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Apple may have narrowed down the Mac Pro's release date (updated)
The Mac Pro was one of the bigger announcements at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference last week, bringing with it immense power and an aesthetically questionable if practical design (it looks like a cheese grater instead of a trash can this time). Apple said it would release the machine in the fall, but it may have accidentally revealed the release month before it intended to.
WWDC 2019 by the numbers
Apple held its 2019 Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose on Monday and took the opportunity to show off its latest MacOS build, a bunch of new features for the iPad, a bonkers 6K display for its equally overpowered Mac Pro, and even a new way to get into Minecraft. Let's take a look.
Apple finally reveals the new Mac Pro
Apple's been teasing a redesigned Mac Pro for years now -- in fact, it's been well over a year since the company said it would be shipping the computer at some point during 2019 after originally promising it would arrive in 2018. Well, today, we're finally getting a look at the successor to that beautifully-designed trash can that Apple introduced in 2013 and then basically failed to upgrade for years. And guess what? It looks a lot like the old, cheese-grater style tower that Apple sold for years.
Apple will ship its redesigned Mac Pro in 2019
If you were budgeting for the redesigned Mac Pro this year, you'll want to earmark that money for something else. Apple has revealed to TechCrunch that the modular workstation is now slated to ship in 2019, rather than sometime in 2018 as many expected (though it was never set in stone). The company is providing the heads-up now so that customers who need a system soon can buy an iMac Pro without worrying that the Mac Pro might be right around the corner, according to Hardware Engineering VP Tom Boger. It might be worth the wait, however -- as Apple explained, it's shaping the system based on its potential customers.
Mac VR support is more confusing than you think
Early on in yesterday's WWDC keynote, Apple announced VR support in OS X, along with an external GPU dock for Mac developers. That news excited a lot of people. External GPUs, for what it's worth, work right now in macOS Sierra without huge issues (Bizon has been selling external GPU enclosures for a while). What Apple's new High Sierra OS brings is full support for GPU docks in its graphics API. Couple that with NVIDIA's commitment to release graphics drivers for macOS and it's suddenly going to be a lot easier for Apple users to boost the power of their machines. Immediately after Apple's VR announcement, a colleague remarked that adding an external GPU would be "dope if you're buying a MacBook Air or a low-powered machine" -- you'd have an ultraportable that you plug into a dock for VR and high-end gaming. That dream isn't realistic though. It feels like many people don't quite understand what a GPU does and why adding one to an underpowered machine won't make it VR ready.
The iMac Pro puts a darker spin on a familiar design
The cylindrical Mac Pro was a gorgeous feat of engineering, but that beautiful design also made it tough for Apple to update it regularly with fresh components. No wonder Apple essentially ditched it -- with the newly announced iMac Pro, the company squeezed seriously high-end components into a familiar body. The company has gone as far as calling it the "most powerful Mac" ever, which seems at odds with the iMac Pro's classic, consumer-friendly aesthetic. After all, aside from the space gray finish, the iMac Pro looks a lot like a machine that would set you back less than $2,000.
Please don't buy a Mac Pro right now
This week, Apple finally admitted, after too damn long, that it had overdesigned the "trash can" Mac Pro into a corner. Its triangular thermal design was innovative but impossible to upgrade, and failed to anticipate shifts in computing following its launch. After several years of silence, the company finally apologized, admitting that a redesigned model will arrive at some point next year. Apple has now heavily discounted the 2013 model as an act of contrition, but is that enough for Pro users to bite? Dan Cooper is tempted to make the splash, but Aaron Souppouris is desperate to stop him.
Apple is sorry about the Mac Pro, vows to relaunch it in 2018
The last new Mac Pro was announced back in 2013, and not much has changed much since. The iconic shiny objet proved a difficult fit for its pro users, and as a consequence Apple is apparently fundamentally rethinking its top-end computer series and everything that comes with it. According to a roundtable the company held with reporters earlier this week, Phil Schiller, Apple's SVP of worldwide marketing added that since its new Pro will be a far more modular system, you can also expect a new Pro display to land alongside it. However, it told Buzzfeed that "You won't see any of these products this year." That's because Apple's engineering team is apparently still working to design a system that can easily and efficiently be upgraded -- the biggest issue many had with the current Mac Pro.
Tesla hires key designer behind Apple's new MacBook Pro
Apple's Swift language architect isn't its only high-profile team member to have jumped ship for Tesla in recent memory. The 9to5Mac team has discovered that Matt Casebolt, a product design director for Apple, left the company in December to become a senior engineering director for "closures & mechanisms" at Tesla. It's not clear exactly how he'll shape Tesla design, but you'll definitely recognize his Apple work -- he was key to the designs of everything from the MacBook Air through to the current Mac Pro and new MacBook Pro.
