Macs created Apple, and it is a sorry state they continue to give it so little attention. Next evolution for Macs on the horizon? Maybe but no longer holding my breath so I just recently bought a refurbed top of the line iMac but not the Pro. Yes, the year-over-year unit numbers were down 13%, not good at all if you care about the prospects for Apple continuing to care about Macs.
Apple doesn't break down the Mac unit sales by product, but it was believed years ago that laptops account for at least 80% of the total.
Assuming that's roughly accurate, I can only believe the lackluster reviews and awful keyboard issues the laptop lines have had since 2016 are finally coming home to roost. The redesigned keyboard has not only been panned for the limited travel of the keys, perhaps the larger problem is a flaw in the new design.
When dust or debris gets under the keys, it can make them erratic and unusable. As more customers complained about the issue online and the press picked up on it, it dampened sales and angered customers.
That's my theory anyway for the bulk of the dramatic drop. Continuing to sell old products like the Mac Mini and the Mac Pro that haven't been updated in years (and without dropping prices) certainly hasn't helped either.
I haven't heard the earnings conference call yet, did any analysts even ask about the weakness in Mac sales?
Thankfully, Apple finally announced a [url=https://www.apple.com/support/keyboard-service-program-for-macbook-and-macbook-pro/repair program[/url] for the issue in late June, but by then the damage had been done. They ignored the problem for too long.
The 2018 Apple laptops released in mid July have redesigned keys with an added membrane underneath believed to address the debris problem, but only time will tell if it's a true fix.
As an Apple computer user since 1981 and Mac owner since 1992, it saddens me to see the continuing decline in Mac sales. I hope not only that Apple turns the computer sales around, but that they want to. |
