“Apple announced the latest version of its Mac operating system named OS X Lion,” Trefis Team writes. “Despite the 250+ new features included in this version, one of the most eye catching items is that the software price was cut drastically.”
“The previous version OS X Leopard was available for $129 while OS X Lion version will sell for $30 when it is released next month,” Trefis Team writes. “Moreover, OS X Lion can be downloaded online from the Mac App Store while the previous versions were available in retail stores on a physical disc.”
“We believe that these measures are aimed at pushing Mac hardware sales as well as pricing it well under Microsoft’s Windows 7 offering,” Trefis Team writes. “Apple has consistently gained in the PC market, posing a threat to competitors like Hewlett-Packard and Dell.”
Read more in the full article here.
not sure how a low price for Lion can cut into Dell sales as if you buy a new Mac, the operating system is part of the deal.
I agree. Also, most Windows users buy a computer with whatever version of Windows it has and do not upgrade (until they buy their next PC), so it’s “part of the deal” for them as well. The separate cost of an OS upgrade is not all that important, in terms of Mac sales versus Windows PC sales.
I think it is priced at $30 to encourage Mac OS X users to upgrade their existing Macs, and do it as quickly as possible. Doing so helps Apple push along its new initiatives, such as iCloud. Apple is no longer trying use software as a profit center.
I think the next major release after Lion, when it is no longer Mac OS “X,” will be “free” (just like major iOS upgrades are currently free). Or, Mac sold after a certain date will get free OS upgrades until the hardware is no longer supported. For previously sold Macs (that continue to be supported), it will cost about $30 for each major OS upgrade.
Sigh another example of a person reading A but understanding B. It’s way too common and I’m curious why.
The article does NOT say that a low price for Lion will cut into Dell sales.
It says that a low price for Lion might cut into Windows sales and, en passent, it points out that “Apple [hardware] has consistently gained in the PC market…”
In the newsgroup you can’t go far without bumping into
“you said..”
No I didn’t
yes you did
no i didn’t
Hitler!
Scumbag!
Since when did Dell have sales??? They mass produce bunk “computer-like things”, and have epic downward sales reports…
Now go to staples or bestbuy or whatever… look at how much MS sells Windows for.. $299 or more right? wtf will pay that?An idiot would. Who would pay $30 for a new os? me.
And let’s face it, I sooner hand over $30 to Apple for legal license copy because its a very fair price, and its going to a company who has pumped out products I have enjoyed without any issues.
Theyre like the guy down the street who offered to cut your grass for $10 and when he was done he had also trimmed the bushes, took out the weeds and aerated the lawn without asking for more money. Its just good business.
I know scrutinizing the last bit of minutia is the job of an analyst. I just doubt that a lower upgrade for an upcoming OS is that big of a deal – bottom line-wise.
I just don’t believe consumers are saying to themselves, “Apple’s OS is cheaper to upgrade to. I think i’m going to switch.”
I just don’t see it.
That it’s a contributing factor – obviously. I simply think it’s being blown out of proportion.
Everyone who buys a Mac gets the operating system. They are not influenced by the $30 price. It is nice for those of us who will put it on machines we alreqdy own. I think the advantage to Apple is that the will not freeze those who might be about to buy a Mac. That and that they whant everyone to start using the iCloud ecosystem with all their Apple devices.
No they are not targeting Microsoft with this pricing model. They are bribing users to upgrade to Lion and setting up an iTunes account. There are a lot more benefits with this angle than MS or defeating Windows. If they get more Windows users, then it’s a side benefit.
Remember, the Mac App Store is very important to them and they need as many user numbers as possible. Why else the nice discount for Apple apps, like iWorks suite and Apriture.
spot on dude. You nailed it.
There’s a discount because there’s no boxes, no shipping & no DVD manufacturing involved. That’s called common-sense in business. It’s cheaper to sell, therefore you drop the price.
What will Greenpeace have to bitch about: a digital download is green!
Baloney! All of Apple’s internetz are made of endandered whale blubber and high-sulphur coal! Hardly green!
Why do they skip Snow Leopard? Which was sold for $29?
Because it’s just (Snow) Leopard? Because it’s perceived as ‘just’ a service pack (debatable. While there were few user interface related features, under the hood the Leopard to SL change was pretty huge)? It still got full version number.
