Apple COO Jeff Williams 'Very Aware Of' Concerns Over Apple Product Cost

[indychris]

"We do not want to be an elitist company. That's not -- we want to be an egalitarian company, and we've got a lot of work going on in developing markets."

Sees a bit disingenuous that someone who was awarded more than $21 Million in Apple stock in 2018 wants to talk about the company wanting to be 'egalitarian'. When you say that you're striving to make things equal for everyone, but $21+ or $24 Million of your own compensation is dependent upon you growing stock based on profitability year over year while trying to cross the $Trillion value threshold for the company, you may have a bit of a conflict.

 

[Quu]

He’s right. Apple dominates because people buy. If you can’t afford them, that’s an anecdote.

I can afford them. But will I buy them? Will I be taken for a mug? no. There are better Mac competitors out there at better prices with faster parts (NVIDIA graphics for one). The iPhone has the fastest processor but all the phones are fast enough. And I still don't like the notch.

Their pricing and loss of market share in China is just the start of their downfall. Their lack of innovation combined with these prices are their real problem. The obscene profit only works in a market with a few players, it doesn't work in the hotly contested smart phone arena.

Remember when Apple was the number 1 smartphone maker by sales? Now they're like 5th. Oppo, Huawei, Xiaomi etc are all ahead. And as they start to sell in the USA and Europe it will only hurt Apple more. It's Mac vs PC all over again, iPhone to become a niche just like the Mac.
[doublepost=1551099063][/doublepost]

Very mature.

Coming from the guy with the NPC avatar haha. You know this is a forum where people express their opinions right? - You telling me I can't say what I want on here is laughable, so I laughed.

Don't get your knickers in a twist over things you can't control, Apples pricing for instance, I made a joke about their profits being obscene and you lost your mind over it, now that is the real immaturity here. Grow up a bit before replying.

 

[balaplus]

Apple products used to lower a little in price with each new generation during the Steve Jobs era. This makes more sense since the technology inside especially on S generations are refined versions of previous years product.
The iPhone XS should have lowered in price not increase by another £100 here in the UK.

UK consumers are amongst the most gullible!
Apple has brisk sales even when the prices are £999 here vs $999 in the US.
Even the current Pixel 3 UK prices (£739) is outrageous compared to US prices ($599)!!

Samsung doesn't price products with the same £ and $ figures (£799 vs $899 for S10 I think).
Been in the industry long enough to know that foreign exchange argument is baloney!

 

[brofkand]

I'd say they need more work here in the USA as well. Apple's recent decisions have priced me out of their products. I simply choose not to pay $1000 for an iPhone or $1400 for a MacBook Air. I would love to own Apple products again but I cannot justify their prices for my personal use.

 

[Regbial]

He’s very handsome though, I’ll give him that.

 

[tridley68]

Apple COO Jeff Williams 'Very Aware Of' Concerns Over Apple Product Cost
But if you want our product you will pay what we ask.

 

[citysnaps]

This guys is a horrible executive. So Apple has large fixed development costs. (Just like Samsung and every other tech company). So Apple wants to crank up the price, revenue drops as customers leave the ecosystems and total contribution margin drops.

Nice one buddy.

Apple premium was a price I was happy to pay when I was getting reliable hardware, software, and great utility. Now we get outdated processors on MacBooks, old tech in Mac pros, ancient tech in Mac mini, useless speakers that sound great but only work with Apple Music (unless you use airplay), and watch android dominate most of the world (except japan and USA)

Go Apple executives! (Over paid school boys who are lost without jobs whipping them into shape)

All of my Apple products have been extremely reliable; desktops, laptops, MacMini's, Watches, iPhones, iPads, HomePod, and AirPods.

The only failures I've had were with my two cheese grater MacPros; one a logic board, the other a power supply. But...That was when Apple was run by the previous CEO.



"...ancient tech in Mac mini,..."

Are you referring to the four Thunderbolt 3 ports, each supporting rates to 40 Gbits/sec. Or maybe its the optional 10 Gbit/sec ethernet port? Or maybe its the super fast SSD? Or maybe you were referring to Bluetooth 5.0?

Which of the above features in the MacMini would you characterize as ancient tech?

