Apple may be phasing out the optical drive in its desktop computers.
Specific notes in Mac OS X Mountain Lion's configuration files are hinting to an update for Apple's iMac and Mac Pro desktop computers. The files make note of unreleased iMac (iMac13,0) and Mac Pro (MacPro6,0) models, both of which are now expected to drop the optical drive altogether.
AppleInsider notes that Apple's Boot Camp Assistant "references the plist to display a listing of newer Mac models with EFI-level support for booting a legacy operating system from a USB flash drive." Of course, that is a feature already supported in today's models, but the explicit description suggests that Apple may be specifically targeting a bootable Windows 7 volume from an image file - and not a DVD anymore.
The file references disk drive free systems such as the Mac mini and the Macbook Air at the same, time which fuels rumors that Apple could be taking the step of ditching legacy optical drives. We know that Apple isn't shy of killing technology it does not believe or want anymore. It did so with the floppy drive in the original iMac. Back then, Apple already played with an "iDrive" as a cloud storage product in 1998, which did not work that well due to the lack of generally available broadband connections.
Given broadband speeds today, as well as cheap flash mass storage, it is not unreasonable to believe that Apple may be considering the departure from the optical drive. It would even support its business model in an effort to move its users to the iCloud service.
Let's face it, thanks to no competition we are still way behind the rest of the world when it comes to 'high speed' internet.
They are right, that very few people need optical drives anymore, but having at least one of those ancient contraptions in your household might still be worth it.
btw: Isn't the bigger news that they are still updating the Mac Pro? Weren't there rumors that they wanted to kill it?
MacBook Pro, not Mac Pro, iirc.
You mean like this one? http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD564ZM/A?fnode=5f
Oh wait. It's $79, and uses USB.... Hate on bro. You're a pro.
Let's face it, thanks to no competition we are still way behind the rest of the world when it comes to 'high speed' internet.
Didn't knew that MS made computers. Also when was the last time Apple sold a computer with a FDD? Windows 8 still supports them.
oh look a DVD drive that costs 79$ which usually should cost 20$ tops, get real.
Profesional movie makers/ photographers need DVD/Blurays to give to their customers their work, doing this has no sense.
Yeah, but Google is trying to change that with its gigabit fiber.
Also, keep in mind that the countries that do have very fast broadband speeds are very small. Most countries are the size of a single state or two of ours, so it's a lot easier to lay down the fiber necessary for those high speeds when there isn't as much ground to cover, yet about the same number of competing companies.
The cheapest USB dual layer burners are $30. Regardless, nobody says you *have* to pay $79 for the Apple branded version; you can buy the $30 Lite-On external if you want, and it will work just fine. If you buy name brand, you pay a premium. Hell, the HP brand external USB burner is $60, why aren't you hating on them too?
Professional movie makers/photographers are not the majority of computer users. If they need that extra Bluray burner necessary for delivering their portfolios to clients, then I'm sure they have the extra money to buy an external burner. However, the other 80% or whatever of normal users don't need it.
Why? Do any of you know how Stuxnet got onto the closed-network domain containing the Iranian nuclear devices? Thumb drives. Did any of you know that the US Gov't completely banned the use of thumb drives because China had preloaded spy programs onto them?
If you're in a position where people desperately want to know what you know or want to muck up what you're doing, thumb drives are off limits.
So that means that with any business- or government-capable mac computer techs would have to buy an accompanying USB disc drive.
That just doesn't make sense.
Everyone I know that owns a computer with a built in cam uses it. Apple never said anything about going cable less. They attempt to make the build as simple as possible for the majority of users. Power users, who are not the majority, tend to have lots of external devices and the cables that go with those.
Optical drives are that obsolete. We used them for four reasons:
Installing the OS, which is now done via thumb drive for base installs, or via download for upgrades on Macs; Entertainment CDs/DVDs, but now you can get your movies and music cheaper digitally via numerous stores, and even physical copies of movies now come with digital versions; Installing software, but all software can also be acquired digitally faster and cheaper; Physically sharing files, but not only is it easier to share online now with upload sites like ge.tt and mediafire, and all the cloud services, but flash drives are dirt cheap. You can get a 32GB flash drive for nearly the same price as a single dual layer bluray disc.
Can you think of any other uses? I can't.