The $399 question?

jpfjpf
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Should Apple introduce a new Mac system for $399?



<a href="http://news.com.com/2100-1040-964238.html?tag=fd_top"; target="_blank">$399 PC fills out Gateway's holiday lineup</a>



If all grandma's wants to do is: Surf the internet, check email, view digital photos, run Quicken, all the basics, what is more likely to be under grandma's tree this holiday season?



Somehow I see the iPod saving Apple's butt this holiday and not their current computer line up.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 172
    rhumgodrhumgod Posts: 1,289member
    [quote]Originally posted by JPF:

    <strong>Should Apple introduce a new Mac system for $399?



    <a href="http://news.com.com/2100-1040-964238.html?tag=fd_top"; target="_blank">$399 PC fills out Gateway's holiday lineup</a>



    If all grandma's wants to do is: Surf the internet, check email, view digital photos, run Quicken, all the basics, what is more likely to be under grandma's tree this holiday season?



    Somehow I see the iPod saving Apple's butt this holiday and not their current computer line up.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    No. They should stick with the 799/1099/1199 iMac Classic/eMac/iMac lineup. Their OS is worth 399 alone.
  • Reply 2 of 172
    imacfpimacfp Posts: 750member
    Well Apple should lower prices for sure and they can do it with the eMac I think. For a lot of people the Gateway specs will look good. <a href="http://www.gateway.com/home/products/hm_dtp_300.shtml"; target="_blank">Gateway 300</a> It would be interesting to know how low Apple could price their computers and still make money. It might be best to get rid of the classic iMac and put the eMac in its place.



    [ 11-01-2002: Message edited by: imacFP ]</p>
  • Reply 3 of 172
    jpfjpf Posts: 167member
    [quote]Originally posted by Rhumgod:

    <strong>



    No. They should stick with the 799/1099/1199 iMac Classic/eMac/iMac lineup. Their OS is worth 399 alone.</strong><hr></blockquote>





    You know, your comment made me think about this. Gateway is selling their machine for $399, I wonder how much of that goes to MS. $100? So Gateway can produce a machine for under $300 and make a profit? hmmm.



    I think OSX is awesome too, but how do I convince a Windows User its better to check email and surf the net for an extra $700?
  • Reply 4 of 172
    imacfpimacfp Posts: 750member
    [quote]Originally posted by JPF:

    <strong>





    You know, your comment made me think about this. Gateway is selling their machine for $399, I wonder how much of that goes to MS. $100? So Gateway can produce a machine for under $300 and make a profit? hmmm.



    I think OSX is awesome too, but how do I convince a Windows User its better to check email and surf the net for an extra $700?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    By showing them all the other things they can do out of the box like digital video and digital pictures. Yes you can do that on a PC but it is way easier on the Mac.
  • Reply 5 of 172
    xaqtlyxaqtly Posts: 450member
    That should be easy -



    iTunes

    iMovie

    iPhoto

    iSync

    iCal

    Mail

    Chimera

    Sherlock

    Address Book



    and then



    stability

    ease of use

    best UI design in the computing world

    best hardware design in the computing world

    consistancy across the interface



    etc. ad nauseum.



    [ 11-01-2002: Message edited by: Xaqtly ]</p>
  • Reply 6 of 172
    codewarriorcodewarrior Posts: 196member
    The $399 price is after a $100 rebate. Specs are:

    The $399 Gateway PC comes with a 1.8GHz Intel Celeron processor, a 40GB hard drive, 128MB of memory, a CD burner, and a year's worth of America Online Internet service.



    And Gateway hasn't been making any money for well over a year. They are trying to grab marketshare. They are "beleaguered".



    That said, I'd love to see the eMac for $899 and the classic iMac for $599. I don't think we will for a while if ever. I suspect the classic iMac will go away after Christmas.



    [ 11-01-2002: Message edited by: CodeWarrior ]</p>
  • Reply 7 of 172
    emaneman Posts: 7,204member
    [quote]Originally posted by Rhumgod:

    <strong>



    No. They should stick with the 799/1099/1199 iMac Classic/eMac/iMac lineup. Their OS is worth 399 alone.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    You're kidding, right? Yeah OS X is great but not worth $399.
  • Reply 8 of 172
    satchmosatchmo Posts: 2,699member
    One other factor is that the price does not include a monitor.

    So $399 after $100 rebate but add $150 for a 17" display.

    So we're up to $550.



