I grew up in a time when Apple computers were just some distant world that I had no reason to exist in. They were the "other" computers that anyone who wanted to get "real work" done simply didn't use. The world was too invested in Windows to switch to another incompatible ecosystem. This was until 2003, when I got my first Apple product, an iPod, followed by my first laptop (through school) a PowerBook G4. I was instantly hooked. The design was beautiful, functional, and I was blown away by the quality and surprised by how easily it connected with the other old dingy Windows machines I was used to. Apple was KILLING it by 2007, when they released the iPhone. I was pulled in even further, and eventually bought every single iPhone released until the iPhone 7. Among other devices where Apple was king (the iPad, Cinema Display, their MacBook line, etc.) I continued to bury myself deeper into the Apple product world.

It was easy to brag about my beautiful elegantly designed Apple products. They were the highest quality products in their category. A MacBook Pro was the pinnacle of perfect laptops, and it was made clear by the imitation from other manufacturers (I mean, look at this thing >> http://bit.ly/2eWgHcq ) .. Everything about the Apple design was also true about hardware performance. These machines were virtually virus-proof, never had "blue screens of death" and, most importantly, were at the forefront of innovation. Something as simple as a trackpad was just better when Apple made it (this is still somewhat true). 

Then... something happened in the tech world. I can't easily describe it, but I feel like we've hit sort of a plateau when it comes to the "magic" of new technology. Let me try to explain. You know that feeling you got when you got your first smartphone? The entire internet in the palm of your hand, an organizer, a calculator, a personal assistant, the entire world in an object the size of a pop tart. This really felt like magic to me. It was such a major shift forward in our world, that it's affected man kind as a whole. I felt this when I first experienced WiFi (Wikipedia while sitting at the toilet?!). This feeling, the experience of seeing the world change with the release of a tech product, is something I haven't felt in years. Everything has essentially just become a series of spec bumps, bigger screens, more gimmicky features, and more of the same. Better cameras, better processors, better screens, etc. etc.

But "better" doesn't always mean "next level."

This is something that Apple understood. A perfect example is when they stopped including disc drives in their laptops. It was a bold move; there were some that definitely complained. Honestly, I dont remember when was the last time I used a DVD or CD-ROM, and I have actually only played two Blu Rays in my life. Apple was RIGHT about this. The world was abandoning discs, and they wanted to lead this change towards progress.

This forward-thinking boldness, however, led to Apple releasing the 2016 Macbook Pro. A laptop that requires dongles, adapters, and special cables to perform basic functions like plugging into a TV or charging your iPhone. It features a tiny touchscreen on the keyboard, announced the same week Microsoft released the Surface Studio, an all-in-one with a 28" touch screen, backed by an OS that actually has a touch interface (sometimes). Microsoft also has a laptop that breaks in half to transform into a tablet. It has two sets of batteries and graphics cards and processors to make it truly feel like two separate devices in one. THIS is innovation. THIS is magic.

This old familiar feeling came over me. I can't just transition to the latest/greatest computer... I'm a creative. PCs are the "other" computers that any creatives who wanted to get "real work" done simply don't use. The creative world is too invested in Apple to switch to another incompatible ecosystem. Sound familiar?

My relationship with Apple is beginning to sound JUST like my ex. History is repeating itself.

It's time for an ultimatum.

Apple... It's time for a break. I'm currently very happy with my Macbook Pro, and it will have a pretty long lifespan. I can live with it. If it dies prematurely, you better believe I'm getting a Surface Book (I feel like an abused spouse that's sticking around until they can save up enough to leave in the middle of the night). In the meantime, I need you to work on the following:

• Release macOS 11. It needs to have a touchscreen GUI.
   
• macOS 11 should work in a way that allows for a 100% touch experience OR a 100% mouse experience OR a 100% stylus experience. Call it the GUI Trinity or something. Don't halfbake it like Windows 10 (try messing with 8 different giant spreadsheets on a Surface Pro without a mouse. It sucks.)
   
• Create a new line called the MacPad. It should run macOS 11. It should be dock-able like the Nintendo Switch. Maybe create a line of Pro Docks with a built-in keyboard that supplement the video card and battery like the Surface Book.
   
• Release a giant Touch Display for MacBooks and MacPads. It better be 5K resolution.
   
• Make peripherals that are beautiful but are still ergonomic. The Magic Mouse is not ergonomic. It's terrible. It may just be the worst mouse on the market right now.

It's been a wild ride, Apple. Maybe we can get together again sometime after we've both grown.