I've been a 'pro' software engineer for a couple decades and the large place's I've worked have actually upgraded machines that actually could be upgraded: with

I've been a 'pro' software engineer for a couple decades and the large place's I've worked have actually upgraded machines that actually could be upgraded: with more ram, better video, etc. I did a couple years as an IT Consultant and every single small shop, contractor, developer, video editor, recording studio, who are also 'Pros' by the way, I've ever worked with has always looked to upgrade their hardware before buying again. At $4k - $17k a machine, it's simple math. The machine's not dead, but its time for a new gpu, or hard drive, or more ram. The pc platform is designed for upgrading, from mouse to motherboard. It takes work to make it not. Thinking about it, Apple's genius has been finding this line: "How closed can we go, how disposable can we make them and maximize churn, while not slowing down buying. We can even create a desire for churn [it's September, time for a new $600 phone, anyone?] Its exactly like the one you have, only different." As others have pointed out here, the dog and pony show they put on recently, by inviting a select group of reporters (market influencers) into their hq was damage control when several magazines/sites called them out for crossing this line. New machines with lower specs than older machines, gaming battery life tests, irrational pricing, and selling 5 year old spec machines as 'Pro'. I might recommend reading the reporting of the meeting, it's a textbook example of high-end one-on-one selling, impressive location, the appearance of insider-access, sealed with a personal commitment from the leaders. Meanwhile, they don't have a 'pro' product line, and though they have enough cash on hand to buy every pro team in every sport in the U.S. they haven't made any investments or advancements in pro pc technology in a decade. And that's cool, if apple doesn't want to fill the gap, someone will fill the space eventually. And I concede that the headphone jack is fine, it;s a combo, first glance i assumed just output. That works.