Say Goodbye To 15" iMac Next Year?
According to the following article, it seems Apple will have production stopped in October so they can sell excess inventory. Which could mean a switch across the board to 17" screens for next year.
<a href="http://www.digitimes.com/NewsShow/Article.asp?datePublish=2002/08/22&pages=01&seq=1"; target="_blank">http://www.digitimes.com/NewsShow/Article.asp?datePublish=2002/08/22&pages=01&seq=1</a>;
<a href="http://www.digitimes.com/NewsShow/Article.asp?datePublish=2002/08/22&pages=01&seq=1"; target="_blank">http://www.digitimes.com/NewsShow/Article.asp?datePublish=2002/08/22&pages=01&seq=1</a>;
Comments
Also there is too many configurations if you count the eMac. So, it will be a good thing that Apple do a lot of promotions to eliminate all the stocks of 15" iMac for the xMas holidays. And in MWSF 2003, they have only the 17" iMac, maybe only 2 config: Combo or SuperDrive. Hopefully with a better system bus, better graphic card, L3 cache, etc.
The iMac should get a 133mhz bus and 1ghz processor Bluethooth and possibly DDR, and go 17". The 17" wide screen is so compelling, the above lineup would become irrisistable.
I'd like to see the iMac line get simple once again and go to 1GHz (or whatever...point being, same clockspeed on all models). Also, same video card on all models...a better one, like in the new 17" iMac.
And, say, 80GB hard drives across the board?
Then simply differentiate the line by optical drive choice.
If Apple is going to continue NOT letting you have a bit more control/choice in video card, hard drive, etc. for their consumer level stuff, then I say at least simplify the line and have the processor speeds, hard drive and video card all the same, so you aren't penalized or "take a hit in speed" by opting for a more affordable CD-RW drive-only iMac.
Then simply make your purchase based on whether you want a CD-RW, Combo Drive or SuperDrive.
Three iMacs, all 17" widescreen at same clock speed (the way the iMacs used to be, to some degree). Things got REALLY confusing over the past 12-18 months in Apple's product grid.
BTW, I didn't really want a SuperDrive (haven't used it and don't foresee doing so anytime soon), but knowing I'd be owning this iMac for a while, I opted to get the $1799 SuperDrive iMac, just for the larger hard drive and 800MHz.
I would've loved to have been able to save a few hundred bucks and just get an 800MHz Combo Drive model (800MHz being psychological also: it was exactly double the speed of my previous iMac, and the line I said I'd "wait for until it was met or exceeded").
[ 08-22-2002: Message edited by: pscates ]</p>
There doesn't seem to be much interest on the various forums when digitimes.com mentioned 19 inch iMacs recently (see excerpt below).
Personally, I think it would really be cool if Apple had a complete line with 15" - 17" - 19" iMacs...
-bullrat
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Quanta Computer will ship new 17 and 19-inch iMacs beginning in 3Q
Thursday 21 June 2001: Industry sources said Quanta Computer will start producing the latest 17 and 19-inch iMacs in the third quarter, suggesting a strengthening partnership between the PC contract maker and Apple Computer.
The popular iMac has become a main revenue driver for Quanta as uncertainty still clouds the desktop PC industry and signs of a recovery appear weak. The company shipped 235,000 units to Apple in the first quarter, and despite TFT LCD supply crunches in April that halted production for a week, analysts predict second-quarter shipments could grow to 350,000 units.
Meanwhile, Quanta is under pressure as some Taiwanese electronics manufacturing service (EMS) companies are offering contract prices up to 30% lower than those of Quanta to woo iMac orders. However, industry observers say Quanta will likely be able to stay above the fray of price wars due to its strong ties with Apple.
Signaling that it remains a committed partner, Quanta has revamped its facilities to meet the complex assembly processes of the iMac, which has a dome-like base with a scalable arm attached to a 15-inch flat-panel monitor. Production lines for the iMac are charging ahead on three production shifts. If it were not for the shortage of key components, sources said Quanta could have supplied at least 200,000 iMacs a month.
