c-man, I really shouldn't argue with your vast experience. My only hope is that you are too close to the situation and might make a few mistakes due to that. Your thoughts on Apple's role in the consumer experience and Apple's current management are debatable. And I disagree that the iMac is ill-conceived as I know people planning on buying it who have had ample opportunity to buy another Mac the past few years and haven't. As Dennis said, this is for the ultra-low end consumer market and Apple hasn't really been playing there.
My only other comment is that the word we got was that the AIO announcement was delayed a few weeks in order to finish selling off the 5500s. So I don't think there is a glut of the older systems and if so, what better time than the Q2/Q3 education selling season to get rid of them on the cheap, just as Apple got rid of the #$*#-load of 7200/75s two summers ago.
I'm sure you can get your hands on plenty of 603/604 inventory, but as investors we are being led to believe via balance sheet and CFO comments that Apple's historic inventory problem is a lot better off than before. The non-G3 PowerBooks were phased out brilliantly, as were the Newtons (full-price!) and apparently the eMates.
I hope that schools are happy that they now have super-powerful cheaper-than-ever Macs to choose from. I welcome any educators or people who know educators to post relevant info about how these people feel and whether their districts are buying Macs or not.
Keep posting c-man,
Marc
PS--I don't think Apple has any plans for a Direct-Sale only model. That's only for a last-resort if sales keep declining and the company just has to support the ever-dwindling base as the Mac fades into extinction. Rather, I think they see the Store as a way to A) show off all Apple's wares, B) pick up some extra margin from diehards and those that need configuration options and possibly C) move education sales to more of a direct model. It also serves as D) get the back-up plan (Direct Only) moving in case everything goes to hell. But I don't think Direct works for Apple in any big way. Get these sales up to 10 or 20%, sure. 80-100%, no way. |