 

[Te0SX]

I all I used to care is the mac. I am waiting to buy a laptop, haven't bought one cause of their greed and stupidity. Finally the competitors release great laptops too. If they won't change their lineup on macbooks I am done. So we have to see:

• New (or the old one!), fully working keyboard without any issue come like all other laptops without butterfly kb.
• Drop your prices! Apple's start pricing is insane offering you 128GB only. "yeah but they are the fastest ssd...", oh give me a break, they are not even usable except for the streaming guys...
• Drop your pricing on upgrades, greedy bastards. They are insanely pricey.
• Add tongles on your product like other companies. You haven't been able connecting even an iphone with a macbook for years. Huawei give you what you need on the box.

I don't give a damn who is gonna be the 4rth industry revolution leader, either America or China and their political ********. I will support the ones who give us fair deals. I am all in for Huawei's Matebook X Pro, which got updated yesterday with really value for money specs, Xiaomi's phones etc.

 

[mrochester]

All of my Apple products have been extremely reliable; desktops, laptops, MacMini's, Watches, iPhones, iPads, HomePod, and AirPods.

The only failures I've had were with my two cheese grater MacPros; one a logic board, the other a power supply. But...That was when Apple was run by the previous CEO.



"...ancient tech in Mac mini,..."

Are you referring to the four Thunderbolt 3 ports, each supporting rates to 40 Gbits/sec. Or maybe its the optional 10 Gbit/sec ethernet port? Or maybe its the super fast SSD? Or maybe you were referring to Bluetooth 5.0?

Which of the above features in the MacMini would you characterize as ancient tech?

This is the problem with Internet forums these days, people aren’t actually honest any more. You can’t have a meaningful discussion because people just make up what they want to believe in their head and then stick to that party line forever more.

 

[needsomecoffee]

Sees a bit disingenuous that someone who was awarded more than $21 Million in Apple stock in 2018 wants to talk about the company wanting to be 'egalitarian'. When you say that you're striving to make things equal for everyone, but $21+ or $24 Million of your own compensation is dependent upon you growing stock based on profitability year over year while trying to cross the $Trillion value threshold for the company, you may have a bit of a conflict.

For let's say the top 10 execs, compensation since Steve's passing is likely well north of $1 billion (much of it Tim's). During that time. Since Steve's passing, Apple has bought back more stock than any company in history - by A LOT. Likely $1 trillion in buy backs once the repatriated profits are finally fully "invested" in US jobs. That is likely the biggest difference between Steve & Tim. I do not think Steve would have given in to investor pressure for the buy backs. A trillion dollars can go a long way re: R&D + innovation (if there are good ideas).

 

[jonnysods]

He doesn't sound all that sympathetic.

Mac prices are super high, but I can to a degree understand that because of what my Mac brings to the table in terms of how I earn my living. But a $2k cell phone? $1400 tablet? It's extreme, and ultimately has priced me out of the frequency of upgrades I would usually consider. I'm planning on keeping my X for 4 years or so now at these prices.

 

[mrochester]

He doesn't sound all that sympathetic.

Mac prices are super high, but I can to a degree understand that because of what my Mac brings to the table in terms of how I earn my living. But a $2k cell phone? $1400 tablet? It's extreme, and ultimately has priced me out of the frequency of upgrades I would usually consider. I'm planning on keeping my X for 4 years or so now at these prices.

That’s exactly what the prices aim to do. There’s no need to upgrade for 3, 4 or more years these days. You will get more value from a £1000 iPhone today than you would a £500 iphone 7,8,9 years ago.

 

[cmaier]

Apple COO Jeff Williams 'Very Aware Of' Concerns Over Apple Product Cost
But if you want our product you will pay what we ask.

Unlike every other company that lets you pay whatever you feel like?

 

[Baymowe335]

I can afford them. But will I buy them? Will I be taken for a mug? no. There are better Mac competitors out there at better prices with faster parts (NVIDIA graphics for one). The iPhone has the fastest processor but all the phones are fast enough. And I still don't like the notch.

Their pricing and loss of market share in China is just the start of their downfall. Their lack of innovation combined with these prices are their real problem. The obscene profit only works in a market with a few players, it doesn't work in the hotly contested smart phone arena.

Remember when Apple was the number 1 smartphone maker by sales? Now they're like 5th. Oppo, Huawei, Xiaomi etc are all ahead. And as they start to sell in the USA and Europe it will only hurt Apple more. It's Mac vs PC all over again, iPhone to become a niche just like the Mac.
[doublepost=1551099063][/doublepost]

Coming from the guy with the NPC avatar haha. You know this is a forum where people express their opinions right? - You telling me I can't say what I want on here is laughable, so I laughed.

