Category: Technology Author : Duncan Riley Posted: October 8, 2008
Tags : Apple
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TIP: Apple to launch $800 laptop

Update: Laptops are out. DETAILS HERE. There is a sub $1000 laptop. Details of this tip turned out to be inaccurate. The price list existed, the first item was a $899 monitor, not a laptop.

Original post:

Some Apple retailers in the United States have been given price lists for a new Apple laptop line, and there’s a big surprise: an $800 laptop. The information comes from a source we would categorize as reliable, would have access to such information, and who has been accurate in the past.

According to the source, Apple retail stores have been given price sheets that list 12 price points for the new range, with prices between $800-$3100. Current lines only have 8 price points, 3 Macbooks starting at $1099, 3 Macbook Pros and 2 Macbook Airs. According to the source, retail outlets usually get the price lists 10 days before products hit the market. Technical specs for the new laptops were not included on the price sheet.

An $800 laptop would be the first sub-$1000 laptop offered by Apple, and would signal a shift from Cupertino to target a broader range of price sensitive customers for the first time. Whether this laptop is a sub-laptop or ultra-portable we simply don’t know, it could be Apple more aggressively pricing their new Macbook range, or it could be a completely new laptop altogether, presumably utilizing the much discussed “Apple Brick” manufacturing process (pic above). What we do know is that there will be four additional price points, so unless the updated versions of existing lines are offered with more options, we would presume that Apple may actually launch an entirely new laptop.

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Kevin C. Tofel

Some might be surprised but if folks knew what to look for, they might have seen this coming: http://www.jkontherun.com/2008/10/3-reasons-wel...

Louis Gray

I certainly hope this is true. Apple knows how to innovate through downturns.

Mat Packer

I would kill for an ultra portable Apple laptop.

Paul

Cool - while everyone is trying to keep their pants up in a volatile economy, Apple sneaks in and grabs market share.

arn

not to rain on any parades... but Apple retailers don't typically get price lists 10 days in advance.

Ryo

Hmm, lets see if Jobso is finally coming back to the ground. But I doubt it, that Apple brings a $800 Laptop with much technical goodies, other that Gadgets and lifestyle stuff. Might be a "cool" bubble again. But when it's a new, powerful netbook, small and long-life battery, it might hit the markets.

don

It;s probably a new line. Apple is unlikely to give up their "good, better, best" offering mantra. So 8 to 12 says new line.

bradg60

Mr. Riley,

You write in your article, "An $800 laptop would be the first sub-$1000 laptop offered by Apple..."

Doh! You need to check your facts a little better.

Apple released a $999 G3 iBook on November 6, 2002 - almost SIX years ago.

http://www.insanely-great.com/news.php?id=1229

Martin

If apple was giving prices to their outlets 10 days in advance WE WOULD KNOW THAT BY NOW !

new in the business ?

obviously they DON'T ! how can you be so naive ?., retail outlets don't have a clue about new products, they are just like anybody else, reading rumor sites.

whatwhat

Even retail Apple stores don't find out they need to and how to reorganize the store for new products that just arrived or will arrive the next day - all within a day or two. Ten days is ludicrous - UNLESS this guy with the pricelist is corporate (internal). But he definitely isn't working retail, not even at an Apple store.

Kristin

I was in a Mac store in Ireland today - we don't have a proper Apple store where I live - and the salesperson told me that I should wait until the 16th to buy a new laptop to replace my newly dead one, as there will be a new line out and 'that one there might be coming down in price' (meaning the low-end MacBook). Not sure what that means, exactly, but I'm hoping that I picked a good time to find out that iBooks don't like tea - not even Earl Grey. :(

Mark S - Lansing mi

PLEASE APPLE - NO MORE COMBO DRIVE! :-)

InX

As this:

Next Apple moves will be Books and Games…
http://spidouz.wordpress.com/2008/09/03/next-ap...

THAT WILL BE A REVOLUTION!

F.Phil

There is no new manufacturing process, and the picture above doesn't indicate anything to do with fabrication at all.

As pointed out by others, price lists don't "normally" come in 10 days, they "normally" come in under a working week (5 days). And retailer catagogues, ESPECIALLY if there is a price, include more than Mac1, Mac2 or whatever. Did the source give the product numbers? No? That's that then.

graffiti

damn

Aaron Brazell

It would appear there is some merit to the idea of a new laptop line. Special event on Oct 14.

http://finance.google.com/group/google.finance....

brozo

lol, apple retailers get advanced notice and price lists, lololol

Greg

I don't know it sure sounds fishy to me. Steve Jobs would fire anyone who leaked or even hinted at a new product. So the idea that they would give stores a heads up does not feel right.

B.D. Gallof

$800 sounds like a netbook killer. Expect it to be their version to compete with the Asus eee's, MSI Wind, Dell mini, etc. Some sort of melding of something they can upsell you on itune or apps, or something. Apple is looking for new niches, and pressing into the Netbook fray, whose current examples are all flawed, might be where this is aimed.

Dual Core Atom mayhap?

robinson

To the poster who tried to criticize the article by claiming that Apple previously released a sub-$1000 notebook-- yeah, for $999! You've had the wool pulled over your eyes by that old .99, 9.99, 99.99 pricing...or cars at $29,995 all trying to make the customer think they're getting something for less. It's really ridiculous, yet retailers persist in it.

You also forgot tax! Which would bring it well above $1,000.

An $800 notebook, even with tax, would be the first--and would generate sales like crazy. I mean if people fall for the $999 price tricky, they'll flock to an Apple laptop costing ONLY $800!!

paul

there's no sales tax in Oregon. So $999 is still less than $1000. Or are you doing math on some other platform?

schmidt

Methinks you're protesting too much! (Oregon has no sales tax?! One of the few lower 48 w/o it, right?) robinson makes a good point. I, too, am tired of Sneaky Pete pricing, putting it just below a rounded, sensible amount. Leads to such tom-foolery as people claiming that Apple's already released a sub-$1000 notebook. Plus, they don't have a laptop at the price in the line up now!

OS11

if you buy out of state, from a non-national firm, you don't pay sales tax...

always check the mac price matrix to get the best deal...

www.pcprices.net

scottmcdaniel

Still double the cost of a Dell Mini 9 that runs Leopard. :(

Dave Johnston

I'm buying 9 on the first day.

Steve is going to save the world economy on October 14.

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TIP: Apple to launch $800 laptop

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