Apple again corrects for fluctuating dollar, raises Mac prices in Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, more
As part of a continued effort to stabilize product pricing amid an unstable world economy, Apple this week upped costs for its Mac lineup in at least seven countries as the value of local currencies fell against the dollar.
The recent pricing shift affects MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac Pro and Mac mini models sold through Apple's online stores in Australia, Brazil, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Thailand. This is the second price hike for Australia and New Zealand in 2015.
As spotted by MacRumors, New Zealand market pricing for Apple's new 12-inch MacBook with Retina display has jumped from NZ$1,999 to NZ$2,399 at launch to NZ$2,399 to NZ$2,899, a roughly 20 percent increase. Entry level Mac mini models moved from NZ$749 to NZ$899, Mac Pro moved from NZ$4,499.00 to NZ$5,699.00, while the 11-inch MacBook Air now costs NZ$1,599, up from NZ$1,399.
Comparative 12-inch MacBook pricing, Malaysia saw a 24 percent increase with base models now selling for 5,899 Malaysian ringgits, up from 4,769 ringgits, while Norway prices rose 19 percent from 12,590 krones to 14,990 krones. Brazil saw its prices adjusted up 47 percent, with 12-inch MacBooks previously selling for 8,499 Brazilian reals now coming in at 12,499 reals. Mac prices in Australia rose about 11 percent, while Mexico saw an increase of 17 percent.
Apple periodically adjusts international prices in response to fluctuations in the global economy, which has recently seen tumultuous change. Earlier this year, a strengthening U.S. dollar precipitated hardware price increases across Europe and Canada. Digital content sales are also impacted by foreign exchange headwinds, as evidenced by the rise of minimum App Store prices in Canada, the U.K and the European Union in January.
20 Comments
I'll bet demand for Apple's products is fairly inelastic, so they should be well able to combat currency depreciation with price increases and not need to rely solely on currency hedging strategies, which is the only tool available to most of Apple's competitors.
I think Macs in Ireland have increased in price too. The iMac seems to have.
Wow. I'd be interested to see if apples computing devices are in fact inelastic. The top of line 15 Mbp was 2600 when I bought it. Apple replaced it with this years equivalent when it was 3399. Now its a couple hundred more. I do pretty well for myself and it was difficult to justify the 2600. Now it's 3799 there no way I'd buy it. Our salaries don't change because the cross rate does. Be curious to see how this plays out but were unlikely to ever know.
Does Apple ever adjust prices downward?
[quote name="djsherly" url="/t/189440/apple-again-corrects-for-fluctuating-dollar-raises-mac-prices-in-australia-brazil-new-zealand-more#post_2791425"]Wow. I'd be interested to see if apples computing devices are in fact inelastic. The top of line 15 Mbp was 2600 when I bought it. Apple replaced it with this years equivalent when it was 3399. Now its a couple hundred more. I do pretty well for myself and it was difficult to justify the 2600. Now it's 3799 there no way I'd buy it. Our salaries don't change because the cross rate does. Be curious to see how this plays out but were unlikely to ever know.[/quote] Not sure a new model can be called equivalent. The price adjustment from 2600 to 3399 likely is associated with some meaningful enhancement in the newer higher-priced model (perhaps Retina display?), so the comparison you are making should only rrefer to the 3399 to 3799 adjustment. Bringing the 2600 price for the previous model into the discussion only creates in the mind of the reader a false base from which the latest price seems much higher.