AutoCAD coming back to the Mac
The last Mac version of this benchmark engineering and design application shipped way, way back in 1992. Now the company’s planning not only to rise, rise, rise again on the fairer platform, but also deliver an idevice companion app for the pocket protector crowd.
Autodesk SVP Amar Hanspal was in a chatty mood and the New York Times was on hand to give voice to the news — AutoCad’s coming back to the Mac. For the first time in 18 years, a new version of the benchmark engineering and design software will ship for Apple branded computers.
“This is an endorsement from our side that design and engineering customers are taking the Macintosh seriously again,” said Hanspal.
For his part, Apple marketing SVP Phil Schiller said, “We think it’s the perfect combination for millions of design and engineering professionals,” or translated from marketing speak into plain English, “Muwah ha ha ha!”
Thereupon, AutoCad for Mac will ship in October for $3,995, which is the same as the PC price. Additionally, the company expects to roll a free companion AutoCad field display/annotation app for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.
Warm n’ fuzzy competition?
In order to disabuse you of the notion that the Mac has been devoid of CAD software since Autodesk left the rest of us in ditch back in the ’90s, please consider the more than two dozen commercial and open-source CAD and 2D/3D design apps/suites available for the fairer platform, as well as the comforting presence of Architosh, a publication solely dedicated to CAD on the Mac. So, this happy reunion might be motivated by competitive forces as much as a pure, joyful desire on Autodesk’s part to return to the fold.
Currently, AutoCad is used by about 10 million PC users. One expects that number to begin falling (markedly) from October…
What’s your take?
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