Next-Generation iMacs to See Price Cuts?

[MacRumors]

AppleInsider reports that Apple is considering dropping the price points for its iMac line alongside the introduction of next-generation models later this year. The cuts, which Apple is rumored to be considering in the 7-10% range, would be in line with the significant price cuts seen in Apple's latest notebook offerings introduced earlier this month at its Worldwide Developers Conference.

iMacs were just recently refreshed in March but will see another update by fall, at which time they'll also be repositioned as more affordable offerings. Apple is reportedly mulling similar 7% - 10% price reductions alongside the introduction of those models, people familiar with the company's thinking say.

AppleInsider had reported in late April that Apple was considering price cuts for its Mac lineup, targeting the MacBook and iMac as likely candidates for the new pricing. While the MacBook price cuts did come to fruition as part of the broader notebook price drops and reorganization, the iMac has yet to see any such changes.

Article Link: Next-Generation iMacs to See Price Cuts?

[ceezy3000]

i would think so after all the price of the MBP's have dropped

[corinhorn]

Hopefully the prices will drop a bit. I will want to get the new iPod touch in addition to a new iMac. A lower iMac price would make this possible.

[zedsdead]

I can see this happening. Same basic specs for the most part, $100 less.

[manu chao]

Originally Posted by ceezy3000

i would think so, after all, the price of the MBP's have dropped

I had started reading it as: 'I would think so after all the price [drops] of the MBPs' when I realized that the sentence does not finish like this and I had start afresh.

[Ricanlegend]

wow people still use desktop ?

[techfreak85]

and by "cuts" they meen: cut and replace the bottom model with the mid model, slide the rest down(etc), introduce a new model at the old highest price.

we are not going to get anything for less then 1199 and say
hardly price cuts

[Eidorian]

Originally Posted by techfreak85

and by "cuts" they meen: cut and replace the bottom model with the mid model, slide the rest down(etc), introduce a new model at the old highest price.

we are not going to get anything for less then 1199 and say
hardly price cuts

I expect the same. Just take the current model and slide it on down to a "cheaper" price. Use processors, pretty much pointless, and the graphics to make the real difference to upsell people.

[Lone Deranger]

Actually... I fear they'll also resort to using cheaper components to offset their loss of profit. It would be a very Apple Inc. thing to do.

Originally Posted by Eidorian

I expect the same. Just take the current model and slide it on down to a "cheaper" price. Use processors, pretty much pointless, and the graphics to make the real difference to upsell people.

[Eidorian]

Originally Posted by Lone Deranger

Actually... I fear they'll also resort to using cheaper components to offset their loss of profit. It would be a very Apple Inc. thing to do.

I don't understand this. The prices of components drops over time. The $316 processor drops to $266 and Apple doesn't drop their prices silently. They just wait a few months and slide that down to the next model down. The SAME components a minute ago on the Apple Store were more expensive. How is this using a component of lower quality?

Originally Posted by AidenShaw

Didn't you pay extra for Applecare to fix "wonky" computers?

You should make Apple fix the one that you bought.

Or, next time, don't buy Applecare because it sounds like you are afraid to use it.

Given the price of the hardware and inability of a DIY fix you're greatly tempted to pay for this insurance even if you never use it. I never get extended warranties on any of the individual components that I buy. You become paranoid for an entire machine and more so given the price of a Mac.

More profit for Apple but it is a gamble for both parties.

[wolfshades]

Originally Posted by Ricanlegend

wow people still use desktop ?

*hangs head*

Yes.

[Le Big Mac]

Originally Posted by Ricanlegend

wow people still use desktop ?

I was torn, but decided that lugging around a 24" notebook didn't really cut it.

[mdriftmeyer]

Originally Posted by Ricanlegend

wow people still use desktop ?

99.99% of my time. I can't stomach laptops. Then again I don't need to walk around the globe with a laptop as an appendage.

[cocky jeremy]

Originally Posted by Ricanlegend

wow people still use desktop ?

Why wouldn't we? 24" compared to 17" of the biggest MacBook Pro.

[iMacmatician]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

iMacs were just recently refreshed in March but will see another update by fall

I'm a bit surprised it's this soon, they could see CPU bumps but unless Apple goes with quad-core (or "special" CPUs), I'm thinking it'll be similar CPU speeds, lower prices.

We might see Clarksfield if we're lucky.

[bilbo--baggins]

The cost of Mac's have gone up across the board this year, so bringing the price down is definitely needed.

However, I wonder if they will really drop the price of iMacs? Their recent 'price drop' of the MacBook Pro 15" actually involved removing the dedicated graphics card. To get the same specs as the older model actually involved a price rise.

[iMacmatician]

Originally Posted by dagamer34

Core i7 doesn't get mobile chip support (what the iMac uses) until next year.

Clarksfield is called Core i7 and will be here in Q3 2009.

I'm slowly becoming more confident that Clarksfield will go in the iMac (and MacBook Pro). A rumored Q3 update makes me a bit more confident. A refresher after months of pessimism.

Either that, or it's Penryn speed bump until early/mid-2010.

[Gasu E.]

Originally Posted by bilbo--baggins

The cost of Mac's have gone up across the board this year, so bringing the price down is definitely needed.

However, I wonder if they will really drop the price of iMacs? Their recent 'price drop' of the MacBook Pro 15" actually involved removing the dedicated graphics card. To get the same specs as the older model actually involved a price rise.

I have the same concern, that they will "cut" the price on the line overall by cheapening it. As I am looking to buy a (current) high end model, personally I am just fine with it if they drop the current entry model and move the other existing models down one price slot.

[HarleyMan]

Lower Price, Great!
Free is better but lower price is great, and I don't see free coming down the pike any time soon!

[guzhogi]

Originally Posted by HarleyMan

Free is better but lower price is great, and I don't see free coming down the pike any time soon!

But Apple paying US to get them is best.

[bobr1952]

Originally Posted by Ricanlegend

wow people still use desktop ?

Some of us are quite content to stay at home...

[ravenvii]

Originally Posted by Ricanlegend

wow people still use desktop ?

Yes I do. It's much, much more comfortable to use a desktop. Yes, you could connect a keyboard and mouse and display to a laptop, and get the same result. But an iMac is much cheaper than that option, and I never take my laptop off my desk, it's silly to pick a laptop over an iMac. For outside the house, I use my iPhone

[jackies35]

Originally Posted by ravenvii

Yes I do. It's much, much more comfortable to use a desktop. Yes, you could connect a keyboard and mouse and display to a laptop, and get the same result. But an iMac is much cheaper than that option, and I never take my laptop off my desk, it's silly to pick a laptop over an iMac. For outside the house, I use my iPhone

Hey, I didn't want any more heavy desktop because it took up space, the monitor was big and ugly, and it was heavy! hahhahha And you know that's was true!

Now, with iMac, it is something I want since I want to do more videos, web searching, and design websites (watch movies, create music, and edit videos)... I love photography and photoshop is something I am learning to master. The 24" iMac is a must!

my first 5 computers were desktop. They were heavy and I could never take it on the road...

So, Kudos to the pda, iphones, and handheld devices!

[SpaceKitty]

Originally Posted by Ricanlegend

wow people still use desktop ?

Yes. I sold my MacBook and MacBook Pro last summer because I have a Mac pro and an iMac and an HP laptop.

[slicecom]

Originally Posted by Ricanlegend

wow people still use desktop ?

wow people still think laptops will take over the world ?