Apple May Lower Prices on iMac and MacBook Lines

As the computer industry grapples with the protracted recession and slowed consumer spending, rumors have surfaced that Apple plans to lower prices on its iMac and MacBook lines in the near future. AppleInsider reports that the company is making changes that will push down prices. According to AppleInsider, “Word of the changes comes just weeks after the Cupertino-based company became the target of a renewed advertising blitz from rival Microsoft Corp., which is using a new series of controversial television spots to cast Macs as overpriced novelty PCs that command a premium purely for their distinctive aesthetic. Still, people familiar with the matter say Apple’s move towards more affordable Macs isn’t so much a response to Redmond’s marketing antics as it is an interim solution to combat the proliferation of budget notebooks—often called netbooks—until the company is ready to introduce its own take on the market in the much rumored Newton-like web tablet, a project which is taking considerably longer to complete than once anticipated.”

At this point, the details of the new price points and the exact date of when they will become effective (if ever) are unclear. However, Apple could use a bit of a boost in Mac sales. Last month, when Apple released its second-quarter earnings for this fiscal year, it reported that Mac unit sales had experienced their first ever year-over-year decline, although at only three percent it was slight compared to the 6.5% decline in sales in the general PC market.