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gramsey · Jan 26, 2006, 05:59 AM

With so much talk about no upgrades to iLife etc, has anyone at Apple considered bundling iLife with iWork and .Mac at a cheaper combined price to convince users to move to all three apps?

brettcamp · Jan 27, 2006, 11:59 PM

I agree that'd be a great idea. I'd go further: if you subscribe to .mac, you should also get the latest OSX updates (10.5 Leopard etc) for free as long as you subscribe. They could put it all in the software folder on your iDisk.

Apple could also link them to AppleCare, so that if you buy applecare, you get free .mac and updates of iLife, iWork, and OSX for as long as your AppleCare lasts.

Doing that would finally make .mac worth it for a lot of us. I bet the resulting increased number of subscribers to .mac and AppleCare would pay for the lost paid upgrades to iWork, iLife, and OSX.

turbopants · Jan 28, 2006, 01:06 AM

I don't think Apple would do it, but something around $199 would be a fantastic deal for the combo you mentioned.

wataru · Jan 28, 2006, 01:19 AM

"iLie"... Fire that marketing guy.

new newton · Jan 28, 2006, 02:19 AM

Originally Posted by brettcamp

Doing that would finally make .mac worth it for a lot of us. I bet the resulting increased number of subscribers to .mac and AppleCare would pay for the lost paid upgrades to iWork, iLife, and OSX.

That's silly talk. You'd easily lose a bet such as that.

It's also pretty silly to suggest that Apple begins to sell for a few hundred dollars what it already sells for several hundred. Making the assumption that the bean counters at Apple haven't run the numbers on how to maximize their sales/profits is a bit silly, too.

It used to be that when you bought a Mac, you got every OS update for free. You also got free telephone support for life. The market has changed.

gramsey · Jan 31, 2006, 12:19 AM

yeah, I realised after I'd posted it. Oh well... shoot me!

gramsey · Jan 31, 2006, 12:20 AM

Originally Posted by gramsey

yeah, I realised after I'd posted it. Oh well... shoot me!

I'm talking about my spelling (iLie)

gramsey · Jan 31, 2006, 12:21 AM

Originally Posted by brettcamp

I agree that'd be a great idea. I'd go further: if you subscribe to .mac, you should also get the latest OSX updates (10.5 Leopard etc) for free as long as you subscribe. They could put it all in the software folder on your iDisk.

Apple could also link them to AppleCare, so that if you buy applecare, you get free .mac and updates of iLife, iWork, and OSX for as long as your AppleCare lasts.

Doing that would finally make .mac worth it for a lot of us. I bet the resulting increased number of subscribers to .mac and AppleCare would pay for the lost paid upgrades to iWork, iLife, and OSX.

Glad to see someone else is thinking the same as me

gramsey · Jan 31, 2006, 12:24 AM

Originally Posted by new newton

That's silly talk. You'd easily lose a bet such as that.

It's also pretty silly to suggest that Apple begins to sell for a few hundred dollars what it already sells for several hundred. Making the assumption that the bean counters at Apple haven't run the numbers on how to maximize their sales/profits is a bit silly, too.

It used to be that when you bought a Mac, you got every OS update for free. You also got free telephone support for life. The market has changed.

It may be silly to you, but I haven't purchase .mac or iWork and haven't upgraded iLife since 04 for that matter. And as silly as it may sound to you, last year Apple did do a bundle with 10.3 & iLife (I think it was), so they must have thought there was some merit at that time. If Microsoft and Adobe see value in bundling, surely Apple can too?

zeebe · Jan 31, 2006, 12:28 PM

I would do it as long as my .Mac account would change to the new date (around Jan.) and not have to make a new .Mac account. I have to resubscribe in October!

new newton · Jan 31, 2006, 12:31 PM

They bundled iLife and iWork as a way to get iWork out the door.

It's economics and marketing. It's not about providing the user with far more value for the same amount of money. That's why talk like this is so silly.

brettcamp · Feb 1, 2006, 02:43 AM

If users perceive that they're getting greater value, more of them will presumably sign up. The question is whether the increased number of users who pay $100/yr for .mac with a bundle of iLife and/or iWork and/or OSX upgrades would compensate for the number of users who then would no longer buy a new version of iLife or iWork or OSX.

Of course, we're all just speculating here, but I know that I won't buy .mac or iLife updates or OSX updates; I'd just as soon wait the three years between Macs and get the new OSX and iLife when I buy a new computer. But if I could have them with a .mac subscription, I'd certainly buy .mac and renew every year. Result: Apple gets $300 more than they do now, from me anyway. Instead, GoDaddy is going to get my $30 for a domain with email for the next 3 years, which gives me everything I need from .mac as currently configured.

If Apple wants to sell more .mac packages, it needs to either enhance .mac's value or lower the price, and making Apple software available to members is one way to do the former.

gramsey · Feb 1, 2006, 02:48 AM

Originally Posted by brettcamp

If users perceive that they're getting greater value, more of them will presumably sign up. The question is whether the increased number of users who pay $100/yr for .mac with a bundle of iLife and/or iWork and/or OSX upgrades would compensate for the number of users who then would no longer buy a new version of iLife or iWork or OSX.

Of course, we're all just speculating here, but I know that I won't buy .mac or iLife updates or OSX updates; I'd just as soon wait the three years between Macs and get the new OSX and iLife when I buy a new computer. But if I could have them with a .mac subscription, I'd certainly buy .mac and renew every year. Result: Apple gets $300 more than they do now, from me anyway. Instead, GoDaddy is going to get my $30 for a domain with email for the next 3 years, which gives me everything I need from .mac as currently configured.

If Apple wants to sell more .mac packages, it needs to either enhance .mac's value or lower the price, and making Apple software available to members is one way to do the former.

That was exactly my point that new newton doesn't seem to be able to grasp. If it's "about economics and marketing" then I would have though that good marketing was having more users buying more software, and let's be honest, the cost of bundling doesn't cause them to lose money if people aren't buying the software one piece at a time.

new newton · Feb 1, 2006, 10:54 AM

I'm hardly unable to grasp your point. What I've said (and it isn't rocket science...) is that if Apple could make more money that way, they'd be doing that. What you don't seem able to grasp is that large companies such as Apple actually have teams of professionals that examine such things. You didn't think you had an original, world-beater of an idea, did you?

gramsey · Feb 2, 2006, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by new newton

I'm hardly unable to grasp your point. What I've said (and it isn't rocket science...) is that if Apple could make more money that way, they'd be doing that. What you don't seem able to grasp is that large companies such as Apple actually have teams of professionals that examine such things. You didn't think you had an original, world-beater of an idea, did you?

No, I did not think it was a revolutionary idea, but I did think it was worth some positive pro active discussion, but your glass is obviously half empty rather than half full and all your comments are slanted to why Apple wouldn't consider such an idea, but wha if they would? Geez pal, for your sake I hope they never do bundle these products because if they do.....

new newton · Feb 2, 2006, 10:35 PM

Gosh, that made sense.

gramsey · Feb 3, 2006, 04:58 AM

Originally Posted by new newton

Gosh, that made sense.

I made a constructive suggestion about bundling software and all you want to do is be negative. Get off your pedestal idiot, and get a life.

new newton · Feb 3, 2006, 04:05 PM

How about we make a deal? I'll stop being negative about your "constructive suggestion" if you stop whining?

gramsey · Feb 4, 2006, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by new newton

How about we make a deal? I'll stop being negative about your "constructive suggestion" if you stop whining?

In that case, let me hear you say something positive.