Apple Have Changed The Meaning Of The Word 'Pro'
Apple is one of the biggest brands in the world and its influence reaches into almost every life on the planet. This means that when they change the meaning of a word it matters.
Things Have Changed
Even ChatGPT doesn’t know that things have changed at Apple. I asked it;
“What does Apple mean when it calls a product 'Pro'?
This was the response;
“When Apple refers to a product as "Pro," it typically signifies that the device is part of their professional-grade lineup and is designed to cater to the needs of professional users. The "Pro" designation implies that the product offers advanced features, capabilities, and performance that go beyond the standard offerings.
Apple's "Pro" products are often targeted at creative professionals, such as designers, photographers, videographers, musicians, and other content creators who require powerful tools and high-performance hardware to efficiently handle demanding tasks. These devices are optimized to deliver enhanced processing power, superior graphics performance, larger storage capacities, and increased memory to support resource-intensive workflows.
In addition to hardware enhancements, "Pro" devices from Apple often come with specialized software and applications that are specifically tailored for professional use. These may include software for photo and video editing, music production, graphic design, and other creative purposes.”
However, as with all responses from ChatGPT, it did offer a caveat, an albeit important one at that;
“It's worth noting that the exact meaning of "Pro" may vary depending on the specific product category. For instance, Apple's MacBook Pro laptops, iPad Pro tablets, and Mac Pro desktop computers all carry the "Pro" moniker but offer different features and capabilities tailored to their respective form factors and use cases.”
When Pro Meant Pro
It wasn’t long ago that the word ‘Pro’ in the world of Apple meant exactly what the first ChatGPT response suggests. If you wanted a basic Mac portable then you bought a MacBook, or if you wanted a desktop, then it was the iMac. If you wanted power then you spent more money and got a MacBook Pro, an iMac Pro, and if you wanted the ultimate Mac to use in your studio then you purchased a Mac Pro.
Of course this product delineation made a great deal of sense, we all knew where we stood.
However, Apple decided to use the term pro for things that aren’t specifically designed for professional use; headphones, iPhones, iPads - many now have ‘Pro’ versions. The word pro doesn’t mean they are designed for professionals, it just means they are a better versions with a better feature set.
And just as we were getting used to the idea that pro just means better in the word of Apple, then where it really matters, it seems pro doesn’t always mean better anymore.
Now most audio professionals have realised that, not withstanding the larger chassis and convenience of being able to put everything you like (well almost everything, as long as you ignore memory upgrades etc.) into one case, that the Mac Studio is as good as the Mac ‘Pro’.
The End Of Apple Computer Inc.
There’s a lot of water under the bridge when it comes to Apple and creative professionals. Some think that Apple wouldn’t have a business had it not been for the creative industry, as they hark on about the ‘good old days’ of Apple. Of course we forget that those halcyon days were Apple in near bankruptcy a number of times, as they lurched from one CEO to the other, trying to make money in a Windows PC dominated market.
In the days of the Apple IICX or the Apple G5, depending on your age, we all knew where we stood. The consumers got the brightly coloured, steam iron look-alike, iMac and the professionals got big lumps of aluminium. Motorola and Nokia made phones and Apple made computers.
Then Apple moved into music with the ubiquitous iPod and iTunes, it was their first moves into a world that meant the end of Apple Computer. I don’t mean in an existential sense, I mean the name; “During his keynote speech at the Macworld Expo on January 9, 2007, Jobs announced that Apple Computer, Inc. would thereafter be known as "Apple Inc.", because the company had shifted its emphasis from computers to consumer electronics.” Wikipedia
So 16 years later is anyone surprised that Apple is no longer about the pro in the long accepted sense of the word? For many of us the word pro means professional, it’s the moniker that means the difference between consumer and professional, something we have cherished for decades.
Better, Well Sometimes
Does it matter, or is this some elitist point of view? I happen to think it does matter, historically pro meant that the machine was intended for professional use. In other words, that we could expect it to run for hours on end, 7 days a week. We’ve reported here in the past instances of consumer machines overheating and failing in use. With the original G5 and then the Mac Pro it was designed with some of the needs of professionals in mind, such as continuous use, interchangeable parts like memory, drives, and cards. The word pro in the world of Apple no longer has such a meaning.
For Apple, it’s shorthand for the better version, or the best. Although, it seems that even they can’t make that work where it really matters, with the Mac Pro.
When Apple sneezes, the world catches a cold. So them playing fast and loose with the word pro means that its meaning has changed forever, or for at least the foreseeable future. Anyone want the job of coming up with a new word for pro?