Don't get your knickers in a twist over things you can't control, Apples pricing for instance, I made a joke about their profits being obscene and you lost your mind over it, now that is the real immaturity here. Grow up a bit before replying.

Nice anecdote.

 

[nauf8]

[QUOTE="Analysts don't really understand the cost of what we do and how much care we put into making our products."

[/QUOTE]

No one can decide the price of their products but themselves, however “the much care” part of the price is a bit hard to fairly quantify. His argument falls on the esoteric in life​

 

[MacBH928]

To be completely honest, he is not wrong...
If you don't like the Apple prices don't buy it. Eventually, people will spend their money else where and they will adjust their prices. Its like BMW prices, if you don't like it buy a Nissan or Toyota..

Apple is not the standard or has the majority market share of any market, and all their products have an alternative.

Just like everyone else I would like to see Apple have cheaper prices, but there is 0 reason for you to opt for the Apple product.

If Microsoft was increasing prices on software like Windows I would be more worried since they have 80%+ of the market share, all the world software runs on Windows, people can't opt out of Windows simply because hospitals, gov.s , corporates, small businesses, factories, even ATM machines will probably freeze operations.

There is not 1 corporate or govs that relies on MacOS as their main driver.

I am willing to pay the Apple price simply because Apple is the only company that provides an enjoyable, stable, and reliable OS that cares about the user privacy. That is not available else where and its worth it for me.

 

[ocnitsa]

Is anyone complaining about the cost of the Apple watch?

 

[Quu]

Nice anecdote.

Yeah their loss of market share in China and Tim Cooks note to investors explaining how they're not going to make their numbers this quarter, that's an anecdote from me, totally a part of my personal bubble, not at all a reflection of reality. /s

 

[curtvaughan]

Aware and care are different things.

Indeed. Apple will not adjust their QC and pricing until people quit buying their products. Griping while continuing to stay "in the fold" will do nothing to change Apple. Just stop buying their laptops and iPhones, and if the iPad Pro's bend by design, buy products that don't. Of late, I've only seen them offer price reductions on the XR phones, after noticing a significant sales slump on the product. When I walk around a college campus and spy the occasional student sporting a new MBP - easy to note by it's paper thinness, lack of ports, and no shining Apple logo - and then look at the increasing majority of those with Dell, HP, and Lenovo laptops with lots of ports, I kind of feel sorry for the MBP owners. Their laptops likely were the most pricy, but deliver much less in usability; however, the fact remains, they (or their parents) still forked over all the money, so why should Apple change?

 

[Cyrax]

As an old timer myself I share the sentiment of your opening paragraphs, but I’m afraid you’re now blinded by the past, as was I for too long.

Apple used to represent quality, but they don’t now. My Alu iMac is from 2008 and still going strong. I wonder how many of these iMacs sold today will be working as well in a decade. I’d wager the failure rate to be far higher.

iPhone 6 and touch IC “disease”, iPhone 7 and audio IC disease, both swept under the rug, both manufacturing issues, both used to try and entice upgrades by asking extortionate repair/replacement fees for a fault that had nothing to do with the user.

I used to defend Apple to the hilt, championed them to friends and family and wouldn’t hear a wrong word said ... them I woke up to reality.

The numbers guy in charge is a walking Jobs soundboard. He uses the quotes but he doesn’t live them; because he can’t, or simply doesn’t know how. Cook is not a product guy.

I got a 13" Macbook Pro, my first Mac, in 2009 or 2010. I beat the hell out of that computer like I beat the hell out of my other computers, and put in my own upgrades - SSD, extra RAM, etc. That computer was fast, grew with me, and was reasonably affordable and the low-end machine in the line. It felt like a great computer for everyone - computer fans, engineers, writers, artists, music producers, etc. all the way down to your stereotypical sorority girl in college. The new MacBook Pros just seem like they're for the latter. Very stylish and sleek with great colors but a terrible keyboard, lack of ports, and a proprietary touch bar of questionable usefulness. It's virtually impossible to tinker with and repair on your own and you need to rely on Apple for everything.

Today's Apple has lost the spirit of the old Apple, which was that they started by building machines for people who love the machines. From there others could see how great they were and what they did versus the competition. I actually blame Ive for that, he has too much influence in the new Apple. Maybe they would have kept going down this road had Jobs not died, but I really doubt it. I will say though that every once in a while bits of the old Apple show up, the AirPods are a great example. It's just not often enough.

 

[DanBig]

So you folks want Apple to “innovate” and include the latest technology in your iPad Minis, but give you older function key technology in your MacBook Pros. Got it....

