Apple’s “product event in San Francisco will be known more for the introduction of new iPads, MacBooks, and Mac Pros, but what might be even more interesting is how Apple has decided to give away key software for free, including its long-awaited upgrade to Mac OS X, code-named Mavericks,” Sam Grobart reports for Businessweek. “Mavericks and two other software suites, iWork and iLife, are now available for download free of charge.”
“By going free, Apple has acknowledged something that’s been true in the industry for years: Software is a means to sell hardware,” Grobart reports. “Sure, there are some specialized applications that can command a hefty profit margin, but bread-and-butter applications used in the mainstream are not things you sell.”
“Apple’s strategy here is to get you on a device and with the latest version of its software as quickly and painlessly as possible,” Grobart reports. “Does it want to get caught up in the intricacies of a pricing scheme for OS X Mavericks? No, it does not. Better to just remove price as a consideration and make it part of the device you’re using.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Note: Apple’s iWork and iLife are free to those who buy new Macs and/or iOS devices, not available for download free of charge for everyone.
Related articles:
Apple’s new free OS X for Mac hurts Microsoft and the Windows PC industry in myriad ways – October 22, 2013
Apple exploits Microsoft’s confused hesitation on Office for iPad – October 22, 2013
Apple’s OS X Mavericks available today free from the Mac App Store – October 22, 2013
Apple releases next-gen 64-bit iWork and iLife apps for OS X and iOS; free with new Macs and iOS devices – October 22, 2013
