[Knillagrarp]

/thread

As to jebediah_bill's comment:

1. What makes the Apple build quality so "superior" when it comes to their computer systems? Are you going to tell me, like so many other Apple zombies that if you take Part A from Company A out of an Apple, it's better than Part A from Company A out of a PC?

A machine is more than the sum of its parts. I thought you were supposed to know about technology? Loads of PCs have different levels of build quality but guess what...they use the same OEM parts in a lot of cases!

[Tyncneiff]

you are so funny..[thumbdown]
if you want to describe me..
i'm one who puts function over form, not the other way around. if people want it thats fine with me.. i could care less. i like things that work and are upgradeable not "flashy", "hip" or any other funky term you want to use. I have no need to go stand in line to be "cool". i'd rather have it delivered..
i am thrifty, not a spendthrift..
try that instead of implying i'm an appalachian red neck like you..

*couldn't care less

[Soypopetype]

Which products? Their smartphones cost about the same as others, their tablets are around the same price (and cheaper in quite a few instances), their laptops cost around the same as the top of the range ones from Dell, Sony, HP etc (which is what they are pitched against).

Why are people happy to pay more for a premium brand car but think a premium brand computing product is ridiculous? Or are you actually entertaining the notion that a macbook pro should cost about the same as a Dell Studio laptop? If so, you're obviously completely mad.

I am speaking primarily about their notebooks as evidenced by my comments about the MacBook Pro. About comparing them to other manufacturers, you may say they cost the same but there is no way you can claim that their performance is the same. 1800 dollars for a BASE model 15 inch notebook is outrageously expensive.

Yes that, not to mention inferior build quality, no multi-touch trackpad, no back lit keyboard, inferior battery life. Just because it has similar specs it does not make it an equal competitor.

Apple MacBook Pro's are not the only notebooks to include multi-touch trackpads and back-lit keyboards. Inferior build quality is debatable.

[Tyncneiff]

Why don't Apple make a £750 iMac? It must be possible. Starting at over £1000 must kill off a huge proportion of possible sales.

[Knillagrarp]

Why don't Apple make a £750 iMac? It must be possible. Starting at over £1000 must kill off a huge proportion of possible sales.

For the same reason that BMW don't make a 10 grand 3 series. Their marketing works hard to perceive them as a premium brand. They don't want to de-value that.

[Hsmrcahr]

Why don't Apple make a £750 iMac? It must be possible. Starting at over £1000 must kill off a huge proportion of possible sales.

Do you have any idea how bloody expensive the Apple logo is? I here it is made from an extremely rare element that comes from another planet outside our own solar system. I think Apple has done brilliantly to cut costs down so much as to make their products affordable.

[pesty4077]

Overall I think Apples penetration is a good thing. Here are some things to think about...

Consumers now demand that software work multi platform. Many people who own an iPhone are PC users, but some are also converting to Mac. I see more development in multi platform standards. Examples like HTML5 and browsers that are not IE, and even Steam supports Mac for games. There is pressure to make sure that closed software is multi platform. Like MS Exchange works on iphone, which previously might have been an MS only thing.
There is innovation coming from both Apple and non Apple products that are keeping things in check. Apple has made some good innovation, so it's good that the open community are hitting back.
I don't think Apples penetration is overly worrying yet, it's good that they are going strong. I'm sure if Apple stop innovating then eventually it will become evident and they will lose popularity.

[exchpaypalgold]

There's definitely an element of them being a bit of a fashion accessory as well.

I always thought Apple products were aimed at females mostly, some of the stuff like the old i-macs and several macbooks look way too feminine. Apple does do a great job on marketing I will give them that, it took a while for Android to catch up IOS and surpass it.

[TEFSADDERFISA]

JoseyWales is just a windup artist, right?

[xgnuwdd]

JoseyWales is just a windup artist, right?

Better explanation:


Gnius, this post is dedicated to you.

[Tyncneiff]

For the same reason that BMW don't make a 10 grand 3 series. Their marketing works hard to perceive them as a premium brand. They don't want to de-value that.

Well maybe. But you could look at it like.... it's the reason Audi made an A1 and BMW are in the process of making something smaller than a 1 series. Because the brand will sell products for them because people want their badge on their cars. And the price makes that available to more people.

[bixlewlyimila]

I always thought Apple products were aimed at females mostly, some of the stuff like the old i-macs and several macbooks look way too feminine. Apple does do a great job on marketing I will give them that, it took a while for Android to catch up IOS and surpass it.

