Instead of Apple having 95% of PC sales above $1,000, they will now have 95% of PC sales above $900.
Just that little bit of creep downward will terrify everyone else, but it’s not a market destroyer.
Actually if you look over the graph with this article you will notice that 19% of all laptop sales lay in the +$1000 price range. By dropping their price as they did, Apple adds another 10% of the total market within their price range. So, it could be said that whatever volume Apple has been selling before this could increase by 50%.
While not a "market destroyer" it is a sizable increase for Apple.
Yes but it's not just a price thing in the obvious sense, there's other things included in Mac purchase price: Free software upgrades Free productivity and entertainment apps iTunes services iCloud integration And Lack of malware. Think how much that costs people to put together in the PC world -- OK, some of this is free, but not all. Ascribe a value of say $200 to that --- what a PC user might pay on top of the cost of their windows system when they buy it -- and suddenly Apple is competing with windows machines valued from c.$650. That's the real deal -- the software and services are attractive, cost something on Windows, and when you compare the specs of Windows machines in the c.$699 bracket these Macs look really attractive, with better features and design, and made by the people who may make the phone or tablet you already love using as well. it's a win.
Apple's first-ever battery-powered portable computer was the short-lived Macintosh Portable, which carried a hefty $6,500 starting price when it launched in 1989.
Saw one of those back in the day. All 16 pounds of it.
Lead-acid batteries, track ball, and a tiny black-and-white screen.
Hmm -- not sure my previous post went through, though I've only just joined.
My point: When comparing Macs to PCs you also have to consider the additional costs. With a Mac you get free software and OS upgrades, a selection of good apps and relative freedom from malware out of the box. When you buy a windows Pc you need to pay for upgrades and most apps, and will likely get hit with an added cost for malware protection. Add the cost of those things up and the Mac price suddenly competes with Wintel notebooks $200 cheaper. The difference being that in that price bracket there's nothing as sophisticated available. So when you compare prices it's not just the cost on the box, but the added costs as described. In other words, Apple could now be considered as competing in the $699+ segment. And that is a big deal.
Not true if you account for software, OS upgrades and malware protection. These things cost pC users money. Apple's price competes with systems of lower cost on account of this.
Well, OK.. what happens with your single point of failure wireless NIC dies on you? You're left with a computer that can't talk to the internet, without using some USB dongle work around, instead of native hardware.
Having alternate ways to connect to the internet isn't being stuck in the past.. it's called preparing for outages, and allowing longer life to a product.
As to the optical drives, perhaps you want to burn a DVD or video from your iPhone to a disk to give to a family member. What now? Oh.. I should have bought that 150$ super-drive that's slower than a PC counterpart. Superdrives and ZIP Drives were the hit rage of the 90's with 120MB storage floppy disks. I remember having one for the first blueberry iMac because Apple took away the floppy disk drive.
Who's really stuck in the past?
Oh just stop it with your worst-case scenario antics. Just stop.
You are the one stuck in the past. Let it go.
Optical drives are - for the most part - obsolete. Why include something that rarely gets use? It's one extra mechanical thing that can go wrong. You need it, go buy an external one for the 2 - 3 times you'll use it, then have it gather dust in some desk drawer.
For laptops, a dedicated ethernet port is obsolete as well. I don't know a single person with all the laptops I've come across that still uses a hardline. That being said, I have a Thunderbolt-Ethernet adapter for those time I need hardline-speeds. To date, I've probably used it a total of five times. The rest of the time it gathers dust in my bag. There's also USB->Ethernet dongles too. In my case, my TB-LED monitor is connected to an ethernet cable, not my Mac.
It makes ZERO sense to include obsolete components, no matter how "cheap" the costs are for them. Give me a slimmer, lighter, less-complex setup any day.
So just quit with the "Well, what if..." stuff. It became old about 10 years ago, and (in Apple's case) the laptops are built so well, if it ever fails, the tech will be that much better so as to get a new, updated Macbook. That's just the way it is.
So let me know how redundant you want to get. Dual motherboards, redundant RAM, Power Supplies, Displays... don't forget to have spare routers, switches, and access points on tap too because.... you... just...never...know.... when you'll need them. *rolls eyes*
Saw one of those [Mac Portable] back in the day. All 16 pounds of it.
Lead-acid batteries, track ball, and a tiny black-and-white screen.
