Apple Australia Increases New MB price

[johnnyhow]

Is any other aussie here as annoyed as I am with the price massive price increase of the new macbook line?

The low end macbook white, used to cost $1500, now costs $1649, and the aluminium macbooks cost $2099, and $2549. Prices of the two higher priced macbooks the day before the new models were released were:
$1799 and $2099 (blackbook). So im quite annoyed that they've increased the price so much, and i don't plan buying another apple laptop anymore, I just can't afford that much, im going to have to go back to windows for my next laptop, which somewhat saddens me, but at least the prices aren't so ridiculous. I understand there needs to be a premium, but this much?
I also realise they've upgraded the parts in the new macbooks, but previous times they have done that, the price has remained the same.

One more thing, the student discount (for uni and tafe) was always $150 off the price, now it's only $70 off. Why punish us apple?

 

[logicsuggests]

For $1800 australian you can get a dell xps1330 with:

2.5GHz
LED Screen
3GB of ram
320GB HDD
TV Tuner
HDMI+Firewire

Compare that to the cost of a new macbook for $2050au:

2GHz
LED Screen
2GB of ram
160GB HDD
No Firewire+Displayport

Both graphics cards are similar in performance but the Dell doesn't leech your system memory. The only thing the apple has going for it is DDR3 which is useless atm not to mention much more expensive than DDR2 to upgrade.

It's depressing when you can end up getting double the ram, double the hdd space and a 500mhz increase in cpu speed and still end up with a laptop that costs less than the macbook.

 

[evilseagull]

I was going to pick up a MBP too in NZ until I saw the new prices. Price for the high end 15" model was $3699 until the new model was released, price went up to $4599.

 

[MGLXP]

I was going to pick up a MBP too in NZ until I saw the new prices. Price for the high end 15" model was $3699 until the new model was released, price went up to $4599.

Wow, that's crazy! Although there was price increase in Canada, you guys have it much worse.

 

[johnnyhow]

Seems like america was the only country that got a price break, with a decrease from $1099 to $999 american, which works out to $1450 Aussie dollars.

The reason apple suggests is due to the drop in value of our dollar (from 95 american cents to 68 in about a month). Yet when our dollar was near equal to the US dollar, they weren't that fast to pass on the savings, still keeping the prices well above americans. It would be nice if they were consistent, instead they're more like the oil companys, looking for every excuse to put the price up, and when the price of oil does decrease, they're very slow to pass on the savings.

 

[sammich]

Well, I guess it sucks in a way. But Apple has improved the computer a lot and with most major improvements, the price generally doesn't go down.

Stop thinking about it as a cheap, plastic macbook as it was. And think of it as a baseline Macbook Pro.

 

[MGLXP]

Seems like america was the only country that got a price break, with a decrease from $1099 to $999 american, which works out to $1450 Aussie dollars.

The reason apple suggests is due to the drop in value of our dollar (from 95 american cents to 68 in about a month). Yet when our dollar was near equal to the US dollar, they weren't that fast to pass on the savings, still keeping the prices well above americans. It would be nice if they were consistent, instead they're more like the oil companys, looking for every excuse to put the price up, and when the price of oil does decrease, they're very slow to pass on the savings.

So true...

 

[johnnyhow]

Stop thinking about it as a cheap, plastic macbook as it was. And think of it as a baseline Macbook Pro.

You are right in a way, that is how I thought about it, but the thing is, I don't want a macbook pro, I can't afford one, yet I still want a mac laptop at a decent price. Now there is no option, they've taken away that option, and that's what makes me disappointed.

In all honesty though, it's clear that what they have put in the new MB shouldn't cost too much extra anyway, from a materials point of view, and from a labour point of view, the aluminium casing should be easier to make, so really, i struggle to find justification, appart from an attempt to cushion themselves from economic recession, passing it on to their consumers.
As much as I like apple (from my experience of my macbook plus leopard, and my ipod), i won't be buying another computer product until the price goes back down, and it's not so much an act of protest as it is an act of affordability. I'm not made of money.
Anyway, my macbook should have another year or 2 of life in it, with the average life of laptops/ desktops being 2-3 years.

