Apple to Benefit Further from Dropping Flash Memory Pricing

MacRumors · Nov 4, 2008, 01:00 PM

Forbes reports on Apple's "secret weapon" that has helped keep its earnings well above expectations: falling NAND-flash memory prices. And according to Forbes, there are no signs that this trend will abate anytime soon.

Quote:

Tech tracker iSuppli released a report last week predicting that the dollar value of flash memory sales will decline this year and next, even as unit sales pick up.

The benefit to Apple will be higher margins for their current products as well as the ability to incorporate higher capacity storage into future products.

The dropping prices may also allow Apple and other companies to put more flash-based hard drives into their notebooks. Apple recently introduced a 128GB Solid State Drive (SSD) option for their MacBook Pro. Apple's iPod and iPhone products could also see higher capacities over time.

Article Link: Apple to Benefit Further from Dropping Flash Memory Pricing

igoldfish · Nov 4, 2008, 01:02 PM

Larger capacity iPhones/iPod Touches/iPod Nano?

Fingers crossed!

miiles · Nov 4, 2008, 01:03 PM

Now lets hope that everything gets cheaper too.

JG271 · Nov 4, 2008, 01:07 PM

Good news, should be a few years before SSDs are common on Laptops!

NoExpectations · Nov 4, 2008, 01:20 PM

Say goodbye to the mechanical hard drive as it joins the floppy drives in the electronics graveyard.

Eidorian · Nov 4, 2008, 01:23 PM

Doesn't Apple always benefit from falling hardware prices? They rarely drop them between revisions to begin with.

Moriarty · Nov 4, 2008, 01:24 PM

Well it's nothing new that flash drives are getting cheaper, faster, and higher capacity over time. But it will be several years yet before mechanical drives are supplanted in the consumer market, especially 3.5-inch drives.

As long as mechanical drives are cheaper and higher capacity than a flash drive, there will still be a market for them.

Cinch · Nov 4, 2008, 01:25 PM

and MacBook Air

ThanatosId · Nov 4, 2008, 01:26 PM

Has anyone successfully swapped their MacBook Air's 80GB HDD with a 64 or 128GB SSD yet?

I expected to see a lot on this process by now...

Virtualball · Nov 4, 2008, 01:27 PM

I never understood how, at Microcenter, you can buy a 32 GB flash drive for $50 but can't buy a 32 Gb iPhone for $300...

franzmueller · Nov 4, 2008, 01:27 PM

Well , good to know although for the time been I´m very happy with my 16GB iphone.

Saludos

pismodude2 · Nov 4, 2008, 01:29 PM

32GB iPod Touch? $99.

128GB iPod Classic (w/flash memory & as thin as Touch)? $199

Eventually being able to afford more flash memory than you can fill? Priceless.

chrmjenkins · Nov 4, 2008, 01:31 PM

can has 32GB iphone?

Shiner · Nov 4, 2008, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrBritton

Now lets hope that everything gets cheaper too.

I wish this would happen but Apple will drop the price long after the should.

Lone Deranger · Nov 4, 2008, 01:35 PM

Come on 128GB iPod Touch! It would mean could carry my entire library with me....

Porco · Nov 4, 2008, 01:35 PM

64GB iPod Touch before my next birthday please!

Icaras · Nov 4, 2008, 01:37 PM

Does this mean we could also see Apple putting solid state hard drives in their desktop line as well, sans Mac Pro of course? I'd personally like to see the iMac and Mac Mini (if it doesn't die) reap the advantages of a SSD too, even if they aren't as advantageous or practical on a desktop.

At least a BTO option??

SeaFox · Nov 4, 2008, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrBritton

Now lets hope that everything gets cheaper too.

No, no. That's the whole point of the Forbes article. Apple isn't lowering their prices as the price of NAND Flash memory goes down. So they actually manage to increase the margin on their products over the long run and when they do an upgrade to a product line they just drop back down to the lower (but still large by industry standards) margin they had before.

pacohaas · Nov 4, 2008, 01:39 PM

How is this a rumor, or even a news article? I file this one under "Duh".

DoNoHarm · Nov 4, 2008, 01:41 PM

Hey people, is there a weight benefit to ssd's? I mean if you compare a 120gb hd vs a 120 gb ssd, is there a noticible weight difference?

djjclark · Nov 4, 2008, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Virtualball

I never understood how, at Microcenter, you can buy a 32 GB flash drive for $50 but can't buy a 32 Gb iPhone for $300...

I think the 32GB eMMC nand flash chips (Toshiba) are just now entering sampling with full production to begin early next year. When you only have room for one chip you have to wait for die shrinks to occur.

guzhogi · Nov 4, 2008, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrBritton

Now lets hope that everything gets cheaper too.

+1. But this is Apple, so it won't happen. They never lower their prices. Apple prefers higher margins than higher volume, from what I've seen.

sfh · Nov 4, 2008, 01:53 PM

why would apple drop the prices? "we" will still buy them at the original price point, often paying more than we should too.

arn · Nov 4, 2008, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pacohaas

How is this a rumor, or even a news article? I file this one under "Duh".

seems the trend is particularly exaggerated for flash-memory and Apple benefits more than most companies since it uses so much of it,

arn

Eidorian · Nov 4, 2008, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arn

seems the trend is particularly exaggerated for flash-memory and Apple benefits more than most companies since it uses so much of it,

arn

Other companies actually drop their prices and alter components slightly when hardware prices do down.

