Although it has been overshadowed by the iPod (iPod nano, touch, shuffle, and others), iPhone (3, 3G, 4, 4S, 5) and iPad (iPad 1, 2, the New iPad, iPad mini), it was with the Mac that Apple’s resurgence began. The company’s continuing commitment to the Mac is evident in the announcement of updates to the Mac’s OS X operating system and to the flagship Mac Pro.
Mobile Integration
OS X 10.9 Mavericks looks set to continue the integration of iCloud into Apple’s desktop and notebook systems. This reflects Apple’s determination to make the transition from your Mac to your iOS mobile devices seamless. Developments like iWork for iCloud bring the platforms closer together, and OS X has already learnt a great deal from iOS. The Mac App Store, the use of automated alerts in Notifications and Gatekeeper’s secure use of signed applications from known developers all started out as mobile features.
Desktop Professionals
The desktop Mac has conventionally been a hub for your iOS gadgets and other high tech devices, but the growth of wireless technologies and the ability of iOS devices to work independently has changed that role. In recent years, much of Apple’s hardware development focus has been on portable consumer devices. The update to the Mac Pro suggests a renewed concern with desktop technology and professional users. The new Mac Pro is interesting in itself, but it is also a useful indication of how Apple is likely to develop its desktop and notebook ranges.
Speed
The new Mac Pro emphasizes speed, and this will be seen in other new Macs. The Mac Pro, like the MacBook and iMac ranges, has shifted from hard drives to faster flash storage. The iMac also offers Apple’s hybrid Fusion Drive, which uses both hard drive and flash storage. As high-capacity flash storage becomes more affordable, the hard drive will be eliminated, as will the CD/DVD drive. Thunderbolt 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports and faster 802.11ac wifi will all appear across the Mac range. Apple has achieved impressive improvements to MacBook battery life, which will help to support these advances.
High Definition
Like the MacBook Pro with Retina display, the Mac Pro’s support for very high resolution 4K displays indicates Apple’s support for increasingly high-definition displays. This technology is likely to appear on the iMac and MacBook Air, and non-Retina MacBook Pros will be gradually eliminated. The future of the Mac looks sharp, moves fast and helps you stay mobile.