Quanta is the only company assembling iMacs for Apple. Foxconn Electronics (the registered trade name of Hon Hai Precision Industry) supplies the machine's cables and assembles part of its steel arm. Catcher Technology and a supplier of Quanta supply zinc-alloy bases for the iMac.
But, if they'd had a 17" LCD when I bought it, I would have. Now that the prices are falling?
"free fall" as someone said it isn't <img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[No]" />
But I really do wish people would at least let the dust settle a bit before expecting Apple to totally revamp the line. After all, a lack of patience on the Cube led to its premature demise.
iMac 15 inch
867 Mhz
256MB RAM
Combo Drive or Superdrive
60GB or 80GB
Geforce 4MX 32MB
$1399 and $1599
iMac 17 inch
1Ghz
256MB RAM
Combo Drive or Superdrive
60GB or 80GB
Radeon 9000 64MB
$1799 and $1999
If I was in charge at Apple, that's what I would do if I was truly trying to get PC users to switch. $1099 iMac FP anyone? That would get their attention.
[ 08-23-2002: Message edited by: iDave ]</p>
Right now Apple has an inherent problem in that their low-end eMac has a larger AND higher resolution display than three of their (much) more expensive mid-range flat panel iMacs. Now we all know the iMacs have many advantages, yadda, yadda, but clueless consumers buy machines based on the numbers on the little cards next to the demo models (just ask Bill Gates). As long as the $1099 eMac says 17" while the $1299 - $1799 iMacs say 15" Apple has a problem.
As soon as I saw the 17" iMac at New York, I knew the whole flat panel line would eventually go 17" widescreen, differentiated only by optical drive, hard drive size and graphics card quality. (And no Pscates, Apple will never standardize hard drive and RAM sizes. Consumers are trained to accept tiered memory allotments as justification for increasing price points.)
Anywho, the combo eMac hitting $999 is the key. Once that happens the last snow CRT iMac can be discontinued, the flat panel iMac line can go all 17" and Apple will finally have a consumer desktop line that makes sense at every price point.
I'd like to say October in time for the holiday shopping season (and the Digitimes article supports this) but MWSF is more realistic.
[ 08-23-2002: Message edited by: Ensign Pulver ]</p>
<strong>
Anywho, the combo eMac hitting $999 is the key. Once that happens the last snow CRT iMac can be discontinued, the flat panel iMac line can go all 17" and Apple will finally have a consumer desktop line that makes sense at every price point.
</strong><hr></blockquote>
What about the DVD R eMac? What price point must it hit? $1299? $1399? How much do think the low end iMac 17" will be? $1499? $1599? There is no way Apple is going to sell a 17" FP display with a computer attached to it at those prices any time soon. So what do think would fill the gap?
[quote]Originally posted by Ensign Pulver:
<strong>
I'd like to say October in time for the holiday shopping season (and the Digitimes article supports this) but MWSF is more realistic.
</strong><hr></blockquote>
A $400-$500 price cut in the next two to four months on a newly released item? I doubt it. Currently, the eMac with superdrive is $1499. The lowest I suspect the price to fall on the 17"er is $1799 to make room for a 933 G4 at $1999 for MWSF.
[ 08-23-2002: Message edited by: Mac Voyer ]</p>
<strong>
There doesn't seem to be much interest on the various forums when digitimes.com mentioned 19 inch iMacs recently (see excerpt below).
</strong><hr></blockquote>
No excerpt elicits less response around here than this reference. It?s been brought up in other threads and always seems to be met by the chirping of crickets.
However, throwing caution to the wind?
Tap, tap, tap?ahem?Is this thing on?