    Apple may need to bring their gumdrop G3 iMacs down to $600 and their eMacs down to $900 w/superdrive in order to be competitive in that market space.
  • Reply 9 of 172
    mcqmcq Posts: 1,543member
    Hm? You're saying the difference between a G3 iMac and the eMac with superdrive should only be $300?
  • Reply 10 of 172
    codewarriorcodewarrior Posts: 196member
    No superdrive only CDRW or Combo Drive for $899 eMac. It's a pipe drive.
  • Reply 11 of 172
    kidredkidred Posts: 2,402member
    [quote]Originally posted by JPF:

    <strong>



    I think OSX is awesome too, but how do I convince a Windows User its better to check email and surf the net for an extra $700?</strong><hr></blockquote>





    Ask them if they've owned a Yugo.
  • Reply 12 of 172
    satchmosatchmo Posts: 2,699member
    [quote]Originally posted by MCQ:

    <strong>Hm? You're saying the difference between a G3 iMac and the eMac with superdrive should only be $300?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    You're probably right. Realistically I think there should be a $600 difference. But I just don't see Apple lowering even their old G3 iMac down to $500 which is where it should be.



    Even if they did, an eMac at $1100 might not be competitive enough without a superdrive thrown in.



    I know it's somewhat of a pipe dream and traditionally, Apple never cuts it's prices more than a hundred dollars. But it's a very cut throat time of the year and they've got to be somewhere in the same ballpark as PC's. Not the same, but close enough to make "switchers" consider doing so.
  • Reply 13 of 172
    boomerboomer Posts: 9member
    A lot of grandma and grandpa's like, and can afford, nice things. Then there is always the hand-me-down iMac as an alternative; I manage to do what you suggest she would need a computer for with a rev a Bondi and you can pick one up for peanuts. Not that there is anything for Apple in that, but if someone gave me a POS eMachine or beater-box from Gateway, I think I'd tell'm to stuff it. (nicely, of course )
  • Reply 14 of 172
    lemon bon bonlemon bon bon Posts: 2,383member
    Yes.



    Lemon Bon Bon



    Yawn. It's the old 'critical mass' thing when you boil it right down.



    Apple still don't 'get it'.



    Gee, duh...I wonder if that's why their marketshare eroded from the teens to 3%...



    [ 11-01-2002: Message edited by: Lemon Bon Bon ]</p>
  • Reply 15 of 172
    klinuxklinux Posts: 453member
    [quote]Originally posted by JPF:

    <strong>





    You know, your comment made me think about this. Gateway is selling their machine for $399, I wonder how much of that goes to MS. $100? So Gateway can produce a machine for under $300 and make a profit? hmmm.



    I think OSX is awesome too, but how do I convince a Windows User its better to check email and surf the net for an extra $700?</strong><hr></blockquote>





    You can't and there lies in the conundrum that Apple is in. BTW, OEM Windows licenses to MS is definitely not $100 - would love to give you better number but I think it is a industry secret e.g. any #s out there is a best guess and not exact.
  • Reply 16 of 172
    imergingeniousimergingenious Posts: 267member
    oem for win2000 or XP Pro is over $100. This bargain computer probably comes with xp home or something. Tell me- would you like to pay less for your eMac even if it came with OS X babycrap edition?
  • Reply 17 of 172
    lemon bon bonlemon bon bon Posts: 2,383member
    A simple cube like computer...a piece of very cheap plastic. No skirt. No monitor. 700 G3 and Geforce4mx.



    Sub £499.



    Cheap 'X' switcher box. Build marketshare.



    Will they do it? Have they ever? 10% marketshare? Dream on Steve Jobs.



    Lemon Bon Bon
  • Reply 17 of 172
    satchmosatchmo Posts: 2,699member
    [quote]Originally posted by Imergingenious:

    <strong>Tell me- would you like to pay less for your eMac even if it came with OS X babycrap edition?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Actually, I might if it meant that OSX "babycrap" ran faster.
  • Reply 19 of 172
    jpfjpf Posts: 167member
    [quote]Originally posted by Lemon Bon Bon:

    <strong>A simple cube like computer...a piece of very cheap plastic. No skirt. No monitor. 700 G3 and Geforce4mx.



    Sub £499.



    Cheap 'X' switcher box. Build marketshare.



    Will they do it? Have they ever? 10% marketshare? Dream on Steve Jobs.



    Lemon Bon Bon</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Exactly. Nobody is going to "switch" unless you have $1,000+ to blow. Add on software and exactly crap, and you are well over the hottest market (sub $500)
  • Reply 20 of 172
    salmonstksalmonstk Posts: 568member
    All you cheap computer market share people have to remember some things. Apple (I believe) is not only looking to gain market share, but get a certain kind of Switcher. Apple consumers are smarter, better educated, and more wealthy. Selling an olf iMac to grandma for little to know profit, means she does not have a lot of money and will probably die before she would need to upgrade. What is the point.
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