The Mac Hunger Games and the Rapidly Fracturing Computer Marketplace

The personal computing industry is changing quickly. Again. Not long ago, there was a simple migration from PC and Mac desktops to notebooks. Then, Apple finally got the simple tablet right in 2010. However, basic tablets can’t do it all, and so Apple warmed to the iPad Pro concept. But the dust isn’t clearing. Rather the market is exploding in use cases, customer preferences and advanced technology.

What looked to be simple evolution has become not so simple.

It all started, around the turn of the century, with the terrors of race-to-the-bottom desktop PCs that ran Windows XP. That operating system was not very secure, but it was sufficiently complex that customers thought buying a new computer was easier than upgrading to a new OS. And to keep prices down, PC hardware was barely able to run the new Windows versions, so new hardware was imperative (and frequent) along the way.

Apple made good headway against Windows XP and Vista with Mac OS X, an OS that was generally more secure and easier to handle. The implementation of [Mac] OS X on sleek MacBook Pros lured many into the Apple fold.

Complexity Out of Control

In time, however, the sophistication of desktop and notebook OSes became a difficult challenge for average PC customers who tired of constant updates, complex GUIs, security problems, Registry issues and backups. The evolution of hardware technology with prefixes like “giga” and “tera” overwhelmed many. The Apple iPad in 2010 was just what the doctor ordered for millions of people. It looked like the iPad was going to eradicate the conventional PC.

Then something unexpected happened. The iPad was too simple. Too easy. It didn’t need upgrading very often. Its high security, which made it so safe to use, also crippled it when it cam to replacing the PC and Mac. Beautiful MacBook/Airs/Pros with keyboards continued to cannibalize iPad sales. They’re still doing it today.

Just when Apple thought the Mac was a dying breed, computer makers started figuring out how to use advanced technology to deliver strong solutions to each traditional market segment.

Hewlett-Packard took up the mantle. abandoned by IBM, Sun and SGI, to build superior “Z” workstations for the technical professionals. Microsoft, under CEO Satya Nadella, started acting like a very smart company. They waited patiently until hardware technology could deliver a competent touch screen, Intel-based tablet that could run X86 business aps. Lenovo and Google have jumped in with some interesting tablet and 2-in-1 concepts such as the Google Pixel C and the Lenovo YogaBook. Chromebooks are finding a place in education. HP has just introduced an awesome, amazing desktop for the consumer market, the Elite Slice, and injected it into a void left by the Mac Mini which has been left on its deathbed.

Just when it looked like the personal computing market was going to simplify, computer makers have found that there is, instead, a wealth of differing customer needs and diverse technical solutions that can fill those needs.

Decisions, Decisions

Every week I read an article by an author who wrestled with which device to take on a business trip, despairing that any once device could fill the complete bill. Meanwhile, markets that seemed dead because some computer makers wanted them to be dead have been, instead, reinvigorated and exploited by clever competitors—making product choices even harder. Tablets like the iPad have had to sprout multi-tasking, a pencil and keyboard to sustain viability. Amazing desktops combined with a new generation of 4K displays have breathed new life into CAD, research, science, architecture, and video production.

The smoke isn’t clearing. Not at all.

And now it’s Apple’s turn. Perhaps the long delay in refreshes to the Mac lineup reflects Apple’s struggle with the changing and fracturing markets. It will be interesting to see how Apple responds and which parts of this quickly changing marketplace Apple wants to engage and what approach the company takes.

Next page: The Tech News Debris for the Week of August 29th. What you need to know about 4K/HDR.

Page 2 – The Tech News Debris for the Week of August 29th

What You Need to Know About 4K/HDR

There’s been a lot of discussion about 4K UHD TVs with High Dynamic Range (HDR). This is something the next Apple TV will have to deal with, and so it’s time to read up. Here’s a pretty good introduction to HDR and why it’s important. “Here’s why HDR, not 4K, is the most important upgrade for your next TV.”

There are two levels of HDR, HDR10 (10-bit) and Dolby Vision. Dolby Vision is superior but requires extra hardware that not all TV makers may want to include. But to get a general idea of what HDR can do, check out Dolby’s demo page.

Dolby Vision on left. Plain 4K on right.

The upshot right now is that when you read about other set top boxes that support 4K streaming, (while the Apple TV does not) don’t forget to checkout their HDR capabilities. “Leak points to refreshed Roku devices sporting new names, HDR support.”

Other companies like Amazon and Roku were out early with 4K set-top boxes and made Apple look bad. But now there will have to be next generation models with HDR. When Apple finally catches up, look for the kind of HDR that’s supported. Since HDR is fairly common now in new 4K sets, I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple announced a 5th generation Apple TV just in time for the holiday season in December.

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You’ve probably read that Apple is dropping the name “store” from its retail stores. It seems rather odd at first until one ponders the notion of what people really want from brick & mortar locations. Forbes explains Apple’s motivation nicely. “Why The Apple Store Is Changing Its Name.”

When the iPhone was first introduced in 2007, Apple introduced us to emails that ended in “Sent from my iPhone.” For some, it made them proud to announced their mobility skills. Other seemed less inclined to brag.

Over the years, its use has seemed to wear thin. But The Guardian has a fresh take on this usage. See: “Sent From My iPhone: how a humblebrag became a key piece of net etiquette.”

Amidst all the discussion of the EU and Apple corporate taxes paid in Ireland, it’s interesting to see how Apple’s cash (and securities) has evolved over the years. Business Insider’s Chart of the Day comes to the rescue.

Apple’s cash & securities accrual. Image credit: Business Insider.

Personal computer technology emerged in the mid 1970s, a time when Baby Boomers were in their youth. But not every Baby Boomer got on board early and grew with the technology. Today, there are millions of Baby Boomer who got left behind and are struggling. Over at Tech.pinions Mark Lowenstein asks: “Has Tech Forgotten Boomers?” A good read.

It’s been said that Apple builds amazing hardware but hasn’t quite mastered, for years now, cloud services. Dan Moren at Macworld has noticed that, “For something that’s supposed to give customers a little peace of mind, iCloud seems to cause an undue amount of stress instead.” Why does that have to be? Check out Dan’s analysis. “Hey, Apple: It’s time to rethink iCloud.”

Finally, in late 2014, I wrote about a very credible and sophisticated flying car from AeroMobil. Here’s the original link: “The Next Generation Flying Car from AeroMobil.” I thought this project had a good chance of success. Now, it looks like success is assured. Here’s an update with a great video. “This flying car is real and it can fly 430 miles on a full tank.” You’ll need a pilot’s license, but hey. It’ll be worth it to soar above all those autonomous cars on the road below.

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Particle Debris is a generally a mix of John Martellaro’s observations and opinions about a standout event or article of the week (preamble on page one) followed on page two by a discussion of articles that didn’t make the TMO headlines, the technical news debris. The column is published most every Friday except for holidays.

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