I don't believe iOS has been surpassed, yet. Hence why I have one, I also don't believe i'm the only person that believes that.

The funny thing is, I had to root my Android device to get it to do what I wanted... sound familiar?

Both OS's are in similar territories, it's as simple as that.

[Knillagrarp]

Well maybe. But you could look at it like.... it's the reason Audi made an A1 and BMW are in the process of making something smaller than a 1 series. Because the brand will sell products for them because people want their badge on their cars. And the price makes that available to more people.

True, but those models are still premium priced competition for the segment they are in. If you start doing a 3 series for the cost of a golf then you'll sell lots of cheaper ones but lose a lot of customers who bought one for the cachet.

It's not quite the same in the computing arena, but the fact is that there is a lot of badge snobbery among Apple. I'll happily admit that I like having a premium product and will pay extra for it. Before OverHead Projector chimes in with some drivel about it being a waste of money and I'm stupid for spending it I'll give him two things to consider.

1) It's my money and I'll spend it on whatever makes me enjoy life more.
2) He obviously puckers up tighter than a mallards rectum at the thought of opening his wallet.

[Tyncneiff]

I think Overhead Projector would just call you a bender tbh.

[FYvWldC0]

I agree that Apple's desktops are over priced (£2000 for what is basically Quad core SATA server is a bit of a joke when you can get 8 core SAS servers from HP for less using generally the same componants), but their portable products are pretty competitive.

But then Apple has a very different company culture compared to most others out there (with the possible exception of Nintendo). They saw that all the MP3 players at the turn of the century were lacking in so many ways, so came out with the iPod. Then they saw mobile phones starting to compete with the iPod, so came out with the iPhone. But instead of just putting Mac OS X on a phone (like MS did with Windows Mobile), they came out with a completely new interface that was designed for touch. Then when Apple shows how something should be done, everyone else spends the next few years trying to catch up until Apple decide to move onto the next new idea.

So people can complain about them and it would be a crap world if they ever had a monopoly (they would behave even worse than MS), but without them, technology wouldn't be anywhere near as good as it is today.

[i32I7qyH]

1) It's my money and I'll spend it on whatever makes me enjoy life more.

That sums the arguments up perfectly!
If you see it as worth the money, buy it, if you don't, don't! Simple enough even for the folks here to understand.

As I said earlier, my biggest concern would be the aftermarket service but some don't care about that. One of my cousins is an Apple fanatic, when his lappie screen packed up (common fault), the Apple dealer part price was nearly double the alternative supplier's cost for the same part but, in the end, he just decided to buy a new one as it was 'old'. I think that sums up some of the Apple buyers quite well.

It was his money, but wisely spent? For him it was.

[TEFSADDERFISA]

That sums the arguments up perfectly!
If you see it as worth the money, buy it, if you don't, don't! Simple enough even for the folks here to understand.

As I said earlier, my biggest concern would be the aftermarket service but some don't care about that. One of my cousins is an Apple fanatic, when his lappie screen packed up (common fault), the Apple dealer part price was nearly double the alternative supplier's cost for the same part but, in the end, he just decided to buy a new one as it was 'old'. I think that sums up some of the Apple buyers quite well.

It was his money, but wisely spent? For him it was.

Last night my friend dropped my iPad 2 and shattered the screen. I went into the Apple store today, with no receipt, no box, bought it from Best Buy, they cracked open a brand new one and handed it over, no charge.

[Buhoutsoupfap]

In a field of daisies a few roses sure do stand out. Doesn't mean the daises are any less remarkable.

[xgnuwdd]

Ok, new angle... how about this?

Apple caters to a attention-deprived, next-best seeking customer-base. Their products are designed to be disposable and they seem to be one of the few industry leaders that is moving away from environmental concerns. As far as I know, this is all they have for a safe disposal.

If you single out the lack of battery replacement on Apple products, you can say that this promotes a shorter usable life; what is going to happen to all the current iPads, iPods, MacBooks, and iPhones in five years?

[Knillagrarp]

That sums the arguments up perfectly!
If you see it as worth the money, buy it, if you don't, don't! Simple enough even for the folks here to understand.

As I said earlier, my biggest concern would be the aftermarket service but some don't care about that. One of my cousins is an Apple fanatic, when his lappie screen packed up (common fault), the Apple dealer part price was nearly double the alternative supplier's cost for the same part but, in the end, he just decided to buy a new one as it was 'old'. I think that sums up some of the Apple buyers quite well.

It was his money, but wisely spent? For him it was.

AppleCare is pretty cheap and always worth buying for a laptop / desktop.