App Store Delivery Lets Apple Slash Lion Pricing

[bananas]

My solution solves the restore problem, assuming they use Time Machine. Distribution is the real problem. Unless... Macs could be made aware of other macs on the network with Lion, much like how Dropbox is aware of other macs running dropbox, and copy the installer over the network for running locally? I think I'm on to something! I really think Apple could have done this as the tech has already been proven, as I said, with dropbox... It's a shame really.

Well, that's a wrong assumption. TM is not enterpise ready.

Physical installation media or netrestore image is the only suitable solution for enterprise.

 

[Goldfinger]

I have one HUGE issue with this App Store. Apple does not send invoices with VAT when you purchase something from the iTunes store/App store and it's probably the same thing for the Mac App store.

This is AFAIK illegal and I'm really thinking of sending a letter of complaint to the ministry of finance here so they can investigate.

I would love to buy Lion (and Aperture) through the App Store for my business but if I can't get an invoice with my detailed VAT information and my VAT number on it, it's useless.

 

[rheuter]

I just tested the speed of my work connection (which is not as fast as my home connection) at speedtest.net and worked out from this download calculator that it will take me 13 minutes to download Lion.

Awww... poor you... 13 mins? My condolences...

I, on the other hand, is not as unfortunate as you are as it will only take me less than 6 mins to download Lion.

 

[redkamel]

Logins

Apple was never too strict on OS installs (eg no keys etc). I am pretty sure once you DL Lion, its there. The OS isn't going to just turn off or downgrade because an account is deauthorized...that would be crazy. Its more likely they will monitor how many times an account downloads SL. Too many times, and you are busted.

Also in regards to the whole "jail" thing...I've never understood it or seen it defined. How am in a "jail"? I can download any Mac program I want, there is all sorts of programs, and I can do whatever I want with my music, pictures etc. In fact, I can and DO do more with my stuff than most PC people. The Apple programs are tightly integrated and consist of a mail, address, calendar, photo and music programs. Its not like I need or can get better ones that what is bundled (maybe music), but I have the option to. The only "locked" device I own is my iphone, but then again, almost all phones are "locked" to their manufacturer's software. And for the iphone/ipad, there is a reason its locked down and its a damn good one. I don't want to download POS untested apps for a device that runs on battery, runs a mobile OS, can't be easily debugged/repaired in the field and is essential to my day to day functioning/business/social life.

 

[rikscha]

It's only going to cost me £14 after I took advantage of a deal offering two £15 vouchers for £20 the other day.

where did you find this offer?

 

[rikscha]

I have one HUGE issue with this App Store. Apple does not send invoices with VAT when you purchase something from the iTunes store/App store and it's probably the same thing for the Mac App store.

This is AFAIK illegal and I'm really thinking of sending a letter of complaint to the ministry of finance here so they can investigate.

I would love to buy Lion (and Aperture) through the App Store for my business but if I can't get an invoice with my detailed VAT information and my VAT number on it, it's useless.

they sent you a receipt for every itunes store purchase. is the procedure different for the mac app store?

 

[bpaluzzi]

Translated. The cover charge to get into the club begins at $29.99.

It's the gateway to expenditures higher than your most vivid imagination. The cost of using Lion will far outweigh just the money you spend on an annual basis.

Suddenly $129.99 will look like chump change.

Fasten your seat belts, you're gonna need em

What on earth are you talking about?

 

[OllyW]

where did you find this offer?

I think it was one of the greeting card chains but I can't remember which one.

These sort of offers come up fairly often. I also got a £15 card for £10 from Morrison's on Mother's Day. It's Father's Day next weekend so keep a look out for special deals.

they sent you a receipt for every itunes store purchase. is the procedure different for the mac app store?

The receipts they send are not VAT invoices.

 

[roadbloc]

I'd still prefer a DVD.

 

[Goldfinger]

they sent you a receipt for every itunes store purchase. is the procedure different for the mac app store?

Sure but the thing is that a normal receipt is useless for tax purposes in Europe. You need an actual invoice which mentions MY vat number (every business has a unique VAT number) and THEIR vat number. They also have to show a breakdown of the price.

For example: Lion:
Lion VAT excluded*: €19,74
VAT 21,5%: €4,25
Total VAT included: €23,99

*I'm taking into account a VAT percentage of 21,5%, which is the VAT in Ireland where Apple Europe is based.

Another thing: Seeing as they are based in Ireland (or Luxembourg, the iTunes store is in Luxembourg) they have to be able to provide an invoice without VAT. A so called intra community delivery. But they can't/won't. This, AFAIK, is against European trade laws.

It was not a huge issue with iTunes since businesses don't really buy music (they could though). But with Apps moving to the App store this is becoming a huge issue. Especially if there is no option to buy the software in a brick and mortar store like with Lion. Or when there is a huge price discrimination between the online and boxed version of the software (Aperture).

The way they do it now makes it impossible to recoup the VAT for a business.

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/work/small-business/article.html?in_article_id=500346&in_page_id=10 this is an interesting article. Everybody who is VAT registered should file a complaint.

 

[bpaluzzi]

From what I gathered from the keynote presentation the new number is 10 Macs for Lion and 10 iDevices for iOS5.

No, as has been posted several times, there are 3 possibilities for number of Macs:
a) Personal (non-commercial) use, on an unlimited number of computers owned or controlled by that person; or

(b) Commercial use, on an unlimited number of computers used by a single person; or

(c) Commercial use, on a single computer used by multiple people.

