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Apple’s $1000 monitor stand is a massive and unnecessary PR fail

9to5mac.com

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Re: Apple’s $1000 monitor stand is a massive and unnecessary PR fail

#81

Post by WalterSear »

mcphage wrote: post #40
save_ferris wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was somewhat surprised with their entire Mac Pro strategy. With a base tower configuration starting at $6k (about twice what I was expecting), they seemed to signal a shift in what they consider a “pro” user to be. They’re pretty clearly chasing after the commercial, high-end computing market, but they’ve kinda left the high-end consumer market behind in some ways. Still no definitive fix to the fly switch keyboard…

> What’s the point in mass-marketing it? It felt like watching a marketing video to buy an airplane or something. It's because sites like this have been complaining for years that Apple has left the Pro market behind. This was their response to that. And now this site is switching to complaining that Apple's definition of "Pro" is too "Pro" for us.

It's not pro at all.

This is a homer car made of money.

Re: Apple’s $1000 monitor stand is a massive and unnecessary PR fail

#82

Post by heavymark »

I imagine many will be using the Vesa mount in this market, so if they did what you recommend, then I imagine people would have been much more upset that they are paying for a 1K stand they will never use, which would have been even worse. From a PR perspective people might not have made that connection right away, but shortly after the event still would have been horrible reaction, since its one thing it itemized its another thing to charge 1K more for no extra value. Now what they should do is the same thing they do with iMac, is sell a version with the stand for 6K and one with vesa for 5200. Problem solved, no PR issue. The reason they didnt presumably is they have no idea how many want vesa vs not vesa so they may end up with a lot of unused inventory or not enough of one. And of course makes logistics for making and selling harder, etc, but I think had they known the reaction they may have considered it. They will probably ride it out but if it continues they will simply switch to that iMac method of selling it.

Re: Apple’s $1000 monitor stand is a massive and unnecessary PR fail

#83

Post by heavymark »

save_ferris wrote: post #28
seibelj wrote: post #6

I don’t understand why they announced the stand during the keynote at all. It’s not something to be proud of and it isn’t cutting-edge technology. They could have just put it for sale quietly and the outrage would have been far less.

I was somewhat surprised with their entire Mac Pro strategy. With a base tower configuration starting at $6k (about twice what I was expecting), they seemed to signal a shift in what they consider a “pro” user to be. They’re pretty clearly chasing after the commercial, high-end computing market, but they’ve kinda left the high-end consumer market behind in some ways. Still no definitive fix to the fly switch keyboard…

They said all along that the Mac Pro would be for users that the iMac Pro isn't powerful enough. Since the iMac Pro maxes out pretty high, a 3K base Mac Pro would make absolutely not sense as thats not even iMac Pro entry pricing but rather typical pricing for a consumer iMac.

Re: Apple’s $1000 monitor stand is a massive and unnecessary PR fail

#84

Post by toyg »

happytoexplain wrote: post #72
toyg wrote: post #16

ITT: people who don't know how luxury branding works. Without the stand, all headlines would have been on how Apple finally listened and produced a great MacPro - something only us geeks care about. Whereas this $1k-stand trolling generates mainstream headlines which reinforce the luxury-brand image that actually makes them the big money. It's entirely possible that people will now buy this monitor even if they don't…

The articles are about how this hurts their PR. The threads may be full of people who "don't get it", but the key point is that the threads are full of them, providing strong evidence for the thesis. Your assertion is a little like Skinner blaming the children.

“People writing angry posts on the internet” is not Apple’s target market, it never has been. People like us are like a bull to Apple marketing’s matador: we run after the red flag so that the matador can do his job for public enjoyment.

Re: Apple’s $1000 monitor stand is a massive and unnecessary PR fail

#85

Post by toyg »

aloer wrote: post #44

my personal take on this: Apple did not want people to talk about other things introduced or not introduced at WWDC. With so much attention from non-developers for a developer event, they need to carefully handle expectations until the hardware event in fall, with its focus on the general public, will hopefully introduce the amazing new things everyone always expects. This year was not a disappointment for sure but t…

To me that sounded more of a message to his own workers, to be honest: “I know you work unhealthy hours, but you get to be a part of this! Take a bow!”