Oh, and why the Microsoft comparison? Mac OS X is not licensed for the computers that MS sells Windows for. Apple does not play in MS garden (but lets it play in theirs. That Windows can get a hold on Macs is not because Windows is too expensive).
Actually I think Apple is doing a favor to all the OEMs out there, by pushing up the price of hardware and pushing down the cost of software.
It’s the software companies that have the most to fear by Apple’s ability to charge so little for their software products. Can Microsoft continue to justify charging so much for Windows and reaping all those profits from it? Or even Adobe for that matter?
Just look what happened in the mobile app market. By making it relatively cheap and easy for developers write and distribute apps for iOS, the developers were able to lower the price. And now, all the other platforms have to offer apps at a competitive price.
I thing this is a great way to kill off Microsoft’s business model.
1) Apple has set the value of the best OS on the planet at $30 for use with all of your home computers. Do you really think Microsoft can sell their crap for $100 or $300 per PC!
2) Apple set the iWorks cost way under that of Microsoft office. And Apple is using a billion dollar server farm to keep your non Microsoft files in sync with your iOS devices and your Macs.
3) Apple removed the need to own any computer if you only want an iOS device. Just cut Microsoft out of the iOS device market.
4) Steve Jobs just landed the Apple spaceship on the same plot of land that HP owned. The world will come to see the architectural marvel that was built over the dead body of the largest PC box maker. Very symbolic. Many armies and civilizations do this to crush the spirits of the defeated people in the land.
Steve Jobs and Apple are gutting Microsoft and these talking heads can’t see that Apple is doing this. Clueless idiots. I think even the dancing monkey understands what just happened!
This is the stupidest news article I’ve seen in a while. How is a $30.00 OS going to do a Dell owner any good, unless he goes thru the motions of jailbreaking the software to run on his Dell? And really… if he goes to that much trouble, don’t you think he’ll just download Lion for free on bit torrent?
So if I have a WinTel box, and Windows 8 is being released for $150.00, I have three choices..
1. I can do nothing and not spend any money
2. I can pay whatever MS wants to charge, while being mad that Apple charges less,
or
3. I can spend close to $1000.00 for a new Mac, which will have Lion on it already..
My guess is that most folks won’t really consider #3 an option.
Many folks DO consider #3 an option. Because
1. Having to reinstall windows on a PC 10 times a year got old.
2. Worrying about worms, viruses, etc. got really old.
3. Both of these took away an enormous amount of productivity time for me that was worth way more than the $1200 price tag.
4. Knowing I’ve had a laptop work for 3 years without any problems….a very nice change indeed.
The previous version OS X Leopard was available for $129
Wrong – it was also $29.
And as others have said, this will have little to no effect on MS.
Just another dumb ass reporter.
Wellllll…..
Lion is not yet out. And the current version is SL.
Sooooo… technically they are correct when they call Leopard the “previous” version.
Which just tells you how bullshitting biased this “reporter” is.
What I find amazing that I don’t hear much about is Lion Server with unlimited seat license that is built in to Lion and unlockable for an extra $30. Not only is it rediculously cheaper than Windows Server with seat licenses, it’s $440 cheaper than Snow Leopard Server and $940 cheaper than Leopard Server.
Most of these “reporter” only know computers from the user side. I doubt that most of them even know what a server is, or how big of a deal the number of allowed clients is.
We are looking forward to Server Software ourselves, heck of a deal ….
With Lion, Apple wants to put into as many Macs as possible …. The user talks about the experience and the APP Store and Apple sells more Macs …..
Do you think Apple sat on the use of the title “Lion” until it was obvious they were the king of the jungle?
Meh. It’s cool, but not really. The real ass kicking is when MS has to release MS Office on the Mac App Store, and slash to price to compete with iWork (which is about $60 for all three apps).
Also, breaking up MS office into separate apps, I think people are buying office just so they can get one new app, etc.
This isn’t new. Snow leopard wa only 30 bones too
The cost of a Windows license for a h/w manufacturer is a probably about $30. It’s certainly a lot less than the published price(s) for John Doe.
I was impressed not only by the $30 price but the fact that I can use it for multiple computers in my household.
For recent switchers this will be important and they will announce that to their friends. In the PC world you don’t upgrade – you buy a new PC because it’s so complex.
If anyone is on the outside peering into the Apple world this just adds fuel to the fire.
The price for Lion is $29.00. Not $30.00.