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Will the 12" Macbook price drop when the new MBP is announced?

anon08

anon08

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 5, 2016
38
31
Hey guys,

I'm looking at making my first apple purchase in a long time. I've only ever owned the original iPod touch and the iPod video. So now I'm thinking I might try the Apple ecosystem and buy a macbook and an iPhone 7.

I want a 12" macbook due to how small it is, and the main thing I'll use it for is browsing and word editing so it's great for me, except the price.

So I'm wondering whether people think it will get cheaper once the new MBP is announced. Or should I just drop the cash on one now? Once a new MBP is announced the 12" MB will no longer be the newest macbook, so maybe it won't be so expensive? I haven't really paid much attention to how apple operates until recently so I don't really have any idea of their approach to pricing.
 
Apple hasn't reduced prices like that before. It's the same price on the day it's released as it is on the day before the next upgrade (sometimes 9 months or a year later).

When there are price adjustments this is usually to reflect long term currency evaluation changes (eg $ v € or $ v £). They seem to happen when new products are launched. In my experience, the prices have only ever gone up.

The only product that had a price reduction that I can remember is the first Apple Watch. It had a price drop about 1 year after it's launch. That was a new product.

My advice to you is to get one now, and get maximum value from it.
 
No, why would it??

It's the current model and Apple very rarely drop those prices I can think of only when the rmbp come out and the cmbp was dropped (mostly).

If they drop the air then it may happen though.
 
It won't drop. But you may save a couple of hundred $ when we hit Black Friday, if it is of worth to you to wait. Also, it will likely go on offer around january.
 
I wouldn't be so sure it won't drop. I would expect the entire lineup to be shuffled around once they finally get around to announcing MBP/Air updates. Depending on exactly what they release it could change the MB's position in the lineup slightly. Even if they don't lower the price outright, I agree that we are coming into the time of year where deals are likely to happen independently.

There are also a number of options available in the refurbished store if you'd like something sooner than later.
 
anon08 said:
Hey guys,

I'm looking at making my first apple purchase in a long time. I've only ever owned the original iPod touch and the iPod video. So now I'm thinking I might try the Apple ecosystem and buy a macbook and an iPhone 7.

I want a 12" macbook due to how small it is, and the main thing I'll use it for is browsing and word editing so it's great for me, except the price.

So I'm wondering whether people think it will get cheaper once the new MBP is announced. Or should I just drop the cash on one now? Once a new MBP is announced the 12" MB will no longer be the newest macbook, so maybe it won't be so expensive? I haven't really paid much attention to how apple operates until recently so I don't really have any idea of their approach to pricing.
Click to expand...

Have you considered a Chromebook instead?
https://www.google.com/chromebook/
 
anon08 said:
So I'm wondering whether people think it will get cheaper once the new MBP is announced. Or should I just drop the cash on one now?
Click to expand...
Why would apple reduce the price of one product when they roll out an update to a different product line? I don't understand the logic. Can you expound upon why this may occur.
 
maflynn said:
Why would apple reduce the price of one product when they roll out an update to a different product line? I don't understand the logic. Can you expound upon why this may occur.
Click to expand...

It all depends on how the new lineup looks. I would expect the new MBP to be considerably smaller and lighter. If they go against expectations here and also update the MBA then there could be considerable new pressure on the rMB that has not previously existed. There have been a ton of sales to people who might prefer an updated Air - or even Pro buyers who want a new, updated Mac of some sort. Depending on how all those new products are spec'ed and priced, it is definitely conceivable that they could adjust the price of the rMB.
 
maflynn said:
Why would apple reduce the price of one product when they roll out an update to a different product line?
Click to expand...

The MacBook Air started out as an expensive "thinner costs more" product that subsequenty dropped in price and became the "entry level" Mac laptop. It is feasible - but far from inevitable - that the 12" Macbook could go the same way.

It partly depends on whether Apple are going to update or drop the MacBook Air - which in turn depends on how the new MacBook Pro 13" compares to the Air in terms of size, weight, battery life and price.
 
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It might drop when they update it. This has happened before when component costs have reduced, particularly SSD prices in recent times.

The MacBook Air reduced prices with updates as it became easier to manufacture the cutting edge design over time. I expect the same with the new MacBook.
 
maflynn said:
Why would apple reduce the price of one product when they roll out an update to a different product line? I don't understand the logic. Can you expound upon why this may occur.
Click to expand...

I am not really sure of how Apple logic would work. But basically the way I see it, the current 12" is a new design etc but soon will be a couple years old so not really fresh. The current rMBP is an old design. So my thought is that Apple can charge more for a new laptop simply because it is a fresh design etc. When the new mbp comes out then the 12" will be not so new and the mbp will be new. So it would not make sense for them to have basically the same price for the macbook and the macbook pro when they both have new designs and the pro has better internals.

But from what most of you are saying, the pro will likely see a bump in price and the 12" will remain the same. So now I'm thinking I might pick up the 2015 12" MB refurb and use that for a couple years until I see a refresh good enough to upgrade to...
 
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