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Apple's Phil Schiller: 'We Don't Design for Price, We Design for the Experience'
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note to self - Remember to buy a £35.00 usb-c to lightning connector to connect my £919.00 telephone to my £2699.00 MacBook.
Tim & Co. are so highly paid they probably don't realize how much $2300 is for the average consumer.
Some one should tell them " $2300 laptop for us, is like $350K laptop for you. a full month's salary"
Some one should tell them " $2300 laptop for us, is like $350K laptop for you. a full month's salary"
I'm lost on Schillers words, while I agree research and development cost money, I disagree that that they should have positioned what was already a very expensive computer at a higher price point.
I'll chime in here as the alternative voice here.
I'm glad Apple is willing to take this position because literally nobody else in the industry is. The same complaints were leveraged against the Retina MacBook when it was first released, but I bought one anyways. It is bar-none the best laptop I've ever used. (And for my job I have a Surface Pro, have had multiple top-tier Thinkpad's, Dell XPS and Inspiron machines, etc) Everyone else is building mediocre laptops to a price. Buy one of them if that is your priority.
Nobody seems to be acknowledging that implementing four Thunderbolt ports is really groundbreaking. There has never been another laptop that has even a fraction of the total bandwidth that these new Pros have. This is a big deal for the future. Yes, it will be some growing pains today, but this is exactly how Apple operates. The fact that there is so much whining every time it happens these days is indicative of how much wider their current user base is. But Apple didn't get to be the most valuable company in the world by building average products at average prices with standard parts. They build cutting edge products with premium features and materials. Nothing has changed here.
I'm glad Apple is willing to take this position because literally nobody else in the industry is. The same complaints were leveraged against the Retina MacBook when it was first released, but I bought one anyways. It is bar-none the best laptop I've ever used. (And for my job I have a Surface Pro, have had multiple top-tier Thinkpad's, Dell XPS and Inspiron machines, etc) Everyone else is building mediocre laptops to a price. Buy one of them if that is your priority.
Nobody seems to be acknowledging that implementing four Thunderbolt ports is really groundbreaking. There has never been another laptop that has even a fraction of the total bandwidth that these new Pros have. This is a big deal for the future. Yes, it will be some growing pains today, but this is exactly how Apple operates. The fact that there is so much whining every time it happens these days is indicative of how much wider their current user base is. But Apple didn't get to be the most valuable company in the world by building average products at average prices with standard parts. They build cutting edge products with premium features and materials. Nothing has changed here.
Well Philip Schiller, if you don't design for price but experience why is the damn underpowered, one port rMB so expensive? And a $1500 MacBook Pro for people who'd get a $1000 MacBook Air, are you kidding me, Philip? A 13" rMB as a MacBook Air successor would make so much more sense but then they had to cut the ridiculous high price for the 12" rMB, which is never an option at Apple...but oh wait, they don't design for price, yeah sure, please tell me more... Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining, Philip!
I think most people here are not necessarily complaining about the new MacBook Pro nor about its price per se. Many people could live with the fact that this laptop is not the right model for them. I believe what implicitly frustrates many people – myself included – is that Apple no longer offers a modern, affordable and general-purpose laptop (roles that were long filled by the MacBook Air and even the polycarbonate MacBook before that) for the average consumer, for whom the highly spec'ed MacBook Pro is just too much and thus understandably too expensive.
+1
I'm in IT consulting and in the prime years of my career. This is a field where people are making quite a bit of money and frankly can afford to buy what they want. I don't say this in a boasting way, but rather to emphasize a point. When I showed other members of my team (i.e. On my current project) today the prices for the new MBPs, they were floored. The common sentiment was: "There are a lot of premium Windows laptops available for much less.....who would choose to buy one of these new MBP's at these prices?".
So, Apple is on the verge of pricing themselves out of the market in the field I'm in. I imagine for most average consumers, these prices make the MBPs a non starter.....where as before, they could probably "squeeze" into a 13 RMBP.
Personally, I just sold my 2012 15 inch RMBP (i.e. My main work laptop for the past 3 years) two weeks ago and bought a Surface Book to replace it. I found a great deal on a new one ($650 off list) that I couldn't pass up. It fits my needs perfectly and I love it. After seeing the prices of the new MBPs today, I'm especially glad I made the switch.
