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2011 MBP price points - likelihood of change.

S

skiltrip

macrumors 68030
Original poster
May 6, 2010
2,899
268
New York
Does anyone think Apple will shift the price points around for the 2011 MBP updates?

The current points seem skewed to me and seem kind of counter-intuitive. The first example that comes to mind is the 2.6GHz 13" for a $300 upcharge over the base. I'm sure some people go for this bit I'd say any educated consumer would know better. I wonder how of these they actually move compared to the 2.4GHz. The other is the base model 15" being 1800 bucks. It's like a wild jump from the base 13 to base 15. And it's not even a quad. If it were, I'd say it's par for the course and logical.

The other thing that makes me think it's possible (hell could freeze over too I suppose if the proper conditions were met), is Mr. Jobs vision to make any and all things Apple for the Everyman. Like melding iOS and an AppStore into Lion. A price shift to make the jump levels a little closer would certainly lure more consumers up the spec chain I think.

Logic to me would have the 2.6 sittin at 1399. The 2.4 15" at 1599. 2.5 at 1799, etc. A $200 increase at each step. That would bring about that old cycle the mind can get into " well if I'm going to spend x, I might as well spend x+2 and get more for my money". That's what I mean by luring consumers up the spec chain. The current price points attract a certain group to the 13" and another group to the 15 and 17's. That said I know Apple really does that purposely. They don't just throw prices on stuff and let the people sort it out for themselves. They have reasons for each price, and a certain consumer in mind for each one.

Long post I know. Anyone else think it's possible they will change their price slots around, or has Apple been sticking to the same price script year after year?
 
I think that most of the prices of the MBP line are OK.

However, I completely agree with you: the 2.66 GHz version of the MBP 13" being $300 more than the base model is ridiculous. I'd never, ever spend that money. And if I did, I'd go for the base 15" model.

So hopefully the 13" upgraded model's pricing will be shifted around a bit. Might not happen, though.
 
JKK photography said:
I think that most of the prices of the MBP line are OK.

However, I completely agree with you: the 2.66 GHz version of the MBP 13" being $300 more than the base model is ridiculous. I'd never, ever spend that money. And if I did, I'd go for the base 15" model.

So hopefully the 13" upgraded model's pricing will be shifted around a bit. Might not happen, though.
Click to expand...

I suppose anything could happen. Apple likes their price points but shifts where they need to, like the 8GB 4th gen touch moving to $229 instead of $199.

Yeah, the 2.6 13" really is sad. I almost feel bad for it when I'm in the Apple Store. Like it should be on the Island of Misfit Toys or something.
 
skiltrip said:
I suppose anything could happen. Apple likes their price points but shifts where they need to, like the 8GB 4th gen touch moving to $229 instead of $199.

Yeah, the 2.6 13" really is sad. I almost feel bad for it when I'm in the Apple Store. Like it should be on the Island of Misfit Toys or something.
Click to expand...

It should... a .26 bump in clock speed is basically nothing.

if it was $100-150, then maybe. But where its at now is just pathetic.

You can't tell me that it takes $300 to produce that slightly faster chip, lol
 
JKK photography said:
It should... a .26 bump in clock speed is basically nothing.

if it was $100-150, then maybe. But where its at now is just pathetic.
Click to expand...

Not to beat the horse (I will anyway) but not even that is worth it. The $100-$150 is much better spent on RAM or SSD.

I don't see price points changing other than going up. You may actually get less for your money if they keep prices low and increase the cost of upgrades--as they did with the 13 in. 2.66 Ghz upgrade you mention.
 
mpr131 said:
Not to beat the horse (I will anyway) but not even that is worth it. The $100-$150 is much better spent on RAM or SSD.

I don't see price points changing other than going up. You may actually get less for your money if they keep prices low and increase the cost of upgrades--as they did with the 13 in. 2.66 Ghz upgrade you mention.
Click to expand...

Well, hopefully they'd keep the 1199 price point there for the next year or two. that's my sweet spot. anything else and I'm stealing hubcaps in order to pay for it.
 
mpr131 said:
Not to beat the horse (I will anyway) but not even that is worth it. The $100-$150 is much better spent on RAM or SSD.

I don't see price points changing other than going up. You may actually get less for your money if they keep prices low and increase the cost of upgrades--as they did with the 13 in. 2.66 Ghz upgrade you mention.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I know. I'm using the money to start saving for the newer Intel SSDs. Should be a very welcome performance bump.
 
I think you will see all Mac prices fall.

Based on the App store success for the iPad/iPhone/iPod each Mac sold will now be seen as a higher revenue stream for Apple due to their 30 percent cut.

Apple will be more successful and profitable taking a smaller cut from each product sold to increase numbers and drive App store sales.

They will still get top dollar for them but I'm sure there is some marketing work done on what price point do they need to fall to in order to increase share. Before they'd increase share at the expense of their bottom line, ie cutting prices. Now they can increase share, reduce the buy in cost, and make it up on the App store.
 
Eric-PTEK said:
I think you will see all Mac prices fall.

Based on the App store success for the iPad/iPhone/iPod each Mac sold will now be seen as a higher revenue stream for Apple due to their 30 percent cut.

Apple will be more successful and profitable taking a smaller cut from each product sold to increase numbers and drive App store sales.

