Filed under: Apple Corporate, Hardware, Rumors
Rumor: Cheaper Macs soon
There's a thin rumor at AppleInsider suggesting that Apple will introduce less expensive MacBooks and iMacs this spring. Unfortunately, the article doesn't mention pricing or what concessions will be made to reduce the cost.While it's easy to assume that Apple is reponding to the Microsoft ads that depict their machines as too expensive, AppleInsider's source suggests that the price reduction is a response to the popularity of netbooks (Acer has been showing growth).
Apple typically starts the back-to-school sales at towards the end of the summer, and has bundled an iPod with computers sold to students. That offer plus a low-cost Mac would be powerful.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
EEaudio08 said 3:05PM on 5-02-2009
I honestly don't see why they would react to this. I paid the price for my black MacBook, and I have no regrets. Two years later, this thing is just as fast as it was the day I got it. I see my friends Windows hardware failing 6 months after they buy it. Also, my MacBook still looks very good. Sure, I'd like a matte display, but besides that, this thing's aesthetics will outlive a Lenovo for many, many years.
Apple's such a great company, I just really don't see them lowering prices to "prove Microsoft wrong." Microsoft DOMINATES the PC market hands down - there's no need to fight about it.
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macserv said 6:36PM on 5-02-2009
They would do it because they can.
If Apple can find a way to reduce the price without the quality falling below their standards, they may certainly do so.
Microsoft, on the other hand, would be unable to so easily reduce the total cost of ownership of a Windows PC.
Level 5 said 9:05AM on 5-03-2009
I'm excited about this. I usually never thought about a Mac because I'm a Windows guy. I have a lot of experience with OS X, and I've discovered that while I don't have anything bad to say about it, but I just prefer Windows.
That said, Apple's got the form factor down perfectly (glass not plastic for unibody MB's, aluminum not cheap stuff, slot loading optical etc etc). But for a Windows guy it's always been "Macs are entirely too expensive if I'm ONLY going to put Windows on it and abandon OS X". A cheaper Mac laptop would make me think twice.
EEaudio08 said 12:11PM on 5-03-2009
Well, I can see where you're coming from, having experience on a Mac, but I think you'd be surprised how much you use both OSes. I have Leopard and Vista on different partitions of my laptop. I'm a graduating Electrical Engineering student, so I have plenty of programs that need Windows to run (Matlab, PSPICE, Xilinx, VS2008, etc), but I also compose music with Logic Express, enjoy using Eclipse on Mac, and the Office 2008 suite is MUCH better for Mac. I also just generally prefer the look of OSX.
However, to each his own. Apple's a smart company; I'm sure they'll do the right thing.
oakie said 3:13PM on 5-02-2009
i wish all of these damn sites would quit recycling the "cheap macbooks" rumor from last fall and presenting it like new information. all this is is a media blitz by investor/reporters trying to manipulate the stock price as we coast into WWDC.
why?
to buffer the affect on the stock price IF steve jobs doesnt come back to apple as scheduled in june. the doomsdayers believe (maybe rightfully so) that if he doesnt come back as planned, it could take over a year before apple shares come back to current levels and thus trying to manipulate a bigger payout.
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Joanna D said 3:15PM on 5-02-2009
Low cost Macs they may be, but low cost computers would take a big reduction.
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Mark said 6:45PM on 5-02-2009
Don't get enough attention from mommy and daddy. I am going to vote you up because all you want to do is start sh*t. Good luck with your life of being a weasley guy that gos nowhere. Have Fun
crazypenguin said 3:48PM on 5-02-2009
this would be pretty awesome. then other people can have macs, and i won't feel so alone!
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justin said 3:54PM on 5-02-2009
If they do reduce the price...I really hope they don't reduce the specs because the specs are already bare minimum. The mac mini only has 1gb of memory? That is RIDICULOUS.
