5 ms·

The Macbook Pro has been the go-to software developer machine for years now, and that segment is seeing a massive exodus after the touch bar launch. I don't kno

by _bxg1 8y ago

The Macbook Pro has been the go-to software developer machine for years now, and that segment is seeing a massive exodus after the touch bar launch. I don't know how big a percentage that is of total sales, but it can't just be a trivial niche.

scarface74 8y ago
With all of the (deserved) internet outrage about the MacBook Pro, Apple’s sales of Macs aren’t showing thier direction is the wrong one. That being said, for a personal development machine, I would much rather have a 27 inch 5K iMac with the same specs. Work provides me a decent laptop.
- graeme 8y ago
  It's hard to tell from the data. Sales should perhaps have been higher. The macbook pro hadn't been refreshed for a bit in late 2016. Me and some other pro users were insta-buys for the new machines. But then they had few ports and no function keys. We're still on 2015 machines. I'm holding out for the mac pro, but I would have bought 1-2 macbook pros if they had been suitable.
tvcgrid 8y ago
Is there a real, large exodus though? I don’t notice that, anecdotally, but others seem to (seemingly anecdotally too). Are there data about it? For the segment that are “professionals” or for work use, for example? At least broadly, 3Q saw Mac sales decline 7.5 percent YOY. But, the whole PC industry declined. So, I’m not sure what conclusions to draw — and in the absence of that it seems a bit hard to swing either way in claims. Know any other data?
- dorfsmay 8y ago
  I have no data, and I personally use Linux and track point equipped machines, but my observation is Mac fans paying for their computers with their own money are not buying the new macs. I suspect that the sales number are reflecting corporate sales. I think Apple should remember that it is people from the former group who have managed to arm-twist corporations to look at non-Windows machines, that and the slow rise of Linux acceptance in more and more companies should make them listen to people who don't want Windows want.
- Spooky23 8y ago
  The PC industry as a whole is declining from a sales perspective because refresh cycles moved from 30-40 months to 60-70 months. If you have 1000 computers, you needed to buy 200/year today, and would have needed 350 in 2005. Computers don't need to replaced as often, so slowdowns in momentum are very important because they indicate the institutions are slowing down purchases. Microsoft is trying to push back on this by making it impossible to support Windows 10. We'll see how that goes. When I was responsible for this at a large enterprise, I was buying 40k devices a year, every year. The Mac component was about 1,500/year. That dropped to 50 when the new keyboards came out and started failing. Losing a few hundred sales isn't a big deal, but some of that money that was going to MacBooks went elsewhere.
- GiorgioG 8y ago
  I bought a Dell XPS rather than buy a new 13" MBP because of the keyboard issues + touchbar.
- random3 8y ago
  I had a touchbar 15" from work and once I left I bought the no touch bar 13" version. I was waiting for the 15" no touch bar version, but it looks like I'll stick with the 13" for now. Eventually they'll probably fix it somehow, but if not it sucks as I used to like both the machine and the OS.
nottorp 8y ago
I'm holding on to my 2013 mbpro with a real keyboard, but if it dies... looks like they only have emoji keyboards now. I'll have to join the exodus then.
- baseten 8y ago
  Late 2013 mbp crew represent! I think this is the longest i've held onto a computer.
  - elboru 8y ago
    Same here, I'm typing this with my late 2013 mbp, this was my first Mac. And it's amazing how it keeps working perfectly just like the first day, I haven't noticed any slowdown, it doesn't have any noticeable hardware issue. I never experienced this with other computer.
  - dzonga 8y ago
    Same, I see mine as the last great computer ever made by Apple. & slowly look at Lenovo's just in case, it gives up.
- tjr225 8y ago
  I have a 2013 13" and a 2014 (I think) 15" for work and having had used a lenovo thinkpad for work briefly I can confidently say that there is no way I will be joining any sort of exodus when my work laptop or personal laptop come time for upgrade.
- octorian 8y ago
  Same here. Well, that's my personal laptop which is perfectly fast and in great condition. My work laptop was actually the same generation, until IT recently upgraded me to one of the new-keyboard models. I don't like how loud the keyboard is, and I don't like the touchbar. (sorry, I actually need to press "Esc" and also use non-beautifully-designed software that sometimes uses Fn keys.) Needless to say, I have absolutely no desire to upgrade my personal laptop. When I do, I can only hope Apple has moved past this, or the F/OSS world has finally acknowledged that the touchbar actually needs to be supported.
blattimwind 8y ago
> go-to software developer machine It really isn't. In some localized niches, perhaps. Overall, no.
- _bxg1 8y ago
  At least among web developers (not just front-end, and not just JavaScript), it's completely ubiquitous in my experience.