Nov 4, 2008, 01:02 PM	#2
igoldfish macrumors newbie Join Date: Sep 2008	Larger capacity iPhones/iPod Touches/iPod Nano? Fingers crossed! __________________ iPod Touch 2G (16GB); iPod Nano 2G (Blue, 4GB); iPod Shuffle 1G (1GB); Macbook (White); iMac G4

Nov 4, 2008, 01:23 PM	#6
Eidorian macrumors G3 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Indiana	Doesn't Apple always benefit from falling hardware prices? They rarely drop them between revisions to begin with. __________________ MRoogle it! hikari T7500 2.2 GHz / 4 GB / 320 GB / GMA X3100 / 10.5.8 chobimaru Core i5 750 2.66 GHz / 4 GB / 640 GB / 4830 / Windows 7

Nov 4, 2008, 01:25 PM	#8
Cinch macrumors 6502 Join Date: Sep 2005	lest not forget SSD is available for MacBook too and MacBook Air

Nov 4, 2008, 01:26 PM	#9
ThanatosId macrumors regular Join Date: Jun 2007	Has anyone successfully swapped their MacBook Air's 80GB HDD with a 64 or 128GB SSD yet? I expected to see a lot on this process by now... __________________ iMac 24" MacBook Air iPhone 3G 16gb Black

Nov 4, 2008, 01:27 PM	#11
franzmueller macrumors regular Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Spain	Well , good to know although for the time been I´m very happy with my 16GB iphone. Saludos __________________ White´s G3 700 MHz & G4 1,2 GHz, Black 2,4 GHz ,shuffle 1 Gb ,video 60 Gb , Touch 16 Gb , 3G 16 Gb .

Nov 4, 2008, 01:03 PM	#3
miiles macrumors regular Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: California	Now lets hope that everything gets cheaper too.

Nov 4, 2008, 01:07 PM	#4
JG271 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Surrey/Kent UK	Good news, should be a few years before SSDs are common on Laptops!

Nov 4, 2008, 01:20 PM	#5
NoExpectations macrumors regular Join Date: Sep 2008	Say goodbye to the mechanical hard drive as it joins the floppy drives in the electronics graveyard.

Nov 4, 2008, 01:24 PM	#7
Moriarty macrumors regular Join Date: Feb 2008	Well it's nothing new that flash drives are getting cheaper, faster, and higher capacity over time. But it will be several years yet before mechanical drives are supplanted in the consumer market, especially 3.5-inch drives. As long as mechanical drives are cheaper and higher capacity than a flash drive, there will still be a market for them.

Nov 4, 2008, 01:27 PM	#10
Virtualball macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jun 2006	I never understood how, at Microcenter, you can buy a 32 GB flash drive for $50 but can't buy a 32 Gb iPhone for $300...

Nov 4, 2008, 01:29 PM	#12
pismodude2 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: MacWorld	32GB iPod Touch? $99. 128GB iPod Classic (w/flash memory & as thin as Touch)? $199 Eventually being able to afford more flash memory than you can fill? Priceless.

Nov 4, 2008, 01:31 PM	#13
chrmjenkins macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hermosa Bch, CA	can has 32GB iphone? __________________ I warn thee, I am sworn to do my duty!

Nov 4, 2008, 01:35 PM	#15
Lone Deranger macrumors 6502 Join Date: Apr 2006	Come on 128GB iPod Touch! It would mean could carry my entire library with me....

Nov 4, 2008, 01:35 PM	#16
Porco macrumors 6502a Join Date: Mar 2005	64GB iPod Touch before my next birthday please! __________________ Mac: Hey PC, what you doing? PC: I'm playing a Blu-ray movie disc. Want to borrow it after I've finished? Oh... sorry, I forgot about your bag of hurt 'problem'. Can't you get an ointment for that?

Nov 4, 2008, 01:37 PM	#17
Icaras macrumors 6502 Join Date: Mar 2008	Does this mean we could also see Apple putting solid state hard drives in their desktop line as well, sans Mac Pro of course? I'd personally like to see the iMac and Mac Mini (if it doesn't die) reap the advantages of a SSD too, even if they aren't as advantageous or practical on a desktop. At least a BTO option?? __________________ iPhone 3GS Macbook Pro 13" 2.26 GHz / 2 GB RAM / 160 GB HD Time Capsule 1TB Dual Band Soon: Mac Pro Gulftown

Nov 4, 2008, 01:39 PM	#19
pacohaas macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jan 2006	How is this a rumor, or even a news article? I file this one under "Duh".

Nov 4, 2008, 01:41 PM	#20
DoNoHarm macrumors 6502 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: SFO	weight of SSD drives Hey people, is there a weight benefit to ssd's? I mean if you compare a 120gb hd vs a 120 gb ssd, is there a noticible weight difference? __________________ Check out www.kiva.org

Nov 4, 2008, 01:53 PM	#23
sfh macrumors regular Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sacramento CA	why would apple drop the prices? "we" will still buy them at the original price point, often paying more than we should too.

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