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i disagree. Apple hasn't updated the Mac Pro in 3 years and the prices have not been lowered despite using 3 year old technology. Normally, component costs get cheaper over time but not at Apple. They are out of touch with reality.
They should have dropped the Macbook's price to $999,-, introduced the new entry-level at $1249,- priced the 13" touchbar MBP at $1499 and the 15" version at $1999,-. They would still have the most expensive Laptop line in the industry, but I'm sure they would attract a lot more people with that pricing.
Also they should overthink their upgrade pricing. $200 for 8 Gigs of RAM is ridicules.
and this is all US pricing. Pretty much anywhere else you're getting royally ****ed by Apple. You're complaining MBPs cost 1 month salary, make this 2, 3 or even more month depending on your location.
Also they should overthink their upgrade pricing. $200 for 8 Gigs of RAM is ridicules.
and this is all US pricing. Pretty much anywhere else you're getting royally ****ed by Apple. You're complaining MBPs cost 1 month salary, make this 2, 3 or even more month depending on your location.
What an arrogant prick Phil Schiller turns out to be. Mac users were always prepared to pay the price for quality, reliable and innovative hardware. But these prices are just ridiculous. I think he and his chums have just been billionaires for way too long. Apple could take most of the hit on this. It wouldn't mean they'd lose on it, it would just mean their margin would be cut a bit. 'Brave' in some instances but not brave enough it seems to not alienate a good percentage of their customers.
Absolutely not true. the refurb is only a 15% discount at the most. Apple does not have low cost options. Show me at least 2.
Yes, there's no clarity in the MacBook line anymore. And no new entry level. I wish they made the MacBook the new entry level at $1099 or preferably $999. Personally, I don't get Apple anymore, and I've been with Apple from the 1990s. I don't get the iPad Pro. Why didn't they just introduce the normal iPad 9.7" with pencil support? That way, all people may benefit from the new technology. Now you have so many different iPads, it's the 1990s all over again. Why not just have three iPad sizes, one name: iPad. I don't even understand why they used the name iPad Air. Keep it simple. Push forward innovation to the masses. And stop selling old stuff: iPad mini 2.
It's a good thing that my Late 2013 13" rMBP is still working very well. 
With such Mac events I might keep it until it dies (hopefully not in next 10 years).
With such Mac events I might keep it until it dies (hopefully not in next 10 years).
Agree.
These clodhoppers are so loaded they must stabilize themselves with 50 dongles not to roll over.
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I also don't get the Touch Bar if they don't start to use it in all Macs. What's the use in developing for it? I get it that you have to start somewhere, but sometimes you just have to boldly push technology forward. Introduce the Touch Bar on the desktop wireless keyboard. Give it to the MacBook. Don't sell an entry level MacBook Pro without the touch bar. Make it standard. Make it so people expect it. Create a buzz for all your Macs and create new interest. Make it so that Apple products, desktop and notebooks, differentiate from the rest of the world of computers. That's the innovation and distinction that Apple needs.
I guess IBM will have to revise its report and state Macs are now $43 cheaper than a PC.
Apple aimed the MacBook Pro to people who use them for work?
Ok maybe I didn't word that quite right. "Use them professionally to make money" is probably a better way to say it.
But I think you know what I meant. Unless they're rich, enthusiasists aren't going to pay $3K for a gimped laptop.
Me too. And, research and development has always cost money but prices within existing lines has remained quite stable. A new model, meant improved specs and additional features at the existing price point. Apple already has huge margins, if they can't afford to reinvest in R&D then we're all in trouble. These increases are just bizarre. If this is the way they're going they're risking destabilising the entire ecosystem. It's disturbingly similar to what nearly brought Apple down the first time. The ecosystem needs sufficient users in it to make developing for the platform worthwhile. If enough people are priced out of it, developers will leave and the business will become unsustainable.
Let's see .... I have a couple of DSLR's and I need a card reader .... but wait! They don't. Have. Them.
Aside the fact they are priced out of my rational range, I would end up having to buy a port expander just like I ended up doing for my rMB.