Apple on Thursday confirmed news that it would stop selling the current model of the Mac Pro in the EU on March 1, 2013.
“Due to evolving regulatory requirements, Apple will stop selling Mac Pro in EU, EU candidate and EFTA countries on March 1, 2013,” an Apple representative told The Loop. “After that date, resellers can sell existing inventory but Apple will no longer ship Mac Pro in those countries.”
According to a note sent to resellers, Apple will stop selling the Mac Pro “because these systems are not compliant with Amendment 1 of regulation IEC 60950-1, Second Edition which becomes effective on this date.”
Apple will continue to fill orders until February 18 and resellers can sell remaining stock after March 1.
Countries outside the EU are not impacted and the Mac Pro will continue to be available.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said last year that Apple was “working on something really great” for the Mac Pro line. That update is due sometime in 2013. That update will no doubt fix the compliance issue.
Update: Readers have asked what the compliance issue is related to. Macworld UK explains that it’s related to the absence of fan guards and a requirement for better protection on the ports of the Mac Pro’s electrical system.
Apple will drop the MacPro line.
That is insane. Just because law abiding people can’t get Mac Pros, there’s no reason to think that there won’t be plenty on the streets. The only way to ensure safety is to ensure every teacher, firefighter, nun, and supermarket cashier lugs a Mac Pro around at all times.
No… they won’t.
Now if only Intel would get their butts in gear and release an updated MacPro-class CPU, maybe we could have a redesign…
This is bad news for some of my clients, mainly schools buying the Mac Pro Server models.
Go home, you’re drunk.
Top Hole.
The only thing that can stop a bad guy with a Mac Pro is a good guy with a Mac Pro?
Would be great to know what the regulation refers to, and what aspect of the Mac Pro is non-compliant.
RE Tim Cook statements: I think it would be wrong to interpret what he said as indicative of a refresh to this part of the Mac line coming in 2013, Apple actions often contradict their own statements, and THAT statement was an noncommittal as they come, “something really great” does not equal a new Mac Pro, which is the tiniest fraction of current sales. The incentive to innovate there for Apple is practically zero. I think those days are done. Hope to be proven wrong.
There was a followup statement made by Apple PR to the NYT shortly after Tim’s message confirming what was meant. It meant a new MacPro.
See Larry Jordan’s recent blog post on it here:
http://www.larryjordan.biz/app_bin/wordpress/archives/2119
Had not seen this, does give one hope, I feel the high-end pro market consists of individuals and corps whose purchases can have an influence (if slight) on consumer level computer choices as well, if the computer at work is a Mac, the computer at home has a better chance at being one too (even if it is an iPad). Anyways thanks for the link!
I would rather see that as a confirmation that a new Mac Pro (or whatever the successor will be called) is not too far away. The modifications required to make the current model EU-compliant would be very minor (different fan assemblies and covering/marking of a few spots on the PCB and HDD bays). If the new model would be far off, Apple would certainly be able to make these adjustments.
Yeah, I had forgotten about the clarification until L.J. article as well.
While the use-case for a MacPro has shrunk as the iMac has become a more capable machine. There IS still a market that includes Pro Audio, Video, Science, and app Development. All areas that can really use the horsepower that the specifics advantages of the MP expandability can provide.
I saw the headline and had a little moment. Then I read the article. Whew.
Fan guards?
THE FANS ARE INSIDE A METAL BOX!
Were 5 year olds getting lacerations when upgrading their RAM? Was there an issue with people swapping video cards when the Mac was running?
I’m no libertarian who believes that the gubment is unnecessary to the good order and discipline, but at what point does consumer protection become consumer infantilisation?
Do you have a reference? I had not heard this. Very interesting.
It’s worse news for people who used their Mac Pros as food processors.
There was a new chip that’s been in PC workstations since last fall, but it wasn’t Thunderbolt or USB3 compatible. So it was a non-starter for any updated MacPro. But one this year is supposed to have those improvements.
The problem is the incandescent bulbs in that old beast.
You can run it with the door open. It was designed in early 2000’s when computer users were all nerds.
To be fair, the laws are not generally made for Apple, they are made for the opposite kind of company who cuts $20 off each unit by making them dangerous.
Well, regulations tend to be like that. They might sound a bit infantile, but compared to requirements to print “hot” on coffer paper cups, or “don’t put pets inside” on microwaves… they are almost reasonable.
The regulation revision in question was issued in December 2005(!), and manufacturers certainly were given enough time to adjust their product lines.
Oh, I know it can be run with the doors open, but anything that requires you get your hands in there would require the power to be off. And if you are pulling parts out that aren’t SATA drives, you won’t have a functional Pro for long.
Really? Tim Cook says, “We’ll release a new Mac Pro in 2013” and you think Apple will drop the line instead? OK…No offense but I’ll go with what Cook says. 🙂
But he didn’t promise a new Mac Pro in 2013.
As ridiculous as the regulatory environment is in the US, imagine how much worse it can be when elite bureaucrats from several countries combine forces.
“Apple actions often contradict their own statements…”
No – Steve Jobs’ actions often contradicted his statements. 🙂 So far, Tim Cook hasn’t actively “misled” us about future plans. 🙂
Nope, he said that Apple would have something in stock for Mac Pro users, while also thanking them for their patience.
Queue NMDs screaming out into the world,
“TIM COOK LIED TO US! TIM COOK LIED TO US! THE MAC PRO IS DEAD! DEEEEAAAAD!”
OMG this would have NEVER happened if Steve Jobs was still there X^D
Elite or otherwise.
You’re forgetting about the huge, toothy brass gears that run the Mac’s internal clock, aren’t you?
What a bunch of bs. (But the comments in this thread are great.)
And then seemingly Apple PR confirmed it was a MacPro after Tim Cooks email. At least that’s how they explained it to Pogue.
Thos gears cost me my right index finger. I never forget.
True that.
But you tell that to kids today, and they woooon’t believe you.
Well, the design is a decade old and it’s past time for tower PCs to go the way of the dodo bird anyway. This is 2013, not 1993. That said, it would be easy enough for Apple to change the design to make it compliant with the EU regulations, if Apple wanted. Actually, what Apple states here is its own interpretation of those regulations. It’s by no means certain that any EU country would really block them from selling the Mac Pro in its current form. So this says more about the importance of the product for Apple than anything else.
I think more modular systems will be the way things go soon. For now, a CPU unit with much of what you need on it. Add a Thunderbolt expansion card chassis if you need it. Raid box if you need it. Etc. Then, eventually, we won’t even have wires to connect the things — if it’s even all needed right there on location at all.
We’re not quite there yet, but Apple has never really been one to go with the status quo and wait for the innovation to get here. They usually implement it and let the market build it up (see USB on iMacs). I’m a bit surprised Thunderbolt hasn’t taken off more, but I suppose I shouldn’t be. Still, going to a modular computer could push Thunderbolt a bit more.
Just speculating aloud…
Nope.
I’m with orcus_magnus, “something really great” does not equal a new Mac Pro. I recall vividly the Final Cut Pro X fiasco, and I am not exactly filled with confidence. What Tim and Apple’s opinion of “something really great” could be a terrifying surprise for professional users.
Someone must guard the FAN-BOIS, who dman right ought to be inside a metal box.