 

[MAcNIAC]

Stop thinking about it as a cheap, plastic macbook as it was. And think of it as a baseline Macbook Pro.

when i bought my MBP, i really wanted a 12" powerbook substitute - i would have been all over the new macbook. i still would be, but my 2 year old MBP still does everything i need beautifully.

 

[mattbannister]

Technically, if the price went up, say, 20%, then the education discount should be increasing by that much too, but the opposite has happened...

 

[Project7]

It's because of the damn exhange rates, I too am from Down Under, and was surprised when I saw the change.

The whole stock market problem at the moment is... well... a problem.

The Australian Dollar is really low at the moment, when it goes back up, our prices should get better.

Also, just thought I would share this...
I had some US, Canadian and English money around my place from parent's and my travels, swapped the lot for $200 Aussie Dollars.

 

[bjorn989]

I am in the exact same situation and am really annoyed. I had my money ready to order a new MacBook on Wednesday morning (Aus Time) and, lo and behold they are offering less for more!

I know that the AUD has depreciated sharply in the last few months and I know that they have made some killer improvements to the MacBook line but I just cannot tell you how frustrating this is. As a student banking on my education discount and using my scholarship I am very annoyed.

We are still charged too much for macs in Australia. It is ridiculous and it should be stopped!

 

[Abstract]

Wow, that's crazy! Although there was price increase in Canada, you guys have it much worse.

It depends on the day. I checked on the day after the release, and the $1399 model (in Canada) was equivalent to US $1205 if you converted the price to US dollars. After you add the appropriate taxes, it may even out, but at the time, it was cheaper to buy in Canada. It really depends on the exchange rate that day.


And the Aussie dollar has dropped back to where it was 3-4 years ago. Surely you can't blame Apple for that. The price isn't ridiculous. It's in line with the US prices (depending on the day you check the conversion rate).


I'll even do it for you: (Saturday Oct 18th)
Price: AUD $2099.


Subtract 10% tax.
Price: AUD $1908.


Convert to US dollars.
Price: 1314.35


Australians are paying around $14 more than the US price.


I don't like the price hike, and it's frustrating for those in Australia. Australians can't afford that price for a MacBook (not even the Pro model). However, I can only get frustrated. I can't get mad at any particular company because of a financial reality.

 

[johnnyhow]

I am in the exact same situation and am really annoyed. I had my money ready to order a new MacBook on Wednesday morning (Aus Time) and, lo and behold they are offering less for more!

I know that the AUD has depreciated sharply in the last few months and I know that they have made some killer improvements to the MacBook line but I just cannot tell you how frustrating this is. As a student banking on my education discount and using my scholarship I am very annoyed.

We are still charged too much for macs in Australia. It is ridiculous and it should be stopped!

Exactly!
And as I said before, the base model MacBook in america converts to $1450 Aussie dollars. Why not price it around that, rather than for $200 more?
It's blantant greed, help us aussies out a bit, we certainly don't want you to make a loss, but to try and maintain/ increase your profit during times of economic recession, by upping the price, isn't exactly going to atrract new customers.

As for that other comment about wanting a small screen MBP, there's no reason apple couldn't have done that, while maintaining a lower priced MB for us who like macs, but aren't bringing in an income similar to steve jobs every year.

 

[archi17]

I am sort of annoyed at the new prices and will not be buying one now that they are so expensive, i understand why they are priced how they are. Because of the Aussie dollar and the tax, conversions work out close to what they are priced. But Apple are not going to change it as soon as the Dollar goes back up, we will have to wait til a speed bump or something. Whilst i was going to buy a new one for university, i am not now unless they come down in price. Also, how does Dell and other computer makers keep their prices the same in times of financial crisis? Why does Apple need to raise them? I think Apple will see a dramatic loss in Macbook sales.

 

[Dybbuk]

You're not forced to buy a Mac. If you don't want to pay that much (and you have every reason not to), vote with your dollar and buy a computer from another company.