> Apple should find it extremely disconcerting that developers are seemingly beginning to abandon them en masse.
You are reaching, I don't think there are all that many developers abandoning them. I don't know of a single one personally. I've heard of some vocal critics on the internet, but that's hardly representative of a movement.
This is all anecdotal, so it's impossible to say whether he's "reaching" or not.
Counter-anecdotally: In the small company I work for, every single developer wants a better machine (some of us use 2012-2013 models), but nobody wants the new models, and watched the announcement with disappointment. Everyone is either holding out for something new in 2017, or considering a non-Apple Windows/Linux laptop. More than anything, people want faster, more powerful machines.
Conversely, people also watched the Surface launch and were super impressed. The Surface range overall is underpowered compared to most of the new MacBook configs, of course, and it's Windows, but it seems like Microsoft suddenly understands computer users better than Apple, which is an odd and surprising reversal.
Apple's abandonment of displays was also a source of disappointment. People want sleek, Apple-designed, large "retina"-style screens. The new LG 5K isn't too bad, but the fact that it requires a new, underpowered MBP moved the announcement down to just "meh" on the scale of impressiveness, as opposed to "hey, wow".
Edit: FWIW, I bought the MBP 2016, then returned it after a week, for many of the same reasons in the article. Commented about it here [1].
> it seems like Microsoft suddenly understands computer users better than Apple, which is an odd and surprising reversal.
true! i guess you can look at it this way: apple is not a computer company anymore, it's a luxury goods company. microsoft has become a computer company again after years of being an 'enterprise software' company, for lack of a better term.
Ironically 15 minutes before reading this post I boxed up my 15 inch Macbook Pro and shipped it back via UPS. Similar to the OP it was the battery life that did it for me. My older 2011 17" MBP has equal battery life with it's original 5.5 year old battery! I saw the potential of the touch bar once IDEs support it, but it still was annoying that I would hit it by accident while coding.
So I'm sticking with Apple, as I've been using them since the Mac Plus days. But now I'm wondering what to buy? Wait for Apple to hopefully fix this model in a refresh or by a used or refurbished 2015 Retina model.
I've considered switching to Windows/Linux but I don't relish the thought. I don't use Adobe creative apps any more so I could switch.
This is the first time I've returned an Apple product.
I have. Two of my peers are planning their exit strategy. I get it, anecdotal etc. But when this many people are speaking out, there are thousands who aren't who feel the same way. Apple should be concerned IMO.
Correct. Anyone that thinks the dev community is abandoning Apple is delusional. Even with this new iteration, the MBP is still the most versatile solution.
Apple has lost the plot and their greed and control issues and outdated product features and lack of innovation make it just a terrible platform to try to get excited about as a developer.
The majority of the 20-something bearded hipsters sitting around the cafe coding away on their MBPs aren't using them because they're the best solution. They're using them because they're fashionable. When the trendsetters start using something else, the herd will follow.
I'm using them because they offer me a unix with a nice ui and more premium software options (sorry guys, I'll take something like pixelmator over something like gimp EVERY DAMN TIME)
And that's exactly why I switched from Linux to OS X many years ago (back then on a PowerMac G3). But the mac platform has taken on such a "consumer" focus (both in hardware and software), and in the meantime Linux has come such a long way, that switching back was a no-brainer.
You are reaching, I don't think there are all that many developers abandoning them. I don't know of a single one personally. I've heard of some vocal critics on the internet, but that's hardly representative of a movement.