I don't believe Tim has done anything different in terms of pricing. In Canada, the prices have fluctuated always fluctuated with the US exchange rate, as far back as 2006 when I bought my first MacBook. In that time, prices fell and increased again due to the exchange rate. I would love for Macs to be 30% cheaper like they were several years ago, but that is how things work, don't fault Apple for not cutting into their margins. They are a business, not a charity.
I will repeat what I said, in different words.
1. Mac pricing in India has got nothing to do with currency fluctuation. There was a time, when I bought my MacBook Pro in 2011, when US pricing in dollars converted to Indian Rupees was roughly the MRP of the product in India, increased only by $200 roughly, across board. I am not stupid, do not assume people on MR to be stupid. I did not just talk about high prices that were a result of currency fluctuation.
Let me give you a clear example, taken from your own country, maybe you will understand what I am talking about. MBP 2016 13" with TB, 256GB model, stock, is priced at CAD2399.
What I said:
- CAD2399 = Rs. 1,16,xxx.
- But, that model is priced in India at Rs. 1,46,000, equating to CAD3000.
My Late 2011 15" 2.4GHz stock model was priced in USD at 2200.
Pricing in India was Rs. 1,24,900 equating to USD 2400 at the conversion rate in Oct-Nov 2011.
This is not currency fluctuation, this is different pricing. See? Apple had a extra margin of $200 for MacBooks sold in India. Same was for iPhones. $200 more than US retail pricing. THIS IS NOT CURRENCY FLUCTUATION.
Today, that EXTRA margin stands at over $1,000 which is insane. I am not saying they are not free to charge it. They can charge whatever the hell they want to. My point was something else, twisted and brought down by you to something so meagre as me being a bad boy crying foul at Apple. I was not.
What You said:
You said the prices are due to currency fluctuation. So according to you a CAD2399 MBP should be equivalently priced, right? It is higher only because of fluctuation? Well here are stats:
- 1 Canadian Dollar in 2011 was Rs. 49.42. So, this MBP 2016 priced at CAD2399 would be Rs. 1,18,xxx in 2011.
- 1 Canadian Dollar today is Rs. 48.59. So, MBP 2016 at CAD2399 is Rs. 1,16,xxx today.
FACT: This MBP is Rs. 1,45,900 as I said, equating to CAD3,000. So... not currency fluctuation. I hope you get it now.
2. Next, I said, that today, the price margins have been inflated so much that the MBP 15" is double of what I bought it in 2011, and it is NOT costing just a currency conversion anymore. I MERELY stated a fact. I did not say anything about bad Apple or rotten Apple or Apple sucks or Tim should step down or anything to that effect. My response about Tim being "finance guy" was strictly in conversation with/response to and context of
@turbineseaplane, who said "but an Ops and Finance guy *
really* cares) and so many of the moves around the various products lines have really been efforts to simply increase margins and ASP's and extra little nickel and dime charges, seemingly in a priority above all else at times." and he was not wrong to say this. This was all a simple lighthearted conversation and I am sure he got what I was saying, as did I what he was saying. I responded by telling him that $200 extra that we had to pay over the US retail pricing has now shot up to over $1100, and this is not currency fluctuation, this is just charging more. China is right next door to us, nothing can ship to US faster than it can ship to India from China, and nothing can cost less for Apple to ship to India than to ship to US, as India and China are neighbours. So, instead of having at least same pricing give or take some, like $200, we are at over $1100 today, which is way too much.
So, with that said, what are you talking about me "faulting" Apple for not cutting margins? When did I say that? There is no margin cutting involved. Pricing in the US includes everything, right? All margins, all shipping. Surely shipping costs are far less to India. So, instead of CAD2399 for Canada, it could very well be CAD1999 for India. Did my post make any mention to such effect? So why point a finger?
Lastly, is that all that you got from my post? Is that all you choose to single out and point your finger at? I also praised Tim for advocating user privacy rights, no comments from you on that, and on my praising that? When you single out something seemingly negative in my comments, isn't it only fair that you then choose to also refer and opine on the positive that I said? This only leads me to think you just wanted to point your finger at something and someone, that's it, and found me saying something you could use.
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Doesn't India have some steep tariffs on goods not at least partially made in India?
The "import duty" is there, but that figure has not changed to the best of my knowledge. Another example, that tells how much the duties might be, and corroborated by another company's figures:
Sigma 150-600 HSM Contemporary Lens USD 1089 retail. In Rupees, this is roughly Rs. 73,000 today. MRP of this lens in India is Rs. 88,900 meaning roughly USD1325. So, Sigma also inflates prices roughly $200, give or take some. This is the real deal that companies might be paying on electronics, in way of duties.
Now, this lens is available with a rebate of $100 in US, bringing it down to $989. What is the cost of this lens on Amazon in India? Rs. 66,xxx. In USD, this is roughly $1,000. So, very comparable to US pricing.
So, even with the import duties, companies are able to keep the pricing relatively fair and square across the world. Prices vary because of the duties and taxes, and that's it. Apple in Canada is $2399, it should have been $2599 or say $2699 here in India after duties. But, it is $3,000. Again, I am not saying they are wrong to do this. They are free to price their products however they want to. That is their choice. I, like I said, was responding to
@turbineseaplane and telling him of the "extra" pricing here in India by Apple, a practice they always engaged in, then stopped engaging in for a period, and have now started engaging in again.
Do you know, an iPhone 5s 64GB retail was Rs. 72,000 in India? That is $1150 on September 30, 2013. Price in US was $849. So, about $250-300 higher.
Today, iPhone 7 is $749 for 128GB in USA. In India, it is $1045 roughly. So, again, about the same $200-300 window.
Just not as inflated as the MacBook pricing today.
That's one for the 15" 
