14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is reportedly questioning whether or not to keep the Mac Pro line on board after learning that both consumer sales and enterprise adoption have dropped off considerably.
People familiar with the matter cited by AppleInsider say that the Mac Pro’s days are numbered. At least in its current form, according to the report, which resurrects an old rumor that Cupertino was developing a completely redesigned version of the powerful workstation.
That rumor, as avid Softpedia readers will recall, said Apple was planning to introduce a Mac Pro model that would suit the server needs of the enterprise segment, and that it would be rack-mountable, designed to sit horizontally, as opposed to vertically.
Whether or not that model is still on the table, Apple is now said to consider skipping the latest Sandy Bridge CPUs for the Mac Pro line.
Thunderbolt connectivity may also be a factor in Apple’s decision to axe the only Mac that boasts internal PCI Express expansion slots.
With Apple deploying Thunderbolt across most of its notebook and desktop offerings, and since Thunderbolt provides the same signals as PCI Express slots over a high speed external interconnect, the Mac Pro becomes even less relevant.
The consensus is that Thunderbolt opens the door for external storage, external displays and other peripherals, as well as external housings that offer conventional PCI Express slots for expansion cards.
The move to phase out the Mac Pro can be regarded as very similar to Apple’s decision in 2010 to eliminate the Xserve.
The 1U rack-mountable line of server computers was abandoned because of the very same reason Apple is now considering killing the Mac Pro - reduced sales.
On a personal note, I sincerely doubt Apple will leave a gap where the current Mac Pro is. If anything, the company will either beef up the iMac considerably, or it will introduce that rumored redesign by the time Intel’s Ivy Bridge comes out.