathema to the Mac loving world. Such a machine could play an important role in expanding the use of Macs at home, school and in the office.

Now that just makes sense.

Cheers,

 

[Faraden]

Does this mean no Blu Ray configs? I'd imagine they would've put it in their pro model

give it time (runs and hides)

 

[network23]

Yeah, I don't get this "cannibalize iMac and Mac Pro sales". A Mac sale is a Mac sale is a Mac sale. Any way you slice it, Apple gets the money.

Now, if you have a huge price gap in the middle of your product line, one that just *happens* to be the price range where a large portion of consumers opt to spend on computer systems (going by Sunday sales inserts), what are all those buyers going to do if:

1. They are tired of Windows and want to go Mac.
2. Know in their hearts that a Mac Mini is underpowered for their needs.
3. Don't want to throw away money on an integrated monitor when they already have one or refuse to buy integrated peripherals like the iMac.
4. Know they cannot afford/justify spending $2800 on a new Mac.

Most will sadly turn back to Windows.

It makes no sense, with this new price structure, for Apple to turn away a sizable number of potential consumers that fall into the ideal computer price range.

 

[Much Ado]

This is another xMac rumor, isn't it?

 

[Faraden]

1. They are tired of Windows and want to go Mac.
2. Know in their hearts that a Mac Mini is underpowered for their needs.
3. Don't want to throw away money on an integrated monitor when they already have one or refuse to buy integrated peripherals like the iMac.
4. Know they cannot afford/justify spending $2800 on a new Mac.

Most will sadly turn back to Windows.

I agree completely, this put me off, the only reason I'm a Mac user now is because a family member purchased an iMac for me, I would be very hesitant to spend that much money on a Mac, even though I absolutely HATE PC's / Microshaft / Windows.

Mac Mini - Underpowered for the average user
iMac - All in one not for everyone you cant reuse the components when you upgrade

<Insert new mac>

Mac Pro - Great performance, but the price is too high

I love the iMac personally but it does need a little tweaking to the graphics and such.

 

[Blue Velvet]

Mac Mini - Underpowered for the average user

The average user is usually interested in web, email, organising their pics, listening to music, creating Word documents and tweaking their Facebook profile. The Mini is easily up to the task.