Why Apple Charge A Premium & Release Schedule

[spcdust]

Okay, not strictly specifically iMac related but as many of you are eagerly awaiting new iMacs thought it may be of interest:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpiBZ...s_digest-vrecs

Completely fair points, perhaps the Apple premium price is slightly getting out of hand but it's always been the way. Interesting points (albeit brief) regarding an apparent shift in Apples Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) under Tim Cook - personally I think this is for the better as all major companies generally take their CSR seriously and historically Apple have been a little lacking in that respect.

[Gregintosh]

The arguments in the video make sense. If you think its too expensive then don't buy it. If you also don't like the release cycle or what Apple does with their profits then don't give them any.

I think people are mostly upset because Apple has increased its appeal. So many people want to use Apple products everyday but many don't have the money to always get what they want. If Apple products had limited appeal then there would be a lot less complaints.

For example, not many BMW owners complain about BMW charging too much for cars. But that is because BMW only appeals to people who have the money to buy them (mostly).

Where as Apple appeals to everyone across every generation, and that includes the middle class and poor folks who do not have the money to buy.

I think Apple has addressed this by releasing things like the mac mini and iPad mini which are lower priced, not to mention iPod Touch for those who cannot afford an iPhone plan. But people are not contented with having just the budget items and want things like the iMac and MBPr which are really expensive.

I justify buying my Apple products by the fact that I have enough income and because I use them for work they are deductible as business expenses (that gives me at minimum 28% discount from the IRS on any Apple product I buy and for some it can be as high as a 36% discount depending on what tax bracket they are in).

But I know that not all have the money lying around or the justification. For many it is just a want and not a need and so they wish it was cheap enough so that they can justify buying it.

[iLondoner]

Think I learnt most of this in the first day of economics O-level.

[spcdust]

Originally Posted by iLondoner

Think I learnt most of this in the first day of economics O-level.

Granted....showing your age though.....O-Levels, next you'll be referring to CSE's

[mapleleafer]

I switched from PCs to Macs some time back partly because I liked the iMac concept but mostly because I had become anti-Microsoft. Microsoft was just becoming too big and too greedy, with their strategies of limiting competition. But now Apple is too big and greedy, with their obscene profit margins. But where do I go now? There is no viable alternative. I still like the iMac concept, but not so much the latest iteration. I won't be buying the new iMac, because I don't need a new computer. My late 2009 21.5"er will do me fine for some years to come, but if I were to buy now, I would get a mini. The iMac has become too unfriendly for me. My collection of DVDs, my Firewire external HDD, and my desire for affordable RAM don't like the new iMac. Although, by the time I get a new computer, the mini will probably be glued shut, too, and won't have a FW port (the ODD is already gone). I guess its consumerism I should be concerned about.

[iohass]

Originally Posted by mapleleafer

I switched from PCs to Macs some time back partly because I liked the iMac concept but mostly because I had become anti-Microsoft. Microsoft was just becoming too big and too greedy, with their strategies of limiting competition. But now Apple is too big and greedy, with their obscene profit margins. But where do I go now? There is no viable alternative. I still like the iMac concept, but not so much the latest iteration. I won't be buying the new iMac, because I don't need a new computer. My late 2009 21.5"er will do me fine for some years to come, but if I were to buy now, I would get a mini. The iMac has become too unfriendly for me. My collection of DVDs, my Firewire external HDD, and my desire for affordable RAM don't like the new iMac. Although, by the time I get a new computer, the mini will probably be glued shut, too, and won't have a FW port (the ODD is already gone). I guess its consumerism I should be concerned about.

next step is to go the linux route

[MCAsan]

Talk about premium.....my first Mac in 1984 cost over $2000, had 128K memory, the 9" B&W monitor, and no HD....forget FW, USB, or ethernet. And those were 1984 dollars.

So for me, today's Macs are far from dirt cheap...but a far better value.

