Macworld: Psystar skates on thin ice ...

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18 Replies Last post: May 23, 2008 10:20 AM by steve_smyth Go to original post 1 2 Previous Next

Dylstra

20 posts since
Sep 11, 2007

15. May 22, 2008 10:11 PM

in response to: Macworld

Re: Psystar skates on thin ice

I've been reading a lot about people who would like Apple to offer an expandable mid-size tower. Is it possible/likely that Apple are letting Psystar go on for a bit to help them judge the market for such a Mac? I know it's not a directly proportional relationship between the amount that Psystar sell and what Apple could sell, you just have to read any comments regarding Psystar to know that many loyal Apple customers would never consider buying one, however it may be one way to judge demand.

I'm not in marketing, and (just to make it explicit) can be quite naive, but is this possible? Likely? Or am I way off?

mmmmark

1 posts since
Mar 5, 2005

16. May 23, 2008 8:18 AM

in response to: Macworld

Re: Psystar skates on thin ice

I haven't seen anyone raise the possibility that Apple is either allowing this on purpose and/or semi-condoning this action as "testing the waters" for an open, PC-based OSX distribution.

The only thing that prevents OSX from running on PCs now is Apple's reluctance to sell it that way (since they make a considerable amount of money off their hardware).

Dylstra

20 posts since
Sep 11, 2007

17. May 23, 2008 8:56 AM

in response to: mmmmark

Re: Psystar skates on thin ice

I never meant as an open, PC-based OSX distribution but rather as a rough indication of demand for an Apple released mid-range expandable tower. I haven't seen the idea raised anywhere, so I was just wondering if it had any merit. I only raise the idea, because, like many other people I've been surprised (and intrigued) by the whole saga, particularly by the lack of a response from Apple. To my mind, either Apple don't care about Psystar (or its not worth the effort - yet), or they are waiting to see if the concept has legs. It's probably something else, but I can't come up with it.

steve_smyth

4 posts since
May 23, 2008

18. May 23, 2008 10:20 AM

in response to: Macworld

Re: Psystar skates on thin ice

Does anyone have any indication of the sales volume? If Apple were testing the waters for a mid-range tower, you would think they would want to know that.

After you factor in all the costs above the base $399 price, the Psystar becomes a Mac Mini, or low end iMac. If Apple were to sell a mid-range tower, wouldn't that have to be positioned in the $1,200 to $1,400 price point to be viable, in other words, to make a profit? Unless they decided to go with something just slightly above a Mac Mini and slightly below the iMac at around $999 to $1,199.

It would probably be made from lesser materials, less metal, more plastic like the Mac Book, as opposed to the Mac Book Pro.

It's a good thought experiment, however, I don't think Apple is going to do it.

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