Apple quietly releases more affordable MacBook Airs starting at $899 [u]

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  • Reply 61 of 114
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Mazda 3s View Post



    My first thought is that they are dropping the price by $100 across the board to make room for the Retina MacBook Airs starting at $999/$1099 (to be announced at a later date of course).

    and my guess it would be 899 (11)/999(13)/1099(11rd)/1199(13rd)

    which would butt up against 1299 13"MBPrd price  (and the 1199 MBPreg  is the crossover point... which I think will disappear).

     

    and I would think there would be another cpu refresh at that time and/or memory (more)

  • Reply 62 of 114
    brlawyerbrlawyer Posts: 828member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sflocal View Post

     

    I'm a little underwhelmed by it.  I was hoping for a BTO option of 16GB Ram, Thunderbolt2, and a retina display.  Hmmm..... I will most likely pick something up by after summer... hopefully, there will be more to the rumor of a retina MBA in a few more months.  Until then, my 2011 MBA is still chugging away.


     

    Of course you should be underwhelmed - this is absolutely irrelevant news, to say the least.

  • Reply 63 of 114
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    brlawyer wrote: »
    Of course you should be underwhelmed - this is absolutely irrelevant news, to say the least.

    How is an article about a processor bump and price drop of the MBA not connected with the actual processor bump and price drop of the MBA? Seems like this news couldn't be more relevant.
  • Reply 64 of 114
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post





    Lots of reasons. An 11" notebook isn't going to work for a lot of people when they know Windows and can get a 15" notebook that has more and faster everything for less money.

    There is no fraud here. You can determine for yourself if this MBA fits your needs, then buy or not to buy as you see fit.

    I'm thinking this is setting the stage for a new MBA and will surprised if there wasn't a major update later this year.

    dunno... I was at BBY yesterday, and picked up one of those 15"  (sucky 16:9 screen)... gad, they felt like a plastic encased lead.  cheaper, yes.

     

    I agree the MBA is likely a major update, potentially coupled with an iPad update.   You infer a 12" screen in a later posting...  what do you think about a 14" MBA (11, 13, 14), and a 12" iPad (with less bezel?)?

     

    My looking at the market for 'mobile computers' (vs mobile computing.... phones), is that the selling point is the keyboard and the screen size/viewability.   12" is that sweetspot.

     

    Looking at the family... I'm guessing the low end iMac 21" is starting to feel some cannibalizing.   a 14" MBArd at 1399, with an 'ac' wifi and airplay...  this makes for the best of both worlds.

  • Reply 65 of 114
    Over on another site, they mentioned the Retina display rumor as coming only from analysts, not being from anyone in the supply chain.

    This site just repeats the Retina rumor on Ming-chi Kuo's good word and authority.

    I found the difference...predictably amusing.
  • Reply 66 of 114
    brlawyerbrlawyer Posts: 828member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post





    How is an article about a processor bump and price drop of the MBA not connected with the actual processor bump and price drop of the MBA? Seems like this news couldn't be more relevant.

     

    Irrelevant as to the extent or importance of such an "update" - a tiny processor bump and a tiny price drop; in the olden days this would just merit a silent change in Apple's website and nothing else. Now to issue a press-release about it is just ludicrous.

  • Reply 67 of 114
    brlawyer wrote: »
    Of course you should be underwhelmed - this is absolutely irrelevant news, to say the least.

    Well, Apple didn't make a big announcement about it. This site has so far already posted two articles about it, so somebody is cashing in on this news.
  • Reply 68 of 114
    schlackschlack Posts: 720member
    wish apple wouldn't offer 4gb as a base option anymore. it's probably ok for light usage, but will be tight for moderate to heavy usage and will feel outdated in a year or two.
  • Reply 69 of 114
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    brlawyer wrote: »
    Irrelevant as to the extent or importance of such an "update" - a tiny processor bump and a tiny price drop; in the olden days this would just merit a silent change in Apple's website and nothing else. Now to issue a press-release about it is just ludicrous.

    Where did Apple issue a press release? Even their homepage still has the iPhone 5S as the major product with the MBA as a small image with no direct indication that anything has changed (i.e.: no text saying faster processor or lower price point).
  • Reply 70 of 114
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post

    Where did Apple issue a press release? Even their homepage still has the iPhone 5S as the major product with the MBA as a small image with no direct indication that anything has changed (i.e.: no text saying faster processor or lower price point).

     

    http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2014/04/29Apple-Updates-MacBook-Air.html

     

    On their Press Release page, of course.

  • Reply 71 of 114
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member

    Huh! I wouldn't say it's without relevance considering the price drop but it does seem excessive if it were just for the spec bump. Have they done this in the past for just a spec bump? What about a significant price drop?
  • Reply 72 of 114
    brlawyerbrlawyer Posts: 828member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post





    Huh! I wouldn't say it's without relevance considering the price drop but it does seem excessive if it were just for the spec bump. Have they done this in the past for just a spec bump? What about a significant price drop?

     

    Can't recall it; but given Cook's "let's get cheap and advertise it" approach, I am not surprised by that.

  • Reply 73 of 114
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post

    Huh! I wouldn't say it's without relevance considering the price drop but it does seem excessive if it were just for the spec bump. Have they done this in the past for just a spec bump? What about a significant price drop?

     

    I imagine that every update has received a press release, even if it’s only a “NEW” tag on the store.

  • Reply 74 of 114
    brlawyerbrlawyer Posts: 828member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post

     

     

    I imagine that every update has received a press release, even if it’s only a “NEW” tag on the store.


     

    Not really - check here: http://www.apple.com/pr/library/

     

    This is probably the first time such a tiny speed bump receives a PR.

  • Reply 75 of 114
    brlawyer wrote: »
    This is probably the first time such a tiny speed bump receives a PR.

    Probably. How dare they fail your standards for posting a press release.
  • Reply 76 of 114
    brlawyerbrlawyer Posts: 828member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post





    Probably. How dare they fail your standards for posting a press release.

     

    Not mine, Apple's.

  • Reply 77 of 114
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    brlawyer wrote: »
    Not really - check here: http://www.apple.com/pr/library/

    This is probably the first time such a tiny speed bump receives a PR.

    This PR doesn't read like it's about the processor bump. It clearly states, "The Perfect Everyday Notebook Now Starts at $899" with the processor bump only noted in the body of the letter.

    Has no price drop ever recieved a PR before?
  • Reply 78 of 114
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post

    Has no price drop ever recieved a PR before?

     

    Apple hasn’t done a price drop without a hardware change since… ’96, I think? So I doubt it.

  • Reply 79 of 114
    kpluckkpluck Posts: 500member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    Readers looking to save over Apple's standard MSRP, save on sales tax, or save on MacBook Air + AppleCare bundles....

     

    Readers can't "save on sales tax". They are legally required to pay it regardless if the vendor they buy it from collects it or not. Or are you suggesting your readers not pay their taxes?

     

    -kpluck

  • Reply 80 of 114
    drblankdrblank Posts: 3,385member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by saarek View Post



    £749 is a much better entry level price, it's just a shame they they continue to rip us off.



    At £699 they'd be able to justify their whole "it costs us more to do business in the UK" line, but considering the US price with 20% added on top to account for the VAT that we pay is only £645 one can't help but feel screwed over by their greed.

    Take it up with Cook. The company isn't here to lose money, they do have to keep their margins, otherwise Wall Streets downgrades the stock.

     

    I think they are also factoring the fluctuations in the currency exchange rates and they don't change their price because the exchange rate changes.  

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