Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on the day's biggest business stories
Subscribe to Axios Closer for insights into the day’s business news and trends and why they matter
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Sign up for Axios NW Arkansas
Stay up-to-date on the most important and interesting stories affecting NW Arkansas, authored by local reporters
Apple CEO Tim Cook delivers the keynote address during the 2019 Apple Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) on June 03, 2019. Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Two years ago, I was one of a handful of reporters as Apple SVP Phil Schiller and leaders of the Mac team disclosed their plan to scrap the existing Mac Pro in favor of an all-new design that was still at least a year away from readiness.
Driving the news: On Monday, the same reporters and Apple leaders gathered at WWDC to talk about the new Mac Pro and get the rest of the story.
Here are a few key takeaways:
1. That new Mac Pro was already a product with goals and a timeline when we met two years ago, though its design changed some and it took somewhat longer than Apple was anticipating.
2. Those cut-outs on the new computer's front — which some think are super cool and others think make it look like a cheese grater — are made by machining out spheres from the aluminum chassis of the Mac Pro.
- They are functional, allowing far more air flow than would typically be possible from a front-facing grate.
- And that design was kicking around in Apple's design labs for some time, before even the new Mac Pro was on the roadmap.
3. Redesigning its display was front and center to Apple, which put a lot of time and energy into this.
- The display is designed to rival so-called reference monitors that cost tens of thousands of dollars.
- Apple set up a room where we could see a number of high-end displays side by side. (Apple's looked quite nice, but I'm not qualified to judge monitors at these levels.)
4. Apple is planning a rack-mounted version of the Mac Pro. That model will use similar components and core design, but have a different chassis that goes around the core to make it better suited to a data center.
My thought bubble: Yes, these devices are extremely expensive and I too chafe at the notion of a $1,000 monitor stand. But the point here is the ambition of the product.
- My guess is that over time there will be somewhat less expensive options, though most of Apple's focus will likely be on adding the latest and greatest to the machine, not in bringing down its price. This one really is for pros.
Meanwhile, here's a first look at that new Mac Pro (video).