Innovation does not mean throwing away a workable keyboard for something less, nor not think through the best placement for the Touch Bar. It should have been on the lid chin within the visible focused space of the display not the keyboard! The Fn keys could then be left as is.

If you are going to do a shake up then you do two paths one with Option A, and the other with Option B of equal performance and let the market decide which is the better direction. Rigging it so we are forced into a path we don't want or need is not a solution.

The innovation I would have liked to have seen is the T2, TouchID as well as FaceID sooner! Jumping to solid battery tech so we don't have the fire risk, still waiting for that! In software a much more useful Siri.

Yes, innovation takes time but others are doing it better than Apple is! Huawei appears to have the talent to innovate! Their foldable is very cool! Yes, it has its issues with the external screen being plastic Vs glass. Now turn it inside out and use eInk for the outside a much better design!

 

[curtvaughan]

I understand if they want to charge more, but if consumers stop buying their products then there will definitely be a problem. I'm sure there is some major disconnect between Apple's share price and how much revenue and profit Apple makes. Microsoft is valued much higher in overall value than Apple despite making less revenue and profit. Apple has somehow messed up when it comes to convincing big investors they have decent growth potential.

I'm willing to pay for Apple products if I really want them because I want products that last a long time and most of my Apple products have lasted quite a long time. I don't think most consumers think that way, so Apple is going to have a huge disadvantage. I believe if Apple thinks they can keep charging consumers high prices and expect growth, then I think they're wrong. If Apple wants to keep charging high prices then they should come up with some new revenue streams based on enterprise businesses. I'm not trying to tell Apple how to run its business. This is just my opinion and I don't have the money-making capabilities of Apple.

I simply wish Apple would make some desktop products that are easily upgradeable with standard parts. Is it really that difficult for Apple to build a product with easily accessible compartments to upgrade memory and storage as most companies do? I'll pay more if Apple doesn't try to make it difficult for users to upgrade their products. Having to practically tear apart an iMac Pro to replace/upgrade storage is absolutely insane.

It has yet to be demonstrated that Apple's current line of products will last a long time. A substantial number of their new laptops have already needed expensive repairs to speakers and keyboards, and their design requires complete sub-assemblies to be replaced at costs of $500-$600. Lack of upgradability is bad enough, but overly expensive repair is unacceptable. Just stop buying this stuff until they change their ways.
[doublepost=1551105774][/doublepost]

See ya. Maybe you can leave this forum too now. Yeah?

And Windows 10 being better than MacOS is just laughable.

This forum would be totally worthless if all it had in it were people praising Apple, regardless of QC and pricing. The main value I find here is with people voicing legitimate complaints about their products. It helps me with my decisions on where to spend my bucks for computers and mobile devices. I suggest going to apple.com for maximum positive skew. And yes, Windows isn't so great, but Linux is an option and the high pricing of Macs with their current issues makes them a less than compelling product.

 

[cmaier]

Innovation does not mean throwing away a workable keyboard for something less, nor not think through the best placement for the Touch Bar. It should have been on the lid chin within the visible focused space of the display not the keyboard! The Fn keys could then be left as is.

If you are going to do a shake up then you do two paths one with Option A, and the other with Option B of equal performance and let the market decide which is the better direction. Rigging it so we are forced into a path we don't want or need is not a solution.

The innovation I would have liked to have seen is the T2, TouchID as well as FaceID sooner! Jumping to solid battery tech so we don't have the fire risk, still waiting for that! In software a much more useful Siri.

Yes, innovation takes time but others are doing it better than Apple is! Huawei appears to have the talent to innovate! Their foldable is very cool! Yes, it has its issues with the external screen being plastic Vs glass. Now turn it inside out and use eInk for the outside a much better design!

Not disagreeing with your sentiment, but innovation certainly DOES often mean throwing away something that works for something less.

 

[curtvaughan]

No problems here with my Apple products - a couple of laptops, 4 desktops, a few MacMini's, an iPhone, iPad, Watch, HomePod. All reliable.

The only issues I've had were with both of my cheese grater Mac Pros (one a logic board, the other a power supply). But that was when Apple was under the leadership of a different CEO. Zero issues since then.

Good for you. You are fortunate until you aren't. Complainers obviously haven't had your experience.

 

[aliensporebomb]

So basically this guy: "you don't know all the stuff that goes on behind the scenes!" OK I get it. But I still can't justify just under $5000 USD for an iMac Pro which would be the obvious machine I would get.