Different article, but accessible to non-subscribers: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3ryj81ywlro
Apple raises prices of MacBooks, iPads
231–240 of 1001 posts
Re: Apple raises prices of MacBooks, iPads
#232Forgive me because I do not understand the supply chain for memory. With Micron et al effectively scalping their customers with an oligopoly on probably the lowest intellectual IP in the chain, does this not guarantee 10 years from now a) We are either overbuilt as hyperscalers cut capex, or b) hyperscalers vertically integrate. Or is it truly that hard to make memory?
And if that is not true, perhaps it isn't really a commodity at all.
Honestly Jassey, Zuck and Tim Apple are prob on the phone with Donnie. If oil companies are “gouging,” what is 85% margins on memory, threatening the whole bull run and raising compute, Killing AI, and raising iPhone/computer pricing? Countdown to DOJ antitrust case is ticking.
To be clear: I understand how markets work, Im just quoting Donald Trump's tweet from yesterday calling oil companies gouging, and I predict government intervention and polital pressures regardless of economic realities.
Re: Apple raises prices of MacBooks, iPads
#233As an app developer, having to eat an ever increasing Mac hardware cost upfront may push people like me to just focus on Android.
Re: Apple raises prices of MacBooks, iPads
#234Expect this trend to continue -- firms have delayed price adjustments to avoid retaliation from Trump as doing so would draw attention to Trump's many inflationary policies. Now all of the businesses who use Apple products as an input are more likely to raise their own prices, etc. This is how inflation happens across the economy. Trade war leads to price increases on Apple's inputs, Apple has to raise prices, etc.
As much as I despise trump's administration, isn't this more because of AI farms pressure onto the semiconductor forges?
Re: Apple raises prices of MacBooks, iPads
#235Man, if there was anyone that could weather the storm with their thick memory margins (at least on upgrades), it should have been Apple.
I think the AI companies are so motivated (desperate) it just puts all the existing rules and contracts at risk. The Apple supply chain has always had aggressive contracts and commitments... for normal times.
Re: Apple raises prices of MacBooks, iPads
#236I've been dragging my feet on upgrading my M1 Air, guess now I'm just going to wait a bit longer. Truth be told, it's still sufficient for web dev but I figured at ~5 years old I should upgrade it..
Pfft. It's been 6 years, they just introduced a shittier version, and it's a smash hit. Most ahead-of-its-time computer ever made.
Re: Apple raises prices of MacBooks, iPads
#237Still no 256GB or 512GB Studio models at any price. 96 is the max for any Studio configuration on apple.com right now.
Re: Apple raises prices of MacBooks, iPads
#238This feels like the car market during COVID.
In December Best Buy had a $1999 configuration of the M5 MacBook Pro on sale for $1749 and I scooped one up. Now that model is $2199. I suspect I could sell the computer I've been using for 6 months at a profit, which is just bizarre. But then of course it would cost a lot if I wanted to replace it.
Re: Apple raises prices of MacBooks, iPads
#239Man, if there was anyone that could weather the storm with their thick memory margins (at least on upgrades), it should have been Apple.
Alternatively, they're launching improved products soon (like the rumored touch-screen OLED MacBook), and they want to raise prices now to (a) discourage people from buying last-gen tech ahead of increased prices for next-gen tech, and (b) give the new prices enough time to simmer in the consumer consciousness before launching the next-gen tech, to dull the shock of the price increase for next-gen tech.
Re: Apple raises prices of MacBooks, iPads
#240The M5 Max 128GB RAM MBP I was eyeing went up by $1600. Thankfully Amazon and some other retailers haven’t updated their prices yet, so I immediately picked one up this morning.