Apple still has 'great desktops' on the way
If you've been following the Mac lineup in recent years, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Apple had largely given up on desktops. The current-generation iMac is over a year old, the Mac mini hasn't been updated since 2014 and the Mac Pro hasn't been touched since it was redesigned in 2013. Does the company care about people who need more power than a laptop? Yes, if you ask Tim Cook. In an internal forum post, the CEO explains that desktops remain "really important" and that there are "great desktops in our roadmap."
What to expect from Apple's 'Hello Again' event
Apple is sneaking in one more big product unveiling before 2016 comes to a close, and expectations for new Macs are running high. And how couldn't they be? Aside from last year's iMacs and the 12-inch MacBook, Cupertino's computer lineup has gone largely untouched since 2015 -- and there are numerous systems that have remained the same for even longer. But which Macs are going to get an upgrade on Oct. 27th? And is there a chance that other devices will get their moment in the sun? We've rounded up some of the more credible rumors to give you a sense of what's likely in store.
Samsung's cylindrical PC looks like a very trendy trash can
Apple, HP and MSI aren't the only ones big on super-stylish, trash can-shaped desktop PCs. Samsung has quietly started taking pre-orders for the ArtPC Pulse, a cylindrical computer that bears more than a passing resemblance to the current-generation Mac Pro. The two systems couldn't be more different in terms of focus, however. While the Mac is aimed squarely at workstation users, the ArtPC is most definitely intended for home use. Its centerpiece is a top-mounted, 360-degree Harman Kardon speaker with ambient lighting -- much like HP's Pavilion Wave, this could sit in your living room just as easily as it could in your den.
MSI ships its Mac Pro-like Vortex gaming PC
Do you like the Mac Pro's concept of stuffing a lot of computing power into a small cylinder, but wish there was a gaming PC inside instead of workstation hardware? You just got your wish. MSI has started shipping the Vortex, a riff on Apple's formula that crams a full-on game rig into a tube that's just 10.6 inches tall. It uses similar vertical cooling and includes Thunderbolt ports (Thunderbolt 3 in this case), but it's clearly aimed at a crowd that's more interested in Far Cry Primal than Final Cut Pro. The mini desktop is billed as relatively upgradeable, and there's even customizable lighting if you think the system isn't attention-grabbing enough.
Intel's next Xeon chip stuffs up to 18 cores into very powerful PCs
AMD and Intel have been in a race to stuff their highest-end processors with as many cores as possible, and it appears that this one-upmanship isn't about to end any time soon -- much to your advantage. As Macworld UK notes, Intel is close to releasing a new range of Xeon E5 processors where more cores (and thus more parallel computing power) is par for the course. According to ChipLoco's leaked roadmap, even the lowest-spec chips start with six cores versus today's four; the best model touts a whopping 18, which should help heavy-duty systems juggle a huge number of simultaneous workloads.
Mac Pro back on sale in Europe following previous ban
EU bureaucrats famously revoked their ban on ugly fruit, but they never showed such leniency to Apple. The older Mac Pro breached rules requiring extra shielding on fans and electrical ports and as a result it hasn't been seen on European store shelves since last March. Fortunately, however, the new 2013 Mac Pro passes muster, and some customers in France are seeing shipping estimates as early as mid-January -- although most folks who order their canister of computing today should expect to receive it sometime in February.
Mac Pro teardown reveals simple repair process and upgradeable CPU
The new Mac Pro's highly customized design may look like it's a pain to fix, but don't be fooled -- it's friendlier than you think. An iFixit teardown of the workstation has revealed that it's easy to take apart, and that several components can be replaced without going through Apple. It's also more upgradeable than you'd expect. iFixit has confirmed OWC's discovery that the Xeon processor is replaceable, saving buyers over $1,000 if they splurge on a 12-core chip. Other findings? The PCI Express-based SSD looks very familiar, and the entire system is very power efficient; despite the high-end CPU and dual graphics cards, the Mac Pro only needs a 450W power supply. No one will mistake Apple's machine for an easily expandable gaming rig, but it's clearly built with serviceability in mind.
