Abstract:
According to Bloomberg, Apple this month successfully concluded that consumers are willing to pay $2,000 or more for a foldable iPhone. Now it's preparing to test consumers' willingness to buy with another pricey new product: a touch-screen laptop.
Current 16-inch MacBook Pro
Apple plans to launch new 14-inch and 16-inch high-end MacBook Pros at its "Pro and Tell" conference on Wednesday, adding more expensive models to its existing product lineup. The new device will be equipped with a so-called OLED XDR touch display and a smart island design, both of which will be available on the Mac for the first time and will also push the starting price of the product to a new high.
According to a person familiar with the matter, Apple has discussed pricing the new 14-inch MacBook Pro equipped with the M5 Pro chip at US$2,899, which is US$400 higher than the current M5 Pro model that was launched in March this year and subsequently increased in price in June.
The existing 16-inch MacBook Pro without a touch screen starts at $2,999, which means the new version will be priced at at least $3,399. In theory, the price premium for larger models could be higher than for smaller models. Apple plans to continue selling non-touchscreen versions as new models become available.
If priced at US$2,899, this 14-inch model will set a record for the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro, exceeding the US$2,799 starting price of Apple's 17-inch model launched in 2006. The pricing would also put Apple among the priciest manufacturers of touchscreen laptops, putting it in the same price range as Dell's high-end products that also feature OLED displays.
At the launch event in Los Angeles, Apple will promote the new notebook directly to content creators, influencers and media editing professionals. Apple believes that these groups constitute the main target audience of the new MacBook Pro.
As of press time, an Apple spokesperson declined to comment.
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