Mac Pro Shipping Estimates Improve to 3 to 5 Weeks

I have to say, as somebody who is potentially in the market for one of these, it turns me off the thing completely.

Waiting a month is a deal breaker for you? Wait, no, it's more than a deal breaker for you...it eradicates all desire for the item. It's as if you never wanted it in the first place. Look at that: Apple just saved you from wasting thousands of dollars on something you didn't want. You're welcome.

3-5 weeks is an improvement? Geez, I was looking at that timeframe yesterday and I couldn't believe they were still shipping so slowly. I can't help but think, this is why nobody manufacturers electronics in the US. If these were made in China I would have figured Apple could just snap their fingers, add new production lines, and hire a thousand new workers overnight.

I have to say, as somebody who is potentially in the market for one of these, it turns me off the thing completely. Hopefully by the second generation they've gotten their acts together. It's been almost a year since these things were announced. It's been much longer than that since people have been clamoring for them. But Apple completely underestimated demand.

I feel bad saying this, but if this was produced in China it seems like this would have been resolved months ago.

I wonder when these will drop under $2k

When they appear on eBay in ten years.

I feel bad saying this, but if this was produced in China it seems like this would have been resolved months ago.

I can't believe so many people are saying this. Everyone complains about how manufacturing has left the US and how we're giving all our money to China. Then when Apple tries to bring manufacturing back to this country (remember that this is their first go at it), everyone complains that they're not making Mac Pros fast enough. I mean, how many of the people who complain are buying a Mac Pro? The people who really wanted them pre-ordered them and are now using them.

I for one am thrilled that Apple has taken the approach they have. If it means waiting a measly month to get a computer, so be it. It's been less than a half-year; production will eventually ramp up to meet demand. (Heck, maybe it already has!)

I agree. I've been in the Apple eco system since 2001. On the whole I love it. There were times when they'd do something and my attitude was, 'well that's life', or 'if you don't like it take your money elsewhere'.
Lately tho I've found myself on the wrong side of the choices they make and I've come to the conclusion that although I love their products, I don't like them as a company.
I'm running ML on a MP1,1. Something they said was not possible as my 64 bit computer, (pretty sure it was advertised that way), actually has a 32bit weak spot.
There are lots more examples but now is not the time.

I think with Apple you have to stay on top and be a consistent early adopter. I think I never have the issues you have because I always sell old equipment and upgrade. With Apple it's easy because all things hold their value and are easily sold and the money reused to buy something new (assuming you don't wait 4 iterations). I learned it's not that much more expensive than holding on to something old and having constant support issues and frustrations. I guess, in a sense, I'm Apple's perfect customer. They never need to support me, because I'm always under warranty (with the exception of large-scale items like the Mac Pro, which I do not upgrade until Apple care is close to running out). But my problems are always minor. But then again, my equipment/devices are my job. It's where all my income comes from, so it would be silly to try to make old computers work or not have the top of the line tools for the job I need to do. In my job time = money. I never ever understood people that work behind computers for 9-12 hours a day and have crappy monitors and say they don't want to spend that much money on computer equipment... It almost sounds like they don't care for themselves, in a sense.

The other thing that boggles my mind are the people that hold on to an iPhone 3g and are pissed that they can't run iOS7 on it. No old hardware can run new OS's and not have issues. I don't see anyone running Windows 8 on an old 2001 compaq computer and then complain that it's too slow or has a slew of problems. Yes, phones are not that old, but phones are also released in yearly cycles, so in a sense they are that old.

In fact, if anything, that's why Windows has such a bad rep nowadays because they hold on to legacy software for such a long time and ensure that things are as far backward compatible as possible which causes too much bloat and is not intuitive or easy to use. Windows 8 went away with that and came with a totally new design and look where that landed them?–although to be fair, it's a stupid design to begin with, a tablet is not a PC.

But you can't have it both ways. Apple just choose the "let's not support crap from 2001" path which makes people angry. Microsoft chose the "let's continue supporting windows xp" route, which they also got scorched for. Then when they realized they don't want to do that, they got scorched again for dropping support for old equipment. I don't think there is a right answer to this.

3-5 weeks is an improvement? Geez, I was looking at that timeframe yesterday and I couldn't believe they were still shipping so slowly. -snip-
I have to say, as somebody who is potentially in the market for one of these, it turns me off the thing completely. Hopefully by the second generation they've gotten their acts together. It's been almost a year since these things were announced. It's been much longer than that since people have been clamoring for them. But Apple completely underestimated demand.

Those actually in the market for this device likely can wait much longer than general consumer-based items (iPads etc.) which may be frequently upgraded or there is high back-to school/holiday demands (MacBooks). If your business makes money from the mac pro then your business can likely wait to get a new one. If not then either that was poor planning, bad luck, or an iMac will get you through.

The delays have always been a little suspect, given that Apple is (arguably) one of the greatest companies ever re: logistics. If it just required another assembly line, that should be no problem (whether US or China or...).

Actually automated production lines aren't something you can buy from the local screw and nut vendor. These are lines built one at a time with significant lead times to make the next line.

If some vital part from a supplier is constrained, THAT makes much more sense.

This is a good possibility but I lean towards a production line running at full capacity. Apple may consider another production line but before they do that they need to get a really handle on demand, especially after pent up demand is satisfied. Right now they have no idea what demand will be going forward though they may have a good sense as to how many buyers are returning customers. If a good portion of current sales are to new installations that is a very good sign, if on the other hand they are just feeding pent up demand then that is a bad sign. The last thing you would want to do is to build another production line for work that won't be there in the future.

What you are saying makes no sense, Apple have been selling computers their entire life and this is the first time this happen.

In my company we haven't ordered the new mac pro because of this problem, so we took other options. If they had a decent delivery time they would be selling more.

If other options were viable why was your company waiting on a Mac Pro? I think very few companies were in the same position as you are. They either needed the Mac Pro, ordered and waited (btw, business teams had priority) or they never needed it and ordered other workstations a long time ago, since everyone knew the specs and non-OSX alternatives have been available a few months before the Mac Pro was even announced, let alone shipped.

Not exactly a big secret that these would be insanely delayed.

As for apple losing revenue over not shipping fast enough, I doubt it. I think everyone wants to sound like somehow their purchase or company's purchase makes such a huge impact on apple that apple should revisit the way they did something solely for this person/companies satisfaction. Companies care about ROI. And if waiting an extra 2 months means not investing in new software, training, etc, they would wait; losing a lot of money over being impatient is not something a company should tolerate for a purchaser.

Also, most investments are NEVER instant anyway. Only prosumers/consumers need that instant gratification. If your company execs / IT directors make decisions based on personal instant-gratification measures, may I recommend another company. That ship will eventually sink.

EDIT: also wanted to mention most smart companies rarely buy a first-generation device anyway. Only early adopters do that and that's rare in a company.

Personally I think you are just unhappy about this and making it sound like some huge Fortune 500 got affected by this. Sorry, no one cares. For you, I recommend order and wait. A month wait is a joke but totally worth it.

Ordered mine BTO on March 25th. Arrived today, April 29, at the Apple Store down the street. 35 days. :D

Mac Pros shipping estimates have improved? Oh, finally!

This has to drop below a week before we even sniff an updated mini.

I disagree. They are two different products, targeted at two different group of people. They are also made in different places.