The good news for Apple fans is the tech giant is releasing three new MacBook Pros – though the fact that the biggest news surrounding the new laptops is that they’re losing the start-up chime and gaining an emoji button bar could suggest that there’s no big overhaul in the hardware at all.
The bad news is that the price of all it computers is going to rise by hundreds of pounds, even for existing models.
And it appears Brexit is a big reason behind the price hikes.
The Brexit effect
There seems to have been nothing but bad news since the UK’s apparently ill-judged decision to leave the EU was announced back in July – the pound has plummeted in value, banks and businesses are considering pulling out of the UK, and there’s talk of inflation also rising as a result.
And if Apple’s decision to put up its prices are anything to by, then UK consumers could be in for a bumpy ride.
Although Apple has long been accused of overcharging its UK customers, there can be little argument about these price increases when you consider just how much the pound’s drop against the dollar could affect the companies profit margin.
All prices in the US exclude sales tax – for some reason this is always added on at the point of sale, unlike in the UK where it’s already factored in before its rung into the price register – and so while a Mac Mini costs $499 excluding tax, or £407 at current exchange rates, the same computer in the UK costs £399 excluding tax, meaning Apple makes £8 less on a computer sold in the UK than it does in the US.
The reason UK consumers still end up paying more is that while sales tax in the UK is 20%, it can be anywhere between 0% and 13% in the US.
How will the price hikes affect Apple’s UK consumers?
If you’re looking to by an Apple laptop, expect to be hit by the following price hikes:
- The 13in MacBook Air starts at £949 when it was previously £849
- The 12in MacBook is now £1,249, up from £1,049 24 hours ago.
- And the 13in and 15in MacBook Pros with Retina displays – the older model of MacBook Pro – are still on sale, starting at £1,249 and £1,899 respectively. On Thursday, those computers cost £999 and £1,599.
Apple said: “Apple suggests product prices internationally on the basis of several factors, including currency exchange rates, local import laws, business practices, taxes, and the cost of doing business. These factors vary from region to region and over time, such that international prices are not always comparable to US suggested retail prices.”
Apple isn’t the only tech giant that’s putting its UK prices up after the Brexit vote, as earlier this week, Microsoft announced an increase of up to 22% for business customers of its cloud products, blaming currency swings.
What do you make of the Apple price and Microsoft price hikes? Are we being taken for a ride on the back of Brexit? Or is it a bitter pill we all just have to swallow? Let us know in the comments…
