Apple limits $899 edu iMac availability
updated 03:00 pm EDT, Wed July 12, 2006
Apple limits $899 edu iMac
Apple today quietly pulled its newly introduced $899 iMac from its online education store. The entry-level configuration released last week for the education market that features scaled-down specifications when compared to Apple's two retail configurations is no longer available to individuals, though institutions can still purchase the systems. The education iMac was nearly identical to its consumer counterpart with the exception of an Apple remote and dedicated GPU, featuring a smaller 80GB hard drive and a Combo optical drive. When contacted by MacNN, Apple sales representatives were unable to provide an explanation beyond saying that the company made the change on Wednesday and that it was no longer available to education individuals for purchase.
Industry pundits have speculated the move was an attempt to channel sales directly to institutions, suggesting that the lower-priced configuration may have been cannibalizing sales of its other higher-margin retail configurations which are offered a slight discount to education customers. The $899 iMac is still available to educational institutions with an estimated ship date of 1-3 days.












Gee
07/12, 03:49pm reply
I can't believe its because people want to spend less money, even if they get less computer, despite the fact that the features of the $899 model probably more closely match the needs of most users of an iMac...
But we all know apple knows best. More is better!
testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
yep
07/12, 04:08pm reply
there are still glaring holes in the line up, there has got to be another comsumer model, something between the mini and the imac
r00b69
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2006
oh well...
07/12, 04:37pm reply
They just lost a couple sales to college friends who were eyeing the new 899 model due to its attractive price.
applenut1
Mac Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2000
EDU feeding frenzy
07/12, 04:53pm reply
does anybody remember this same scenario with the original eMac?
the problem is right apple is probably only able to ship to institutions due to manufacturing constraints. the period leading up to september will invlove an educational feeding frenzy on this model. when the edu buying season slows down (probably by the winter holidays), you'll probably see this on the regular apple store.
scottnichol
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Oct 1999
No Suprize Here
07/12, 05:10pm reply
I do not know what the suprize is all about. At the end of its life cycle, Apple only offered the eMac to institutional buyers, Moreover, Apple has historically offered special configurations just to istitutional buyers.
Ifor one assumed it was only offered to institutional buyers or I would have bought one. In my view it was mistake. My guess is it would cannbalize other sales at the expensive of institutional buyers.
Apple does not even check to verify if people are in fact students.
Terrin
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2006
What a bunch of A-holes
07/12, 11:36pm reply
Somehow it feels like the days when Apple was the leader with the Mac. The days when arrogance reigned supreme. I get this attitude more and more with Apple.
They couldn't be, could they?
ronjamin
Baninated
Joined: May 2002
supply constraints
07/13, 03:47am reply
stop the paranoia nd conspiracy talk. Most likely too many people were buying it and Apple doesn't have enough right now (in forecasts etc) to satisfy the edu institutional buyers in this back to school season of buying right now. Original eMac was similar. This will show up again for individuals... Its not arrogance, it is business reality. They can't afford to piss off and lose large institutional purchases based on supply not meeting demand and not being able to get them in schools for the new year.
chadpengar
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Oct 2001
what arrogance?
07/13, 10:48am reply
Arrogance??? I guess I must have miss that one.
"Apple today quietly pulled its newly introduced $899 iMac from its online education store. "
kw14
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Margins?
07/13, 11:41am reply
I wonder if the margins on this are so low, that they don't want to sell it to everyone. They'd be willing to sell to institutions the users will see them and buy more expensive models for their home.
Apple isn't a charity. Just because you want a dirt cheap all-in-one Mac doesn't mean you deserve one or that Apple should be obliged to sell you one.
But really people. Before the Mac mini everybody whined that they wanted a cheap CPU-only Mac. Now they have that, people are whining about a cheap all-in-one Mac. I guess you can't please everyone.
hayesk
Professional Poster
Joined: Sep 1999
Re: comments
07/13, 12:21pm reply
stop the paranoia nd conspiracy talk. Most likely too many people were buying it and Apple doesn't have enough right now (in forecasts etc) to satisfy the edu institutional buyers in this back to school season of buying right now.
Except Apple released this thing so far into the institution buying season they've all but missed most potential sales. Schools need the computers over the summer so they can be set up and ready to go by the beginning of the school year. That means ordering in April/May/June.
Oh, and do you think there was a lot of demand from individuals because they actually saw an imac that was worth the price, to them? High demand for this item indicates, to me at least, that maybe Apple is missing their targets on their other models.
But really people. Before the Mac mini everybody whined that they wanted a cheap CPU-only Mac. Now they have that, people are whining about a cheap all-in-one Mac. I guess you can't please everyone.
No, we whined that we wanted a cheap monitorless tower, with some simple things like a PCI slot or 2, and changeable graphics. You know, what PC users have had for like 10 years now. In fact, the mini costs more then it could because of form over function. The small parts, cramped case, etc, increase its cost (and support costs), then a larger mac would.
testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001