I've got one, it its original case no less, out in the garage. Once we've finished moving, I plan to replace the lead-acid battery pack and get it back in operation. Wonder if I could get more than $50 for it once it's working?
Comments
Actually if you look over the graph with this article you will notice that 19% of all laptop sales lay in the +$1000 price range. By dropping their price as they did, Apple adds another 10% of the total market within their price range. So, it could be said that whatever volume Apple has been selling before this could increase by 50%.
While not a "market destroyer" it is a sizable increase for Apple.
Free software upgrades
Free productivity and entertainment apps
iTunes services
iCloud integration
And
Lack of malware.
Think how much that costs people to put together in the PC world -- OK, some of this is free, but not all. Ascribe a value of say $200 to that --- what a PC user might pay on top of the cost of their windows system when they buy it -- and suddenly Apple is competing with windows machines valued from c.$650. That's the real deal -- the software and services are attractive, cost something on Windows, and when you compare the specs of Windows machines in the c.$699 bracket these Macs look really attractive, with better features and design, and made by the people who may make the phone or tablet you already love using as well.
it's a win.
Apple's first-ever battery-powered portable computer was the short-lived Macintosh Portable, which carried a hefty $6,500 starting price when it launched in 1989.
Saw one of those back in the day. All 16 pounds of it.
Lead-acid batteries, track ball, and a tiny black-and-white screen.
Hmm -- not sure my previous post went through, though I've only just joined.
My point: When comparing Macs to PCs you also have to consider the additional costs. With a Mac you get free software and OS upgrades, a selection of good apps and relative freedom from malware out of the box. When you buy a windows Pc you need to pay for upgrades and most apps, and will likely get hit with an added cost for malware protection. Add the cost of those things up and the Mac price suddenly competes with Wintel notebooks $200 cheaper. The difference being that in that price bracket there's nothing as sophisticated available. So when you compare prices it's not just the cost on the box, but the added costs as described. In other words, Apple could now be considered as competing in the $699+ segment. And that is a big deal.
Not true if you account for software, OS upgrades and malware protection. These things cost pC users money. Apple's price competes with systems of lower cost on account of this.
Suppose
Well, OK.. what happens with your single point of failure wireless NIC dies on you? You're left with a computer that can't talk to the internet, without using some USB dongle work around, instead of native hardware.
Having alternate ways to connect to the internet isn't being stuck in the past.. it's called preparing for outages, and allowing longer life to a product.
As to the optical drives, perhaps you want to burn a DVD or video from your iPhone to a disk to give to a family member. What now? Oh.. I should have bought that 150$ super-drive that's slower than a PC counterpart. Superdrives and ZIP Drives were the hit rage of the 90's with 120MB storage floppy disks. I remember having one for the first blueberry iMac because Apple took away the floppy disk drive.
Who's really stuck in the past?
Oh just stop it with your worst-case scenario antics. Just stop.
You are the one stuck in the past. Let it go.
Optical drives are - for the most part - obsolete. Why include something that rarely gets use? It's one extra mechanical thing that can go wrong. You need it, go buy an external one for the 2 - 3 times you'll use it, then have it gather dust in some desk drawer.
For laptops, a dedicated ethernet port is obsolete as well. I don't know a single person with all the laptops I've come across that still uses a hardline. That being said, I have a Thunderbolt-Ethernet adapter for those time I need hardline-speeds. To date, I've probably used it a total of five times. The rest of the time it gathers dust in my bag. There's also USB->Ethernet dongles too. In my case, my TB-LED monitor is connected to an ethernet cable, not my Mac.
It makes ZERO sense to include obsolete components, no matter how "cheap" the costs are for them. Give me a slimmer, lighter, less-complex setup any day.
So just quit with the "Well, what if..." stuff. It became old about 10 years ago, and (in Apple's case) the laptops are built so well, if it ever fails, the tech will be that much better so as to get a new, updated Macbook. That's just the way it is.
So let me know how redundant you want to get. Dual motherboards, redundant RAM, Power Supplies, Displays... don't forget to have spare routers, switches, and access points on tap too because.... you... just...never...know.... when you'll need them. *rolls eyes*
Originally Posted by SockRolid
Saw one of those [Mac Portable] back in the day. All 16 pounds of it.
Lead-acid batteries, track ball, and a tiny black-and-white screen.
I've got one, it its original case no less, out in the garage. Once we've finished moving, I plan to replace the lead-acid battery pack and get it back in operation. Wonder if I could get more than $50 for it once it's working?