The fact that Apple hardware, namely laptops and desktops, are expensive in comparison to their peers has been discussed countless times for many years. Some use it as an argument to suggest that Apple computers are merely good looking products that are overpriced whereas others view the combination of hardware and software as the reason why Macs are so fantastic to use every day.

I used to be in the former camp, but eventually moved to a Mac Mini and now an iMac. I can’t imagine using a Windows PC at home to get stuff done. I really can’t.

I won’t get all snobby about it and denigrate Windows, but from a personal preference I find that the iMac suits me much better than any Windows PC I have used in the past. I am also much more loyal to my Mac than I am to iOS; I can use any smartphone, but my iMac is staying and there is no reason for me to change.

I do believe that the £999 I paid for my iMac is good value for the day to day reliability, the way it saves me lots of time and the fact that it will have a high resell value should I come to upgrade in the future. I use it enough to justify the purchase. The problem for Apple is that most people do not use their home computers enough to justify paying so much. They will walk into PC World, see a nice looking desktop or laptop that does what they need for half the price and they are sold on it.  I understand that for the majority.

iOS device sales are growing exponentially and the iPad and iPhone are now where the money is for Apple. As the company pushes for convergence and tried to make iCloud the centre of everything it does, the desktops and laptops feel somehow left out in terms of numbers. Mac sales are growing, they have for the past 6 years, and the profits are still large in this area, but not to the level of iOS devices. As time goes by, iOS devices will continue to sale in bigger numbers and the disparity will reach a point where the laptops and desktops are seen as poor relations in terms of profit, volume and users.

Is it finally time for a cheaper Mac?

I must admit that I am torn on that question, but am leaning towards a ‘yes’. I would personally still buy the high-end Macs and I am sure that many current Mac users would also, but there are some valid arguments in favour of opening up Mac hardware to the wider population. The plain fact is that the average person will not buy a Mac for £1,000. Why would they move operating systems, learn something new and pay such a large amount of money for the privilege? They may, however, buy a Mac for £450.

And then I think that my answer should be ‘no’ because Apple has little reason to consider such a price drop. The company is hardly struggling, profits rise every quarter and they probably see all of their product ranges as gradually falling into place and slowly merging with one another. Apple does baby steps well and they seem to have little desire to sell their Mac hardware to billions of people.

I have changed my mind. Despite part of me believing that a cheaper Mac can only benefit Apple, there is of course the huge risk that it would bring the entire product range down to the level of every other computing product out there. Whether people agree that Apple hardware is superior or not, the perception that it is for so many people is what ultimately drives their growth. And price happens to be a part of that perception.