I almost think Apple is *this close* to ceding that market. Look what they've done - or, rather,
haven't done - in that space for nearly a decade. A cylindrical flop that never got updated or re-priced, followed by the most expensive thing I've ever seen in my life. When the
wheels for it cost more than an iPhone, you're doing something wrong.
They pretty much said "all of you in that usual $1,800-3,000 space we always served...keep your decades-old tower or maybe trick out a MacBook Pro or iMac. We really don't give a rip, to be completely honest. Because if you don't have $6,000+, keep moving...".
Lots of "professionals" exist in that $2,000-3,500 space...and Apple's really had nothing for them for quite some time.
I'm truly 50/50 on the pro tower thing at this point, it ever making a proper AS-based transition. I can easily see them saying "that's just not our thing anymore". And maybe the iMacs and MacBook Pros, going forward, can fill that role, properly BTO'd?
But a lot of folks will walk if that were to happen. But how much would 2021 Apple truly care, I wonder? They do have until spring (WWDC) of 2022 (the two-year timeline they announced at WWDC 2020), so there's still eight solid months of "anything could happen", I realize.
But I'll believe a new AS-based "OMG!!!" (and reasonably priced) pro tower from Apple when I see it. And it won't shock/surprise me one bit if I never do.
PS - I think nothing (other than the Mac Pro) Intel-based is offered after Monday. That's my prediction/guess. I don't suppose there's any chance that an AS-based Mac Pro tower gets unveiled Monday, in a surprise move? Using lots of whatever is powering the new MacBook Pros?
"There
is just one more thing...we didn't think it was fair to just let the professional-level notebooks have all the fun and attention today."
*shrug*
But that would be a very big, unleaked surprise. Are they even capable of holding such a thing that close to their vest?