Dennis, not considering the impact on DT sales, which arguably will be respectable...the iMac is also (in fact, primarily) an "all-in-one" killer (ie 5400/5500-series)...which directly impacts Apple's CURRENT education business...and my hunch is their pre-announcement will cannibilize (sp??) w/ prejudice Apple's immediate all-in-one sales...since I sense schools will see the iMac as a better choice (especially at that $1299 street price price-point)...means (if I'm right) Apple's all-in-one sales have just been destroyed. I pity any school who has recently bought 5500s at, say $1700+. OUCH. Nothing like a 50% devaluation within 2 months.
I do not know the extent and efficiency Apple has had in selling down 5500 inventory.
I can't prove this....but I clearly sense a detrimental impact in current resale prices *and soft demand* for 5200/5400/5500 series already due to the iMac vaporware pre-announcement...ie....it will therefore be 2+ months until many schools will be paying Apple hard cash for iMacs as they sit on their hands and avoid the now-obsolesced 603e 5500-series. I seriously doubt educational buyers will pre-pay (ROFL) for iMacs, so I do not see a huge influx of educational product sales dollars this QTR. You guys can do the math if this theory is valid.
A private school I know of last SPRING '97 committed to a large purchase of 5500/225s to be delivered by August '97 (start of school)...as you may know, Motorola (so Apple says) had problems delivering this processor to Apple, so Apple delayed...delayed...never came clean...and in early-August *finally* told this school they would not be able to deliver the 5500 as contracted for (thanks Apple 2- weeks' notice really appreciated)...essentially forced the school (school was now in session and computer lab was bare) to *take* the 5400/180...Apple threw in some bogus software bundle as concession.
Needless to say - Apple lost MAJOR CREDIBILITY POINTS by this action; school now looks at buying from Apple with great caution (IMHO) and only uses them in lower school anyway...hs level students get nice WINTEL lab...will Apple's actions affect future buys ? Who knows...major credibility points also lost with Newton and eMate fiasco (abrupt stoppage of all product lines even as they sought to sell them to schools during those weeks)...ouch. Now this school's pending 2nd LEASE PAYMENT ALONE (2nd of three annual pymnts due in a month or so; final payment summer '99 would pay the equipment off) would more than pay for refurb 5400/180s on the open market....think they're sick ? 'Course rapid depreciation of computer equipment is hardly Apple's fault, *but* had the school been delivered the 5500/225 as contracted, their downside would have been protected somewhat, or the value of the unit would have been extended further (same thing).
Will Apple never learn [you] can only dump on your best advocates and buyers so long, great product notwithstanding ?
My theme of this post is that at some point, the G3 chip will not rescue Apple from their (my opinion) character flaws, as powerful and as technologically advanced as it appears to be over the [boxed-in] Pentium chip. There has to be some corporate accountability, morality and integrity in the company ethic...stock price be da**ed. If the followers of this thread don't believe this...so be it.
If it weren't for the G3 chip...this company called Apple was a sure goner....I give a whole lot less credit to Jobs and more credit to the incredible g3 processor for the awakening of Apple.
Jobs has alienated more die-hard Apple advocates I personally know in past few months than I care to consider. At least two I know are now actively considering how to get out of this business and into something, well...with some upside...where the manufacturer would consider them to be an adovcate and partner - not someone to target and kill with vengeance. Guess that lets even more buyers buy direct...something I would not relish as a consumer.
How many of you prospective G3 notebook buyers who were backordered at Apple's online store received courtesy letters from Apple with honest dates of delivery ? How many received new letters when dates were missed ? And Apple thinks *this* is customer service ? We rarely take pre-orders, and when we do, we stay in touch with real-time, honest feedback. Is this expectation too much to ask from the manufacturer itself ?
I could go on, but why waste valuable weekend free time ? Probably boring everyone here anyway w/ my rantings. Apologies offered in advance.
c-man |
