2019 IN REVIEWkeyboard (more on which in a moment). Apple’s pro
Mac line-up is stronger than it’s been in years, and the
company has clearly demonstrated its commitment to
its biggest power users.
That doesn’t mean there isn’t still room for
improvement in 2020. The iMac Pro in particular is in
need of a refresh, and while the technical engineering
behind the company’s Pro Display XDR is jaw-dropping,
there’s still a lot of room for a nice, less expensive
display for those pro users who don’t need a £50,
reference monitor, even at a tenth of the cost. But the
real question for 2020 is whether Apple can continue
to put its money where its mouth is by keeping the Mac
Pro on the bleeding edge, or whether it will end up
lying fallow for long periods of time like its predecessor.Mis-puts and takes
No Apple year is complete without some missteps
and gaffes, and 2019 was certainly no exception. The
company became embroiled in a number of unpleasant
situations, including its relationship with both China
and the current US administration. But it had problems
on a technological level as well.
All the way back in late March 2019, the company
admitted to what we’d all tacitly picked up: AirPower
wasn’t happening. The charging mat shown off
onstage in September 2017 had steadfastly refused to
materialize, among whispers of, shall we say, heated
engineering problems. It was the rare total whiff of an
Apple product, shelved after it had been announced.
And though the lack of the product itself hasn’t put a
dent into Apple, its ghost is still hanging about, ready2019 IN REVIEW
keyboard(moreonwhichinamoment).Apple’spro
Macline-upisstrongerthanit’sbeeninyears,andthe
companyhasclearlydemonstrateditscommitmentto
itsbiggestpowerusers.
Thatdoesn’tmeanthereisn’tstillroomfor
improvementin2020.TheiMacProinparticularisin
needofarefresh,andwhilethetechnicalengineering
behindthecompany’sProDisplayXDRisjaw-dropping,
there’sstillalotofroomforanice,lessexpensive
displayforthoseprouserswhodon’tneeda£50,
referencemonitor,evenatatenthofthecost.Butthe
realquestionfor 2020 iswhetherApplecancontinue
toputitsmoneywhereitsmouthisbykeepingtheMac
Proonthebleedingedge,orwhetheritwillendup
lyingfallowforlongperiodsoftimelikeitspredecessor.Mis-putsandtakes
NoAppleyeariscompletewithoutsomemissteps
andgaffes,and 2019 wascertainlynoexception.The
companybecameembroiledinanumberofunpleasant
situations,includingitsrelationshipwithbothChina
andthecurrentUSadministration.Butithadproblems
onatechnologicallevelaswell.
AllthewaybackinlateMarch2019,thecompany
admittedtowhatwe’dalltacitlypickedup:AirPower
wasn’thappening.Thechargingmatshownoff
onstageinSeptember 2017 hadsteadfastlyrefusedto
materialize,amongwhispersof,shallwesay,heated
engineeringproblems.Itwastheraretotalwhiffofan
Appleproduct,shelvedafterithadbeenannounced.
Andthoughthelackoftheproductitselfhasn’tputa
dentintoApple,itsghostisstillhangingabout,ready