Apple keynote thoughts

Quick hot takes, arranged in stream-of-conscious/rant

iPad Pro is the future of computing — that’s more clear now than ever. So why have a “Mac event” at all? It’s simple: there are still things that iPad isn’t quite ready to do (Xcode development), sure, but mostly because so many people aren’t ready to move on to iPad yet. That’s why we got updated Macs today.

You’ll notice that the only Mac updates we got today were Mac laptops. Quite a few people on twitter were upset or confused about this. I think it makes a lot of sense, and that the explanation is simple.

For one: Apple just plain old sells way more laptops than desktops. Honestly, that’s true for the entire PC industry. Apple’s not stupid, despite what some people want you to think, and they likely focused their updates on the section where it could count the most. The 5K iMac is still industry leading, so it doesn’t really need an update. And the Mac Pro and Mac Mini really don’t move many units — nobody is buying them.

But I think this goes beyond simple business decisions. To me, it’s been quite clear for a few keynotes that Apple sees the future of computing as mobile. No, I don’t just mean mobile as in iPhone, iOS, and iPad (though, I do kind of mean that. What I mean is that Apple sees that the future of computing is going wherever you want to get your work done. This requires computers that run on battery and can be carried everywhere. This is iPad Pro, MacBook’s, and iPhone.

Watch this reveal video run when the 9.7" iPad Pro was announced; notice the locations and the mobility. This is how Apple envisions us working, and it’s not too far off from the actual case.

Already, nearly every indie worker is mobile while working. Indie workers are only increasing in frequency, too. Even secretaries at my University have gone remote. This is possible thanks to tools like Skype, Slack, Quip, Google Drive, etc.

Beyond this, more and more people and companies are realizing that the office is not really a necessary space. Slack has shown us just how awful and pointless meetings are. The ubiquity of laptops and Starbucks have shown us that we work well on our own terms. The office is unnecessary.

And you’ll notice, of course, that iPad is fully capable of doing all of the necessary job tasks on the go, which is absolutely true. In fact, it’s my main work machine now. What’s holding it back is the same thing that held Chromebooks back for so long — people are really resistant to change. That’s why Apple updated their MacBook Pro’s today.

The MacBook Pro is the temporary solution to get desktop (and laptop) Mac users to take a step into the future. It’s not the last step, but the first. By Apple not updating desktop machines, it’ll force users who want the latest Apple hardware to move onto a mobile machine, and ways of working (and the future) that that enables.

To be fair, Apple also announced an external 5K display today as well. The reason for this is exactly as pictured below: a desktop workstation.

Yes, this is contrary to the mobile future that I talked about, but hear me out on this — this “workstation” is for the hardcore developers, video editors, and engineers who make up the 1% of the workforce. This station is for the next level of office, whether a cooperative workplace, or a makerspace. What both of these places have in common is that there are a lot of people who work at them, and that individual people don’t have to pay for the extra desktop items. Those would be owned by the company that owns the space, and used by the workers when they needed them. You bring your laptop, and you plug in, but only when you need to. That’s the future.

The key here is that you get to use *your* computer, with *your* applications and settings. This keeps everything personal, rather than the current way that corporate computers work. But, those that truly need more equipment would be able to use it, but without having to pay for it, just like with current corporate hardware. This is revolutionary, and this is the future.

Also of note is the emphasis in the Touch Bar marketing on not having to click through menus, or even click at all. This is a feature that so obviously points to a full touch screen device like the iPad Pro that it’s not even funny. It’s so clear that Apple is using this as a mitigating feature for helping people to leave the Mac for iPad. Seriously, watch the Adobe rep demo photoshop. She talks about using touch bar and the trackpad together without having to click or type. It’s so close to a touch screen, without being a touch screen. This is a tool for getting users used to the iPad future.

I, for one, am excited.