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Apple this week unveiled its latest product, a hardbound photo book that showcases 20 years of Apple products, highlighting every Mac, iPhone, iPod, and iPad released between 1998 and 2015.

Because it's positioned as an art piece, Apple's "Designed by Apple in California" book costs a jaw dropping $200 to $300 depending on size, so we thought we'd take a look inside to see just what you're getting for that price tag.


Aside from a dedication page dedicating the book to former Apple CEO Steve Jobs, a foreword by Apple design chief Jony Ive, and an insert with product descriptions, the book is text-free, filled with large, high-quality images of Apple products. There are 450 images in total, with multiple photographs of each item to highlight its design process. It starts with the 1998 iMac, one of the first products Ive designed at Apple, and ends with the 2015 Apple Pencil.

According to Apple, it took eight years to design the linen-bound hardcover book, which features specially milled, custom-dyed paper with "gilded matte silver edges," and low-ghost ink. As can be seen in the video, the book is of the highest quality with gorgeous photographs, but its price limits its appeal to the general public.

"Designed by Apple in California" can only be purchased from the online Apple Store and at select Apple retail locations around the world. It's priced at $199 for a 10.2x12.8 inch version, and $299 for a 13x16.3 inch version.

Article Link: Here's a Look Inside Apple's New $200 Photo Book
 
Some people complain that Apple did this.

Well... which other tech company could actually do this?

At least you laugh about the price tag, and not because it's empty

Apple made a book because they can.

They actually have something of value to put in it.
 
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I've seen a lot of flack for the price of this book, but really it's on par with low-print-run, high quality art books designed for institutional use. Since this is chiefly a design/art book, I think the price is fine. It's not meant to be a mass-market book. There are other similar books out there if you're interested in that.
 
The only way I can see this being worth that much, is if they decided to include photos of future products that have not yet been launched. That could merit the steep price tag. Unless the pages are infused with diamond grains.
 
They developed their own inks and commissioned custom paper designs for the book to more carefully represent the real-world colours of the products and in particular show 'whites' (white product on white page) more accurately. This book isn't for everyone, but I guarantee those here who are not buying it are the ones complaining. Such is adolescence.
 
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I've seen a lot of flack for the price of this book, but really it's on par with low-print-run, high quality art books designed for institutional use. Since this is chiefly a design/art book, I think the price is fine. It's not meant to be a mass-market book. There are other similar books out there if you're interested in that.

As a book in the category you mentioned you're right however they are going to have them in regular quantity and in many stores. It's a confusing product.
 
I've seen a lot of flack for the price of this book, but really it's on par with low-print-run, high quality art books designed for institutional use. Since this is chiefly a design/art book, I think the price is fine. It's not meant to be a mass-market book. There are other similar books out there if you're interested in that.

But none of this "art" is new! This is recycled product marketing images that Apple has taken over the past 20 years and is now printing out.

The best example I can think of is if Nintendo priced its NES Classic for $300.
 
I think it's kind of cool. It's like a final nod to Steve Jobs. By putting all of the products he hand crafted into one book, including the final ones that he affected, even after his death, it packages up his legacy in one simple book.

I'd like to own one of these but I'm not sure if I'll be willing to shell out that kind of money.

Perhaps I'll find one of these on Amazon at half price in a few years? ;)
 
The only way I can see this being worth that much, is if they decided to include photos of future products that have not yet been launched. That could merit the steep price tag. Unless the pages are infused with diamond grains.

Well concept drawings, prototype and production pics could have been interesting, too.
Seems like it's really just pictures of their articles.

The introduction movie was more interesting.
 
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Just reposting my comment from the last article (about the lightbulb ad):
This is shockingly self important; even for Apple.

And to be clear, it's not that they made a book; it's everything around how they made the book.

kind of how I see it, that and their show "revenge of the Apps" or whatever it's called

It's Self referential Meta. it's "Look how amazing we are, see, we're awesome, why? because we are! thats why. so here's a bunch of photos we've collected of our own awesomeness over the last decade, that you can now buy so you too, can tell us how awesome we are"


want to impress me? Don't release a rehashed photobook (i'm not actually against photobooks), but drop the meta self referential back patting. it's getting tiring, and just further exemplifies the divide between consumer and what the Cabal believes people want.
 
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