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5 reasons why Apple will bring out a Netbook at Macworld 2009
- Thread starter JW8725
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Agreed, but Apple'll have to "invent" the category, much like they "invented" the MP3 player category in 2001.
You'd have to take it from my wife.
So you are betting the iPhone and the wife ... does she know?
Not happening.
And $499? Yeah right.
Everyone was looking for a sub-$900 Macbook and look what happened lol.
I'm an optimist. Not delusional.
And $499? Yeah right.
Everyone was looking for a sub-$900 Macbook and look what happened lol.
I'm an optimist. Not delusional.
Although it doesn't seem unreasonable I don't see Apple doing it anytime soon. How would they get the price down to a competitive level? The iPod Touch is still $399 USD for the 32GB model. A supersized iPod Touch/iPhone couldn't be realeased anywhere near $500 USD. And if they Apple price it say release it for $799, $899, or $999 who would they market it too?
Exactly, let's get the current line up on track before we go off investing in what's been consistently dogged as a "fad" market, it's nearing saturation point now, not much further these companies can go before everything splits the way of the tablet pc or super super cheap ultra mobile laptops.
It's too soon for Apple, maybe next year though. It's still to be seen if Netbooks are anything more than a novelty product. I know I wanted one for a while until finally sitting down with one and realising that all I could do was use the internet and type (uncomfortably) on the thing.
Suppose that's why they call them netbooks though.
Suppose that's why they call them netbooks though.
If Apple offered a netbook it'd poach way too many sales from the MBA of people who buy it because it's the only small Apple laptop.
Exactly. It would be the most expensive one on the market. I mean, there are netbooks that are plastic and cost $600-700. Imagine how much an Apple aluminium one would cost. I'm guessing $799 for the low-end would be very Apple-like, although the price would probably be closer to $1099 so that the MB and MBA sales don't get slaughtered. They probably realize how desirable a small laptop is, and price is one way to ensure that their other laptops aren't any less desirable as before.
I don't think it's anywhere near saturation to be honest. Netbook makers have discovered a niche in the laptop market with a category of machine which wasn't on the cards before. And compared to what else has been available, this is the 'cheap shoes' syndrome - if you know that at all.
You can buy cheap shoes without saving for a good pair because you think 'heck, it's a shoe', and most people on lower incomes do. And since they've never had a good pair of shoes, they just get accustomed to the fact that they wear out after a year or so, that they give you callouses where the stiff leather chafes you, and look tired after a while no matter how much you take care of it.
However, if we take a situation of someone in a similar income bracket who takes advice from his dad saying "Son, never buy a cheap pair of shoes" and he doesn't, he has to save for a while to buy the shoes - but not only will it be far more comfortable, it'll also last much longer given proper care, do no damage to his foot and also look better even after a period of wear.
Because it not made as well and looks worn out sooner, the first guy ends up having to actually spend more on shoes than the second guy over a long-term period. But it's an expenditure he doesn't notice as much because he's buying cheap shoes - and this is also what allows cheap shoe makers to expand their earnings much faster than makers of good shoes, despite the slimmer margins on each shoe. And the thing is, the second guy will probably be unsuccessful in explaining / justifying the benefits of good shoes to the first guy. The first guy, unless he makes the jump to good shoes and experiences it for himself, will likely never realise the benefits and will continue to buy cheap shoes.
And the thing is, there are a hell of a lot more people in the world who buy cheap shoes than those who buy good ones. And Apple is - even if it's 'good' shoes are decidedly suspect - not in the cheap shoes game.
Precisely. I know we've covered this in other threads.
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Apple really doesn't need to bring a netbook to market.
Cheapo computers aren't in the Apple resume - cheap products using cheap components never have been.
Apple designs quality, not quantity. iPods are the ubiquitous player, but not because they're cheap: Because they're simple, easy to use and stylish.
Yes, and i7, 16GBs of RAM, a 1TB SSD
Or keep the Air slim, and people who need ethernet, FireWire and optical drive can buy a MacBook Pro :-D
799 seems very very high, even for Apple(for a starting price). It would have to be a very very special netbook
499 would be ideal, but I'd can see 599 as a starting price.