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mabhatter said 10:55AM on 5-04-2009
Apple could dial back processors, that's the big cost sink right now. They're using Intel's top bin processors.. There's a $200 markup from Intel just for the 2ghz/ 1066 FSB C2D used in the mini and white macbook versus the 2GHZ/533 FSB used in the "competing" $699 laptops seen on TV. Apple could switch chips for a small performance hit (newbie users wouldn't even know) and knock $150 - $250 off the retail only dipping in to profit a little. That would put a mini at sub $500 again and the macbook at $749+ in the range of "Microsoft's" commercials. It would also snipe some of the hackintosh crowd that really want "a" mac but can't afford one. If they were really desperate, they could drop back to GMA 4500 graphics to save another coin, but I'd bet they're getting a good deal from nvidia so price is not an issue.
Apple's problem is not that there are not "cheap" macs.. but the ones they sell are too much hardware for what average consumers are used to. The AVERAGE consumer is buying lots of (slower) ram and a slower processor with 2 year old graphics... that's what's selling on the commercials. Apple is selling good machines, but that "goodness" is probably wasted on a lot of buyers... like when they put C2D with GMA graphics. The biggest problem Apple has with low cost machines is trying to make them "loss leaders" making them harder to open and making upgrades marked up even MORE than average. The big cue from netbooks is that consumers DON'T WANT TO CHOOSE 18 options for their computers anymore. They want to buy a device that does it's job, and not be expected to upgrade it right away because they were "undersold".
jcsegenmd said 4:26PM on 5-02-2009
My Powerbook is now 4 years old, runs Tiger and has yet to crash--although it does lock now and then (no surprise when I've get 7 applications open and I have only half a Gb of Ram). If cheaper means that my next Mac might be less reliable, RAISE the price, please
One thing that doesn't seem to get a lot of air time is the life span of the average Mac. Maybe that's why Mac sales are lower, but Mac internet use is slowly increasing. Think about it: If the average PC lasts 3 years and the average mac lasts four, then the final cost of the $1000 PC is actually 4/3 X $1000 = $1333
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Matthew said 11:12PM on 5-02-2009
That is a darn good point. One thing to also note is gaming puts a lot of pressure on the PC market to keep upgrading constantly which Macs don't seem to have a problem with. So I guess it's a positive and a negative that macs last longer depending on one's usage.
Great post.
MacNeurotic said 5:31PM on 5-02-2009
Nah. Allow me to speculate wildly... I predict a netbook to compliment the MacMini on the low end of the spectrum.
That's it.
No low end iMacs. They're already perfectly priced. Just over a thousand dollars at the low end is not an expensive all-in-one desktop system.
Also, please visit my new blog: http://www.macneurotic.com
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FightTheFuture said 8:06PM on 5-02-2009
i agree. before the notebook event last october, all the speculation pointed to MacBooks lowering to $800. six months later we're seeing the same rumors?
unless at&t is footing half the bill i doubt you'll ever see any type of discount.
ivanpertsev said 6:22PM on 5-02-2009
if this is true, this is very nice. I myself do not own a mac becuase of the price. While im trying to get a hold of one this will certainly make it easier. My friend got a Macbook, i own an iPhone, my bro has an ipod nano. I like apple's products and this if true is very awesome.
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Anthony said 1:30AM on 5-03-2009
I believe that they already leaked the new lower prices with that whole educations page or whatever that advertised the 17" iMac for like either $800 or $900.
But I seem to have forgotten the page...
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milkmage said 11:17AM on 5-03-2009
..but the general public can't buy the education models. you need to demonstrate that you're affiliated with a school to qualify.
Kevin said 12:15PM on 5-03-2009
Apple could and should reduce their prices. They actually make a nice profit margin, and in terms of this economic downturn (and the slew of Microsoft ads) they could do it. Now i wouldn't expect a huge drop, but 50-100s off computers or some bundles might be coming in the near future. Also, apple would never cheapen their aesthetics nor their hardware (as long a Steve is still on top) they soon will start increasing their product line, once it past the loyalists/new interest mark.
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Patriks7 said 2:05PM on 5-06-2009
Rumor: Steve Jobs is female.
Oh wait, that's BS just like this rumor.
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