Gooberlx2
Lifer
- May 4, 2001
- 15,381
- 6
- 91
Yeah, but those are poor examples in the context of this thread. We're talking average users, not net-admins.
Apple makes a "computer" that has an operating system which performs various tasks. So does dell. To most "normal" people, as this thread is calling them, they're more concerned with price. Nothing about lowering their price says that apple would have to lower its standards or quality. Maybe the profit margin per unit would decrease but I bet they'd sell enough to make up for it and then some.
Apple makes a nice computer with a nice OS, I don't think too many people dispute that anymore. I'd love to have one. But it's simply not affordable. I can invest into the "PC/Windows platform" and accomplish the same stuff, for far less money, than the apple alternative.
I think that the prices aren't too bad. Certainly much better than the introductory 1799$ previous iMac.
Widescreen 17" LCD @ 1440 x 900 (all i see for sale are 1280x768)
A 1.6 GHz G5 (what, about the same as a Barton ~2000 or A64 @ 1.7GHz, i'm guessing)
256 mem (ok, this isn't too great)
FX5200 Ultra (could have been better)
CD burner, dvd player, wireless built in, a kickass design and Mac OS X
all for $1199 (student discount) it would have been much better if it was 999, but oh well.
I don't play games on my computer anymore (thanks to the pc game companies) so I really have no reason to use x86.
Widescreen 17" LCD @ 1440 x 900 (all i see for sale are 1280x768)
A 1.6 GHz G5 (what, about the same as a Barton ~2000 or A64 @ 1.7GHz, i'm guessing)
256 mem (ok, this isn't too great)
FX5200 Ultra (could have been better)
CD burner, dvd player, wireless built in, a kickass design and Mac OS X
all for $1199 (student discount) it would have been much better if it was 999, but oh well.
I don't play games on my computer anymore (thanks to the pc game companies) so I really have no reason to use x86.
OS X on an x86 based PC not controlled wholly by Apple would be suicide.
Most of it isn't proprietary.
Won't happen, wouldn't work, thanks for playing.
Average users aren't important. What is the profit margin per unit on the iBook? Powerbook? PowerMac? iMac? eMac?
Gooberlx2
Lifer
- May 4, 2001
- 15,381
- 6
- 91
I wouldn't have the slightest idea. But if average users aren't important, then they sure do alot of wasteful advertising that seems marketed towards students and the middle class. And apple sure doesn't seem to have any kind of strangle-hold on the server market....and the corps I've seen/worked for (as well as univs) have all used Windows based solutions for their networks.
....so who exactly is important to Apple?
Students aren't exactly just average users. What's important to Apple? What other company does Steve own?
If we're talking about "normal" people here, then Apple's high prices on just about everything are holding it back from gaining a much greater market share. The higher prices don't only extend to hardware though, as Mac software tends to be more expensive than it's PC counterpart. Ditto for other hardware like Airports. Apple seems to put a sort of "luxury" type premium on all of its stuff.
If the current lowest level G5 iMac was available for $899 or even $949 at a place like Walmart, Apple would make an absolute killing.
If the current lowest level G5 iMac was available for $899 or even $949 at a place like Walmart, Apple would make an absolute killing.
they would have to start charging $499 for each copy of the OS and it probably wouldnt Just Work(tm) anymore.
instead you can get one copy OS X for $129(theres no crappy home and pro edition either) or 5 of them for $199
when the apple clones came out oh so long ago it killed apple, thats when jobs took over.
the most important thing to apple is the users they have, thats who they cater too. they are trying to make everything as good as possible for the people who use their machines, ya sure, that costs more then half assed taiwaness crap pushed out every 3 months, but apple machines last longer too.
Gooberlx2
Lifer
- May 4, 2001
- 15,381
- 6
- 91
I disagree. I'd say most students ARE average users, especially 'cause they're a demographic for whom a significant percentage will buy a new computer when going off to college, or purchasing a new one during their time as a student. Many kids ride off their folks and/or loans/scholarships = disposable income for new computers. However, they're still a frugal demographic.
If you're talking about Pixar, all I can say is that it would seem to me that alot of money is also to be made by catering to the financial status of "normal" people and offering options they can afford. As opposed to riding only on Hollywood. I remember when SGI machines were all the rage in hollywood and the CG world (atleast it was all I ever heard about). A new trend/innovation could come around which knocks apple out of the game as well. And Hollywood is exactly the industry which CAN afford to upgrade/scrap/switch all its machines in a year.
the eMac doesn't have the sexiness that the iMac has, and "normal" people would come in to a Walmart, look at the eMac (1.25Ghz), then look at a cheaper PC (1.6Ghz) and think, "hmmm, better for less, i'm buying the PC". eMac also doesn't come with an Office Suite at it's lowest prices (most PCs come with Works).
If the iMac was on the shelves at a lower price with specs comparable to those of the cheapo PCs, it would more than likely fly off the shelves. Well, actually, it would be interesting to see what the average joe would choose if presented with an equilly equipped Mac and PC.
TRENDING THREADS
-
Discussion Zen 5 Speculation (EPYC Turin and Strix Point/Granite Ridge - Ryzen 9000)- Started by DisEnchantment
- Replies: 25K
-
Discussion Intel Meteor, Arrow, Lunar & Panther Lakes + WCL Discussion Threads
- Started by Tigerick
- Replies: 22K
-
News NVIDIA and Intel to Develop AI Infrastructure and Personal Computing Products- Started by poke01
- Replies: 384
-
Discussion Intel current and future Lakes & Rapids thread- Started by TheF34RChannel
- Replies: 23K
Facebook
Twitter