I think there's a degree of unspoken contract that comes with buying through a single ecosystem like this. You're buying into an ecosystem that isn't supported by other hardware providers because it works well. By failing to upgrade the hardware on a regular basis—something that, specifically, can be said about the Mac Pro, and to a lesser degree about the Mac Mini—the company is failing to follow up on its end of the deal in supporting that ecosystem.
It's egregious in Apple's case because the company is not struggling and the user base of macOS is still large enough that there's no reason for it to ignore that user base. The business model works, and it's not outdated; it's just not as attractive as the iPhone business model.
The issue is less about them adhering to the terms of purchase and more about them failing to give its users a path forward. People have spent thousands of dollars on software that only works on macOS, and to change their operating system because the technology isn't keeping up creates a real conundrum in professional environments. IT departments spend real money on these products and a lack of an upgrade path is a big problem.
There are apps I use on macOS that have deep integrations with iCloud—which means Apple makes money off of my use of that third-party app. I can't switch from that tool very easily, which means that I'm tied down to their ecosystem. In an age where computing goes beyond the product you buy, ecosystem neglect is a real problem.
You're not buying the current MacBook Pro. You're also, hopefully, putting a downpayment on the next one. And that's where Apple is falling short.
It's egregious in Apple's case because the company is not struggling and the user base of macOS is still large enough that there's no reason for it to ignore that user base. The business model works, and it's not outdated; it's just not as attractive as the iPhone business model.
The issue is less about them adhering to the terms of purchase and more about them failing to give its users a path forward. People have spent thousands of dollars on software that only works on macOS, and to change their operating system because the technology isn't keeping up creates a real conundrum in professional environments. IT departments spend real money on these products and a lack of an upgrade path is a big problem.
There are apps I use on macOS that have deep integrations with iCloud—which means Apple makes money off of my use of that third-party app. I can't switch from that tool very easily, which means that I'm tied down to their ecosystem. In an age where computing goes beyond the product you buy, ecosystem neglect is a real problem.
You're not buying the current MacBook Pro. You're also, hopefully, putting a downpayment on the next one. And that's where Apple is falling short.