Apple Mac Pro review (2013): small, fast and in a league of its own
It would be an understatement to say that Apple's Mac Pro workstation was getting a little long in the tooth. As of summer 2012, it was missing Apple's own Thunderbolt ports, not to mention 802.11n WiFi. Finally, though, Apple released an updated version, and it addresses a little more than just the wireless card and I/O options. Redesigned from the ground up, it's now much smaller and lighter, with a space-age cylindrical shape, an overhauled cooling system that's significantly quieter and a spec sheet that includes standard dual GPUs, PCIe SSDs, 802.11ac WiFi, up to 64GB of RAM and the latest Intel Xeon processors, once again going up to 12 cores. In short, these are specs that bring the Mac Pro into the modern age -- and make it ready to handle the coming onslaught of 4K content. If you're a professional photographer, videographer, audio engineer, animator or what-have-you, you might actually be considering spending $2,999 on one of these -- maybe as much as $9,599, if you have the means. Or maybe you're just like my colleagues here at Engadget, who don't need one, and won't ever buy one, but covet it just the same. Either way, you'll want to read on to see how this thing actually performs (though you probably already have an idea).
A closer look at Apple's new Mac Pro workstation (hands-on)
We know, we know: everyone who's seen it says it looks like a trashcan. But surely there's something else to say about Apple's new Mac Pro workstation, right? The thing is, until now, any tech blogger who's spent any time with it has had to take photos through a glass case (read: they didn't really spend any time with it). Finally, though, the Mac Pro is on sale, and we've just come home with a review unit, meaning we've finally had the chance to lay our hands on it. In person, it somehow feels smaller and shorter than I imagined, at 9.9 inches tall. Either way, it should take up minimal space if you're working on location -- and yes, given that it's only 11 pounds, you could certainly schlep it around if needed. Aesthetically, the anondized aluminum is more reflective than any of Apple's other products, which also means it's more fingerprint-prone. (Not necessarily an issue if you plan on having it tucked away, though you'll definitely notice it if you engage in some of that aforementioned schlepping.) It also looks less black than it does on Apple's site -- more like the "Space Gray" that it actually is. As it happens, that case is easy to unlock and slip off, on the rare occasion that you want to replace the RAM, storage or one of the GPUs. Hopefully, of course, you won't need to do this often. And besides, the machine won't actually turn on unless you have the case locked in, so keeping the lid off indefinitely simply isn't an option. Even with the lid on, though, the four USB 3.0 ports, six Thunderbolt 2 sockets, HDMI port and dual Ethernet jacks are easy to access, thanks to a cut-out in the aluminum enclosure.
Jony Ive and Marc Newson discuss their upcoming (RED) auction
On November 23, the famed auction house Sotheby's will be holding an auction to benefit Bono's Project (RED) charity. While Sotheby's holds notable auctions quite regularly, the Project (RED) charity is unique insofar as all of the products up for grabs have been curated by two of today's most distinguished designters: Apple's own Jony Ive and eclectic industrial designer Marc Newson. In addition to picking which items will be up for grabs, both Ive and Newson worked together to design some unique items that you won't be able to find anywhere else. Some Apple-centric items include golden EarPods and an all-red version of Apple's highly anticipated Mac Pro. One of the more intriguing items is a one-of-a-kind Ive and Newson-designed Leica M camera. With the auction less than two weeks away, Ive and Newson sat down to discuss some of the themes that run across many of the objects which will be on the auction block. Also making an appearance in the video is Bono, who is as engaging as ever. The auction, naturally, is titled "Jony and Marc's (RED) Auction" and you can peruse all of the 44 items available over at the Sotheby's website. Some other notable items include a Stormtrooper helmet from Star Wars, a Soviet space suit and a Product (RED) inspired Steinway & Sons Grand Piano. As a point of interest, Sotheby's anticipates that the aforementioned Leica camera will fetch the most money, with bids expected to fall in the range of US$500,000 to $750,000. All proceeds from the auction will be donated to The Global Fund to fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria. While we're on the topic of auctions, I wonder what ever happened to the person who won the auction to have coffee with Tim Cook at Apple headquarters. If you recall, the winning bid came in at $610,000. So many questions to ponder: Did this meeting already go down? Has the meeting been delayed until Apple's new mothership campus is finally up and running? Was Carl Icahn the lucky winner?! Questions for the ages.
Mac Pro: 'The computer we were insane to build'
Apple has sent some journalists a poster featuring the new Mac Pro. Macworld's Jeff Carlson was one of the recipients, and he posted a photo of the poster on his Flickr account. Here's what the text reads: It's the computer we were insane to build. The one that turns conventional thinking on its head, then kicks the living $#&% out of it. We challenged all our assumptions. Abandoned our preconceptions. And blew away limitation after limitation. This is the new Mac Pro. It's like no Mac we've created before. And we can't wait to see what you create with it. The posters are obviously meant to get the press excited about the new Mac Pro, which is scheduled to ship in December. If you want to see more images of the posters, check out Jeff Carlson's Flickr page.