by _bxg1 8y ago

scarface74 8y ago

With all of the (deserved) internet outrage about the MacBook Pro, Apple’s sales of Macs aren’t showing thier direction is the wrong one. That being said, for a personal development machine, I would much rather have a 27 inch 5K iMac with the same specs. Work provides me a decent laptop.

graeme 8y ago
It's hard to tell from the data. Sales should perhaps have been higher. The macbook pro hadn't been refreshed for a bit in late 2016. Me and some other pro users were insta-buys for the new machines. But then they had few ports and no function keys. We're still on 2015 machines. I'm holding out for the mac pro, but I would have bought 1-2 macbook pros if they had been suitable.

tvcgrid 8y ago

Is there a real, large exodus though? I don’t notice that, anecdotally, but others seem to (seemingly anecdotally too). Are there data about it? For the segment that are “professionals” or for work use, for example? At least broadly, 3Q saw Mac sales decline 7.5 percent YOY. But, the whole PC industry declined. So, I’m not sure what conclusions to draw — and in the absence of that it seems a bit hard to swing either way in claims. Know any other data?

dorfsmay 8y ago
I have no data, and I personally use Linux and track point equipped machines, but my observation is Mac fans paying for their computers with their own money are not buying the new macs. I suspect that the sales number are reflecting corporate sales. I think Apple should remember that it is people from the former group who have managed to arm-twist corporations to look at non-Windows machines, that and the slow rise of Linux acceptance in more and more companies should make them listen to people who don't want Windows want.
Spooky23 8y ago
The PC industry as a whole is declining from a sales perspective because refresh cycles moved from 30-40 months to 60-70 months. If you have 1000 computers, you needed to buy 200/year today, and would have needed 350 in 2005. Computers don't need to replaced as often, so slowdowns in momentum are very important because they indicate the institutions are slowing down purchases. Microsoft is trying to push back on this by making it impossible to support Windows 10. We'll see how that goes. When I was responsible for this at a large enterprise, I was buying 40k devices a year, every year. The Mac component was about 1,500/year. That dropped to 50 when the new keyboards came out and started failing. Losing a few hundred sales isn't a big deal, but some of that money that was going to MacBooks went elsewhere.
GiorgioG 8y ago
I bought a Dell XPS rather than buy a new 13" MBP because of the keyboard issues + touchbar.
random3 8y ago
I had a touchbar 15" from work and once I left I bought the no touch bar 13" version. I was waiting for the 15" no touch bar version, but it looks like I'll stick with the 13" for now. Eventually they'll probably fix it somehow, but if not it sucks as I used to like both the machine and the OS.

nottorp 8y ago

I'm holding on to my 2013 mbpro with a real keyboard, but if it dies... looks like they only have emoji keyboards now. I'll have to join the exodus then.

baseten 8y ago
Late 2013 mbp crew represent! I think this is the longest i've held onto a computer.
- elboru 8y ago
  Same here, I'm typing this with my late 2013 mbp, this was my first Mac. And it's amazing how it keeps working perfectly just like the first day, I haven't noticed any slowdown, it doesn't have any noticeable hardware issue. I never experienced this with other computer.
- dzonga 8y ago
  Same, I see mine as the last great computer ever made by Apple. & slowly look at Lenovo's just in case, it gives up.
tjr225 8y ago
I have a 2013 13" and a 2014 (I think) 15" for work and having had used a lenovo thinkpad for work briefly I can confidently say that there is no way I will be joining any sort of exodus when my work laptop or personal laptop come time for upgrade.
octorian 8y ago
Same here. Well, that's my personal laptop which is perfectly fast and in great condition. My work laptop was actually the same generation, until IT recently upgraded me to one of the new-keyboard models. I don't like how loud the keyboard is, and I don't like the touchbar. (sorry, I actually need to press "Esc" and also use non-beautifully-designed software that sometimes uses Fn keys.) Needless to say, I have absolutely no desire to upgrade my personal laptop. When I do, I can only hope Apple has moved past this, or the F/OSS world has finally acknowledged that the touchbar actually needs to be supported.

blattimwind 8y ago

> go-to software developer machine It really isn't. In some localized niches, perhaps. Overall, no.

_bxg1 8y ago
At least among web developers (not just front-end, and not just JavaScript), it's completely ubiquitous in my experience.