I believe that a ?full? iMac line-up would be good for Apple. I also agree with pscates that Apple needs to keep the iMac line-up from being too confusing. How about:
15? LCD
1 GHz
Combo Drive
60 G Hard Drive
GeForce 2MX
17? 16:10 LCD
1 GHz
Combo Drive
80 G Hard Drive
GeForce 4MX
17? 16:10 LCD
1 GHz
Super Drive
80 G Hard Drive
GeForce 4MX or preferably Radeon 9000
19? 16:10 LCD
1 GHz
Combo Drive
80 G Hard Drive
GeForce 4MX
19? 16:10 LCD
1 GHz
Super Drive
80 G Hard Drive
GeForce 4MX or preferably Radeon 9000
Only 3 screen choices, 2 hard drive choices, 2 (or 3)GPU choices, 2 optical drive choices, no processor choice, and yet a machine to suit most budgets/preferences.
Yes, the above line-up in incumbent upon significant a significant drop in LCD prices but going 16:10 instead of 4:3 does reduce total screen area and, consequently, cost. Also, Apple has to make that 15? machine really cheap.
<strong>
A $400-$500 price cut in the next two to four months on a newly released item? I doubt it. Currently, the eMac with superdrive is $1499. The lowest I suspect the price to fall on the 17"er is $1799 to make room for a 933 G4 at $1999 for MWSF.
[ 08-23-2002: Message edited by: Mac Voyer ]</strong><hr></blockquote>
Sorry, I didn't mean to imply a $500 price drop this fall. Allow me to go a little more in depth.
Despite Steve's public disdain for CRTs, I think he has resigned himself to the eMac being the low end solution for some time to come. The 15" iMac was supposed to eventually hit $999 and lead to the actual death of the CRT, but the waning popularity of the 15" models and the surprising (?) success of the eMac make a flat panel at that price point unnecessary.
So I think the current price points for both the eMac and iMac lines will stick through October, at which point the 15" model will (not so) secretly cease production. Some nice rebates will be offered for Christmas to clear inventory of all eMacs and iMacs to make room for the following consumer desktop lineup at MWSF. I will restrict my predictions to screen size and optical drive as hard drive and RAM allotments will follow their usual tiered structure.
CRT G3 iMac\t\t\tDiscontinued
15" flat panel iMac (all models)\tDiscontinued
Combo eMac - $999
Superdrive eMac - $1299
17" Combo iMac - $1499
17" Superdrive iMac - $1799
19" iMac - Vaporware
Two eMacs, two iMacs, nice and clean with combo drives a minimum and every iMac model having a clearly superior display by any consumer's measure. These prices are aggressive, but I believe falling LCD and DVD-R component costs will make this possible. Some will also complain about the base iMac price going up, but the unapologetic embracing of the eMac as the low end machine makes this palatable.
[ 08-23-2002: Message edited by: Ensign Pulver ]</p>
I think the eMac has proven to be a better low end machine - I wouldn't have predicted it, and by my own lights it isn't, but I won't argue with the reception it's gotten in the market, and the corresponding plunge in iMac sales. It's clear that Apple is shifting its strategy quickly to accomodate this. The low end LCD iMac might vanish altogether, leaving models in the "Special Edition" slots, with corresponding features. The 17" iMac will take over two slots instead of just one.
At that point, the iMac will, essentially, be filling the spot that the Cube should have.
I think Steve will never learn. YOU DO NOT VOTE AGAINST THE CONSUMER.
<strong>But CRT's are dead? <img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[No]" />
I think Steve will never learn. YOU DO NOT VOTE AGAINST THE CONSUMER.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Actually, LCDs were (and are) gaining market share quickly against CRTs, so Steve wasn't voting against the consumer so much as getting a little too far ahead. As someone who remembers the old Steve Jobs, I'm actually pleased that Apple promptly ate crow on that remark when they realized there was a big consumer demand for the eMac.
I still think the 15" is a sweet little machine, but the market has spoken, and Apple is listening. So it looks like the eMac at the low end and the 17" iMac at the "Special Edition" level.