Don't spread disinformation when you really don't know what you're talking about.

Oh, the irony ;-)

 

[sk8mash]

This article is stupid.

 

[aussie_geek]

Good to see Apple will be lowering the price. Still sux that we have to pay more than the USA here in the Australia for Lion even considering our $ is worth more...

 

[aussie_geek]

I'd still prefer a DVD.

Lets hope it is a .pkg file or something you can back up to a DVD. It will be a real pain having to reinstall snow leopard and then go to the app store to re download lion if you want to reinstall OSX for some reason....

 

[bigjobby]

Sure but the thing is that a normal receipt is useless for tax purposes in Europe. You need an actual invoice which mentions MY vat number (every business has a unique VAT number) and THEIR vat number. They also have to show a breakdown of the price.

For example: Lion:
Lion VAT excluded*: €19,74
VAT 21,5%: €4,25
Total VAT included: €23,99

*I'm taking into account a VAT percentage of 21,5%, which is the VAT in Ireland where Apple Europe is based.

Another thing: Seeing as they are based in Ireland (or Luxembourg, the iTunes store is in Luxembourg) they have to be able to provide an invoice without VAT. A so called intra community delivery. But they can't/won't. This, AFAIK, is against European trade laws.

It was not a huge issue with iTunes since businesses don't really buy music (they could though). But with Apps moving to the App store this is becoming a huge issue. Especially if there is no option to buy the software in a brick and mortar store like with Lion. Or when there is a huge price discrimination between the online and boxed version of the software (Aperture).

The way they do it now makes it impossible to recoup the VAT for a business.

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/work/small-business/article.html?in_article_id=500346&in_page_id=10 this is an interesting article. Everybody who is VAT registered should file a complaint.

Adding to your comments, some businesses require the physical boxed software for auditing purposes which is impossible with this method of distribution.

Also, the software licence would belong to an individual and not the organisation which can cause problems further down the line especially for larger organisations. Therefore, a physical distribution should also be an option.

 

[limo79]

nonsense

New OS will be distributed via internet (AppStore), so price shall be the same for each country: 29.99 USD.

 

[OllyW]

US prices don't include sales tax. European prices include VAT.

 

[Goldfinger]

Adding to your comments, some businesses require the physical boxed software for auditing purposes which is impossible with this method of distribution.

Also, the software licence would belong to an individual and not the organisation which can cause problems further down the line especially for larger organisations. Therefore, a physical distribution should also be an option.

Very good points. I think I'm gonig to prepare a small letter to Apple tonight and also to the Ministry of Finance.

This is a nonsense. New OS will be distributed via internet (AppStore), so price shall be the same for each country. I am also curious how do they calculate these prices???

29,99 USD = 20,52 EUR which is less than actual Apple price: 23,99 EUR!!!
But maybe Steve has own special "Apple Currency Converter" which is not compatible with global exchange rates.

When you add the average VAT percentage you get to €23,99... (actually even a little bit more..) For once the pricing in reasonable.

 

[rcp27]

If I my father and brother (living in same household) each have a Lion compatible Mac, but our Macs use different iTunes logins will we have to purchase 3 copies of Lion? or just one at $29.99

Can you not change the account that the app store connects to? You certainly can with the iTunes store. If so, set all computers to one accuont, buy Lion on that account, install Lion on them all, then reset the App store account back to the individual ones.

 

[SimonTheSoundMa]

Systems do need bare metal reinstalls on occasion - and there's no way an enterprise or educational institution is going to go around to each machine and log in with a corporate App Store account.

They don't go around each machine, you have never had to do this with OS X. You use OS X Server to push updates remotely. If a machine has a new HDD, you just net boot the machine, run NetRestore, and then the OS, all your apps and settings install.

http://www.apple.com/server/macosx/features/client-management.html

I have OS X Server on my old iMac, I use it to push updates to all 5 other Macs I have at home.

 

[aucl]

//Shrug. I pay slightly less than $60 for this and I don't think it's that bad. Would rather be in Japan but oh well

[url=http://www.speedtest.net/result/1333164598.png]Image[/URL]

Not in Japan, but still ok

 

[cheesymogul]

Hopefully we can look back on this in a year or two and declare it a win against piracy. Software like Adobe Creative Suite is so expensive because so many people take it for free. Eliminating (or close to it, I'm guessing someone will try to figure some way around it) piracy is a bonus for everyone except the pirates.

No it's actually the other way round.
Software like Adobe Creative Suite is being so much pirated, because that stuff is way to EXPENSIVE!
Adobe software has never been affordable. Jump two generations of their updates (just paid bug-fixes really) and you have to pay full price again!

If Apple is going to sell FCS as download only, I'll be even forced to switch to Adobe Premiere!
There is no way, I will be able to keep a reliable connection for that long.
I'll call myself lucky if Lion will download at all.

I'm looking forward to piss Apple customer service off, by asking them to send me their software on DVD or BluRay (sic). It will be either that or I want my money back.

 

[bushido]

Image
Not in Japan, but still ok

omg jealous, i live downtown in a big city of germany and i get 0.7 mbs

and eww at the french flag representing "eurozone"

 

[cheesymogul]

Pretty sure no computer that shipped with Tiger can be upgraded to Lion anyway, so the point is moot. Lion requires a 64 bit processor (Core 2 Duo or later).

WRONG! My 2.1 Macbook (late 2006 model) was still shipped with Tiger and will handle Lion just fine.

 

[bolen]

In Sweden it's a ~28% price decrease from Snow Leopard! Sweet.