They will still get top dollar for them but I'm sure there is some marketing work done on what price point do they need to fall to in order to increase share. Before they'd increase share at the expense of their bottom line, ie cutting prices. Now they can increase share, reduce the buy in cost, and make it up on the App store.
Click to expand...

Very good thinking. I've thought about this myself when browing the app store with my touch. Apple really rakes in a lot of extra money from these devices. They nickel and dime a LOT more money out of you. I mean, I'm sure I've spent close to 50 bucks in apps in the last 4 months. They make a killing with that appstore.
 
I don't think you'll see price points drop very much, maybe $100 on the highend of the MBP line. Apple is doing really well, they don't need to lower prices.
 
croooow said:
I don't think you'll see price points drop very much, maybe $100 on the highend of the MBP line. Apple is doing really well, they don't need to lower prices.
Click to expand...

A public companies job is to do better.

If they can lower the price, even $100, and I suspect that, or maybe $150 to get the buy in point around $849, they will make it up on volume sales in the App Store.

If the math says lower the price to sell more Mac's to create more App Store customers, then the math says lower the price.

I think the price lesson with Apple is clearly evident with the iPhone, and the iPad. Everyone wondered how they were going to sell a device of that quality and ability for under 1K. In the end the price of the unit was secondary to the App Store sales it drove.
 
i think that this gen will be an increase in price or stay the same. and after they see how good the app store performs they will decide to lower the price..
 
You guys are missing the point. The $300 extra for the bumped up 13" MBP is not just the 2.66 processor - it's for the larger drive as well.

You'd be surprised how many people base their purchasing decision on HD capacity. Most don't know that macbooks are user upgradeable. (Or have no inclination to do so).
 
Mbp

I would probably buy a MBP 13-inch if it wasn't for the old processor. Do you think that if they implement an i5 or i3 processor they would get the price up?
And yea, the 15-inch is way too expensive, they should seriously get the price tag down a bit.
 
MFP said:
And yea, the 15-inch is way too expensive, they should seriously get the price tag down a bit.
Click to expand...

Way too expensive for ... ?

Apple is selling the current machines at the current prices fine. They had an 'everybodies' macbook pro 15" with no discreet GPU last year, then they nixed it with the release of the current gen and dropped the price.

Nobody knows what will happen with the Mac App store. It's a bold claim to say that Apple should or must drop the price of the macbook/pro to increase share from the App store. Why not keep the price high, market it as a premium product (with the accompanying price tag), and realize profits from both hardware and software sales, considering the App store will not be the only way to get applications (unlike iOS where one must jailbreak to get access to third party apps).
 
Eddyisgreat said:
Way too expensive for ... ?

Apple is selling the current machines at the current prices fine. They had an 'everybodies' macbook pro 15" with no discreet GPU last year, then they nixed it with the release of the current gen and dropped the price.

Nobody knows what will happen with the Mac App store. It's a bold claim to say that Apple should or must drop the price of the macbook/pro to increase share from the App store. Why not keep the price high, market it as a premium product (with the accompanying price tag), and realize profits from both hardware and software sales, considering the App store will not be the only way to get applications (unlike iOS where one must jailbreak to get access to third party apps).
Click to expand...

Why?

Apple can reduce the price, continue to produce a premium product from a value standpoint, and increase app store sales.

The App Store does a few things:

1. It brings in small developers with good idea's, good skills, but no business sense to produce and market their own product.

2. It produces instant revenue to Apple with nearly zero costs once the infrastructure is in place.

3. Ease of use drives Mac users to buy from a source that again, provides instant revenue to Apple.

A continual revenue stream is always better than a 1 off. Give up 10-15 percent of profit on a per unit basis to create an ongoing revenue stream, get more people developing for the product, etc.

I'm not saying they will, or they should...but Apple is a smart company, and a public one, who's goal is to maximize profits for the shareholders. It is simple business sense, something they have quite a bit of.
 
Richard1028 said:
You guys are missing the point. The $300 extra for the bumped up 13" MBP is not just the 2.66 processor - it's for the larger drive as well.

You'd be surprised how many people base their purchasing decision on HD capacity. Most don't know that macbooks are user upgradeable. (Or have no inclination to do so).
Click to expand...

I guess most people (at least on here) say it's "just" for the CPU bump because we all know how darned easy (and affordable) it is to upgrade the HD.

Agreed that a lot of Mac's consumer base doesn't have a clue about this stuff.
 
If the rumor about SSDs across the line are true, I think prices will increase. If not, I think they will stay the same. I believe the chances of them going down for any model are low.
 
skiltrip said:
Well, hopefully they'd keep the 1199 price point there for the next year or two. that's my sweet spot. anything else and I'm stealing hubcaps in order to pay for it.
Click to expand...


Really, who knew hubcaps brought in that kind of money?

I was thinking along the lines of the average pass-a-note bank robbery bringing in $1,600 that I might get lucky on the first one.


Richard1028 said:
You guys are missing the point. The $300 extra for the bumped up 13" MBP is not just the 2.66 processor - it's for the larger drive as well.

You'd be surprised how many people base their purchasing decision on HD capacity. Most don't know that macbooks are user upgradeable. (Or have no inclination to do so).
Click to expand...

Yeah.

For $230 online you can score a 120 GB OCZ Vertex 2 sandforce SSD drive which is far, far better than this Apple option.
--
 
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