Apple To Discontinue Mac Pro In EU Over Safety Regulations 371
jones_supa writes "Apple has been forced to remove the Mac Pro from sale in the European Union after an amendment to a safety regulation left the machines non-compliant. The updated electronics safety standard IEC 60950-1 increases requirements around electrical port protection (PDF) and the fan guards in the system. Apple does not plan to modify their machines and will simply pull them from market in the EU. Apple wishes to warn customers and partners about the change so that they would have sufficient time to order Mac Pro units and meet any needs prior to 1 March, when the amendment comes into effect."
Re:Unlikely to be discontinued altogether (Score:3, Interesting)
"It's not as if they would release 2 ipad versions in one year, completely killing the brand new tablet you bought 6 month earlier..."
The second version could do what, exactly, that the first version could not do? That statement stinks of "status symbol". I can't imagine that one version of iPad makes another so very obsolete, that you can't use it any longer. The only reason to buy the newer one, that I can see, is being able to flash it to people at the bar, at work, on the bus or train - even in the grocery store. "Ooohhhh, look at that guy! He has the newest little shiney! I want to be like him!"
Re:Unlikely to be discontinued altogether (Score:5, Interesting)
You're crazy. This is nothing new, the industry has been aware of those changes for some years now! Who the heck do you think writes those standards? If Apple doesn't have a company person, or better, many people, in ANSI or IEC, they're being stupid. I don't know who the heck spun this non-story as if Apple was up to the wall, or this was a new regulation, or whatever. Nobody who knows how those standards come into being is surprised at all. Many big corporations join standards bodies and have their say and are always aware of what's going on. I'm pretty damn sure Apple must have their people in standards bodies. They can certainly afford it. Note: standards are written by volunteers. A company buys sufficiently large membership, and they get to have their people doing the work. That's how it has been since beginning of time, really.
Re:Unlikely to be discontinued altogether (Score:4, Interesting)
BTW, I wonder how the average EU CITIZEN thinks of all this?
Sounds like they are doing what they are supposed to do. One of the jobs of a government is to protect the people from those richer and more powerful.
You don't get much richer and more powerful than Apple.
Re:Unlikely to be discontinued altogether (Score:5, Interesting)
BTW, I wonder how the average EU CITIZEN thinks of all this? Fascinating that I'm not seeing the typical Slashdot posturing and whining against government overreach
One thing that makes me better disposed to this case is that it wasn't a regulation pulled out of thin air by random government bureaucrats, but rather one drawn up by electrical engineers, from an independent standards body not controlled by the EU, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The US even has substantial representation on the body, so it's not just European engineers drawing it up. The EU just chose to implement their recommendation as mandatory, whereas in some other countries IEC recommendations may be treated as only advisory.