Mac Pro refresh irks Andy Hertzfeld, Apple confirms revisions 'likely' in 2013 (update)

Along with the introduction of new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro computers, Apple yesterday introduced a new swath of Mac Pro desktops. The introduction was a quiet one for sure, and WWDC attendees of Tim Cook's keynote were none the wiser. It's hard to fault Apple for the decision, as the upgrade was modest at best, but that's exactly what has most upset Andy Hertzfeld, one of the Mac's original designers. Now an employee of Google, Hertzfeld directed harsh criticism at Apple. The following is an excerpt from his Google+ profile:

"The specs for the "new" Mac Pro had hardly changed, except for a tiny, inconsequential processor clock bump. Still no Thunderbolt, still no USB 3.0, no SATA III or RAM speed improvements -- it seems like it's stuck in time in 2010. The only thing that's still high-end about it is the bloated price."

Yesterday's speed bump to the Mac Pro might've come as a disappointment to many power users, but we're given reason to believe that a more substantial upgrade is on the horizon. While it's somewhat uncharacteristic of Apple to comment on unreleased products, company representatives have confirmed to both David Pogue and Forbes that a new Mac Pro and iMac "will likely be released in 2013." Naturally, the wording intentionally leaves the possibility that we may see refreshes come a bit earlier -- and we'll certainly cross our fingers -- but for the moment, both systems seem like safe buys for those needing to upgrade their desktop Macs. For those willing to wait, however, we'd like to believe that Apple has a few tricks up its sleeve for 2013.

Update: Apple has since circled back to Forbes to clarify that only the Mac Pro is targeted for an update in 2013. As for the iMac, we're merely left to hope that an Ivy Bridge refresh is already in the pipeline.

Mac Pro refresh irks Andy Hertzfeld, Apple confirms revisions 'likely' in 2013 (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Jun 2012 20:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.