Which is a troubling message, normalizing exploitation, but is perfectly in line with contemporary executive-think.

Re: Apple’s $1000 monitor stand is a massive and unnecessary PR fail

#86

Post by nacs »

jablan wrote: post #57
wongarsu wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While the screen seems decently priced (though hard to tell before reviews), the base configuration of the new Mac Pro is at $6k at least twice as expensive as it has any right to be, and much more expensive than previous base models. And given how low-specced that base model is and how expensive Apple upgrade always are compared to normal market prices we can expect the Mac Pro to be at least twice as expensive as c…

> The price for the phone likely has to be this low That sounds as if you are saying the iPhone is cheap.

There's lots of $1000 phones now. As with most Apple phone changes, the other OEMs and users complain at first ("no more headphone jack!", the iPhone-X front screen bevel) then end up doing it themselves.

And let's not forget some go higher than the iPhones like the $2000 Samsung Galaxy Fold.

Also, Apple always makes older gen phones available if you're price sensitive -- the iPhone 7 (and 8) is available starting at $300 on their site for example.

Re: Apple’s $1000 monitor stand is a massive and unnecessary PR fail

#87

Post by basch »

heavymark wrote: post #83
save_ferris wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was somewhat surprised with their entire Mac Pro strategy. With a base tower configuration starting at $6k (about twice what I was expecting), they seemed to signal a shift in what they consider a “pro” user to be. They’re pretty clearly chasing after the commercial, high-end computing market, but they’ve kinda left the high-end consumer market behind in some ways. Still no definitive fix to the fly switch keyboard…

They said all along that the Mac Pro would be for users that the iMac Pro isn't powerful enough. Since the iMac Pro maxes out pretty high, a 3K base Mac Pro would make absolutely not sense as thats not even iMac Pro entry pricing but rather typical pricing for a consumer iMac.

Not everyone is a fan of having to buy a new screen every time they get a new computer.

Re: Apple’s $1000 monitor stand is a massive and unnecessary PR fail

#88

Post by karmakaze »

save_ferris wrote: post #28
seibelj wrote: post #6

I don’t understand why they announced the stand during the keynote at all. It’s not something to be proud of and it isn’t cutting-edge technology. They could have just put it for sale quietly and the outrage would have been far less.

I was somewhat surprised with their entire Mac Pro strategy. With a base tower configuration starting at $6k (about twice what I was expecting), they seemed to signal a shift in what they consider a “pro” user to be. They’re pretty clearly chasing after the commercial, high-end computing market, but they’ve kinda left the high-end consumer market behind in some ways. Still no definitive fix to the fly switch keyboard…

> What’s the point in mass-marketing it? It felt like watching a marketing video to buy an airplane or something.

That's exactly what this is. It may sell some units to professionals and high end consumers but it's main value is establishing Apple at the top of the consumer pyramid which works to move all their other products. I remember getting my import Alfa Romeo serviced at the dealer where they also sell Ferraris. It was fun except for paying the same hourly rates.

Re: Apple’s $1000 monitor stand is a massive and unnecessary PR fail

#89

Post by buchanan »

heavymark wrote: post #82

I imagine many will be using the Vesa mount in this market, so if they did what you recommend, then I imagine people would have been much more upset that they are paying for a 1K stand they will never use, which would have been even worse. From a PR perspective people might not have made that connection right away, but shortly after the event still would have been horrible reaction, since its one thing it itemized it…

For that situation, i think they can market it as $6k monitor. For vesa, get the addon mount for $200. Basically, don't separately price the stand.

The way that its currently broken out is quite puzzling. As a fun conjecture, perhaps they are planning a range lower spec monitors and want to upsell the stand.

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