A new beta version of Apple´s Mac OS X 10.7.3 released to developers for testing this week included beta drivers to support AMD´s Tahiti graphic cards. AMD´s new cards are expected to be available on the market in the first quarter of 2012 and have raised suspicions that Apple could be planning to discontinue its line of Mac Pro´s.
Though an official release date for the revised version has not been confirmed sources expect it to be in the next couple of weeks. The new areas for the seed include iCloud Document Storage, Address Book, iCal, Mail, Spotlight and Safari. According to Apple technicians the build was completed successfully without any issues being identified and do not expect any significant negative feedback from developers that will delay the release of the update.
Mac Lion updates have come quickly over the last few weeks and the latest version is the third maintenance update since the operating system was released earlier this year. According to reports, Apple has asked developers to focus their evaluation on iCal calendars, Mail, Address Book and iCloud´s document storage. Apple last updated Mac OS X 10.7 Lion in mid-October which delivered initial Mac support for iCloud.
But it is the inclusion of the AMD next-generation graphic cards that has fuelled speculation that the Mac Pro could be in its final year. The longstanding home PC is the only Apple product which carries the AMD desktop graphic cards and although support for the next generation “Tahiti” is being tested internally by the American multimedia giants, inside sources claim the Mac Pro line up is falling out of favour with consumers as businesses turn their attentions to the Lion.
It was reported that Apple were developing a desktop revision for the Mac Pro, though it was reported in May this year that management are considering whether to continue investing in the product line as it was no longer profitable for the Cupertino-based company. However, with news that an improved Sandy Bridge desktop CPU will shortly be available and is expected to boost the Mac Pro line up, there is an overwhelming feeling that the longstanding range of home computers only have another year left in them before Apple execs decide to scrap future production altogether.
Apple sources said that internal discussions have focused on the fact that sales of the high-end Mac Pro full-sized workstations have dropped off so considerably it is going to take a huge investment to recover the interest, but with competition from its own alternative, the Mac makers may feel it will be more profitable to invest in lines that consumers are showing more interest in.
In addition, it has been said that the introduction of the Apple’s multi-use, high-speed Thunderbolt technology will ultimately allow other, more popular members of the Mac product family to assume the vast majority of roles that the Mac Pro performs as it as more flexibility and stronger architecture. Although the Mac Pro is the only machine that uses the internal PCI Express expansion slots, by arming Thunderbolt to it line of notebooks, iMac and Mac mini´s, the systems will provide the same signals as PCI Express slots over high-speed external connection points and will also accommodate multiple external displays and specialised peripheral devices.
In a report issued in the last quarter by Apple´s chief financial officer, Peter Oppenheimer, the figures showed that notebooks make up 74 per cent of Apple´s computer sales and the Mac line up recently set an all time record of 4.89 million sales, with the majority represented by the iMac and the Lion OX. No mention was made about the Mac Pro systems.
With the capabilities of Apple´s other Mac machines, the mass market sales of the iOS operated iPad and the increasingly limited market for high-end desktops, it would seem production of the Mac Pro may come to an end which gives consumers a chance to snap one up at a reduced price – providing you want to run the risk of not receiving advancements of the system.
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