[mapleleafer]

Originally Posted by iohass

next step is to go the linux route

I have Linux, and Windows too, with Parallels (couldn't escape Microsoft). My customers demand that I do. Linux has come a long way in becoming usable for non-geeks, but it still has some way to go before I'll be comfortable with it.

[iohass]

Originally Posted by MCAsan

Talk about premium.....my first Mac in 1984 cost over $2000, had 128K memory, the 9" B&W monitor, and no HD....forget FW, USB, or ethernet. And those were 1984 dollars.

So for me, today's Macs are far from dirt cheap...but a far better value.

but by 1984 standards, that mac was probably top of the line?

[Gregintosh]

Originally Posted by MCAsan

Talk about premium.....my first Mac in 1984 cost over $2000, had 128K memory, the 9" B&W monitor, and no HD....forget FW, USB, or ethernet. And those were 1984 dollars.

So for me, today's Macs are far from dirt cheap...but a far better value.

$2,000 in 1984 is the equivalent of $4,415 today (http://www.davemanuel.com/inflation-calculator.php)

And that was an entry level unit was it not? Today that gets you the highest end 27" iMac with some extra upgrades (I just did it; and to get AppleCare, 32GB RAM, 768GB SSD, and Top processor and video card, basically max out upgrades, it is $4418, just $3 over). I can imagine what people would say here if the entry level iMac was $4,415.

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Originally Posted by mapleleafer

I switched from PCs to Macs some time back partly because I liked the iMac concept but mostly because I had become anti-Microsoft. Microsoft was just becoming too big and too greedy, with their strategies of limiting competition. But now Apple is too big and greedy, with their obscene profit margins. But where do I go now?

I am surprised that you buy goods based on anything other than how well they work for you. All companies are "greedy" that is the nature of the beast. I guess I am not willing to inconvenience myself to make a political or moral point to a company to whom it wouldn't matter (i.e. I'd be hurting myself a lot more by not buying their products than the company would be hurt).

I personally buy whatever works best for me. To me, with Vista, Microsoft blew it and it opened the door for me to try mac. Now I am not looking back. The day macs start hassling me and stop working well then I will examine my options. For now, things are good and getting better.

[aneftp]

1. Apple products tend to have longer life spans than non-apple products

iPhone 3GS (released in mid 2009) is still supported. The flagship Nexus One (released in Jan 2010 by HTC/Google) stopped receiving software support in Nov 2011.

Apple computers tend to run well for 4-5 years without issues. PCs....we all know we sometimes have to reformat ever 2 years to get the crapware out.

2. Apple hardware/software support is unrivaled. If you live in a bigger city. Have a problem? Still under warranty? Make appointment at apple.com/retail. Head to store to get issues looked at. Even out of warranty repairs/replacement. Drop iPhone in toilet. Pay $199 and $249 for replacement. Drop Nexus in water....good luck. (on bright note, it only costs $299 for brand new one!). But drop S3 in water...you going to pay a lot more.

[majkom]

Originally Posted by Gregintosh

$2,000 in 1984 is the equivalent of $4,415 today (http://www.davemanuel.com/inflation-calculator.php)

And that was an entry level unit was it not? Today that gets you the highest end 27" iMac with some extra upgrades (I just did it; and to get AppleCare, 32GB RAM, 768GB SSD, and Top processor and video card, basically max out upgrades, it is $4418, just $3 over). I can imagine what people would say here if the entry level iMac was $4,415.[COLOR="#808080"]

Doing calculations and converting old prices to recent dollar is misleading, you have to take into consideration overall price level of the industry... so dont say A without B...

[old-wiz]

Originally Posted by MCAsan

Talk about premium.....my first Mac in 1984 cost over $2000, had 128K memory, the 9" B&W monitor, and no HD....forget FW, USB, or ethernet. And those were 1984 dollars.

So for me, today's Macs are far from dirt cheap...but a far better value.

That's about what my Apple II cost...no it was closer to $2500 I think... neat little machine.