All iPads Disgusting £100 price increase on iPad Air, and it has no hardware updates!🤬

[YanniDepp]

Yeah, that happens when currencies fluctuate. What you gonna do about it?

Back in 2016, Apple were selling the retina, non USB-C MacBook Pro for $1,299. When they introduced the new USB-C MacBook Pros starting at $1,499, they kept the older model around as a cheaper option.

In the US, the old model stayed at $1,299. In the UK, it was £999 before the new models came out, and £1,249 after.

Of course this was in 2016 right after Brexit when the pound had just tanked horribly.

 

[OllyW]

Yet! They will though.

Hence why I've snapped up an Apple Pencil to save myself almost £30 on Apple's new prices (£112 on Amazon instead of yesterdays £119 RRP, which today is now £139!

I did the same when I saw the new Apple Pencil price. I also bought forward my iPad Air purchase when the Pound crashed four weeks ago because I guessed this was going to happen.

 

[haydn!]

I did the same when I saw the new Apple Pencil price. I also bought forward my iPad Air purchase when the Pound crashed four weeks ago because I guessed this was going to happen.

I've ordered the Logitech Combo case from Amazon too! For the 12.9" its jumped to £239 on Apple's website. £139 on Amazon (down from RRP £199) but there is 3-4 week delivery delay. But I can live with that!

 

[apparatchik]

It’s the pound that’s worth less, the Mexican Peso has remained more or less equal against the US dollar and so the prices have stayed the same in the Apple Store on existing models.

Maybe you’re not used to it but the pound has been going downhill with recent -and not so recent- developments in the UK economy.

 

[t0rqx]

This is what Scott Forstall was kicked out for. People will buy it anyways. It’s Apple. Ironic.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Inflation is driving the costs of everything up.

And even if it's not, megacorps like Apple are using it as justification to hike prices (never to go down again)

Money grab central

 

[haydn!]

This is what Scott Forstall was kicked out for. People will buy it anyways. It’s Apple. Ironic.

No. Scott was forced out of Apple after the disastrous and incredibly embarrasing Apple Maps launch. That was a service that should have remained under development behind closed doors for at least another 2 years!

 

[sparksd]

And even if it's not, megacorps like Apple are using it as justification to hike prices (never to go down again)

Money grab central

If they didn't, their stockholders would turn on them. Major corporations are driven by Wall Street, not by any sense of altruism to customers.

 

[sublunar]

Disgusting £100 Price Hike on iPad Air today 18th October 2022! 🤬 but with no updates!!! I'm done with Apple. Before the online store closed it was £569. Now it's £669!!!

How can Apple justify this price hike on the iPad Air? when it hasn't even received any updates today!

There’s also been huge price increases across the whole iPad lineup. 9th Gen iPad is £369 (up from £319), new iPad is £499, Mini is £569 (up from £479), Air is £669 (up from £569), 11-inch Pro is £899 (up from £749), 12.9 inch Pro is £1249 (up from £999)

WTF?!

Not unexpected sadly, blame UK inflation and the exchange rate.

Remember this happened to the iMac in 2016 when the Brexit vote came through and the pound plummeted in the months afterwards.

The spotlight will now be on the MacBook Pro 14 and 16 models, the Mac Studio and the Mac mini. They haven't been refreshed yet and have not had a price increase yet. If you need a Mac soon I would advocate buying one now if they fit into your budget.

If not my advice now would be to look for third party retailers doing offers and perhaps something during Black Friday sales or Xmas.

If you can't find anything then my UK buyers advice would be to wait for the next refresh, if you have to pay top dollar (ahem!) then you may as well have it with the latest updates.

 

[scubachap]

Wow, just went on the Apple website to see the spec etc and was really surprised to see a basic iPad is now pretty much £500. Perhaps Apple is immune to sticker shock but we'll see, as while all the headlines seem to be focussing on our recent issues here in the UK (£ has lost 18% against the dollar in the past year) the real story is the strengthening of the dollar. (AFAIK - Nz is down 20%, Euro down 15.5%, Aus$ down 15.5% etc etc). Apple products are going to get a lot more expensive across a lot of countries not just the UK.

 

[usagora]

Good grief--some of you get WAY too emotional about simple, everyday business decisions, as if you are being personally attacked or that Apple is price-gouging essential goods. An iPad is a luxury, people, not a human right! If you can't afford it, then buy a cheaper model or go with another tablet manufacturer. You don't need to consign Apple to the eternal flames just because you can't afford one of their products or don't think it's worth the cost to you personally. If they don't sell well, Apple will adjust. I bet they sell just fine, though.

 

[MauiPa]

Disgusting £100 Price Hike on iPad Air today 18th October 2022! 🤬 but with no updates!!! I'm done with Apple. Before the online store closed it was £569. Now it's £669!!!

How can Apple justify this price hike on the iPad Air? when it hasn't even received any updates today!

There’s also been huge price increases across the whole iPad lineup. 9th Gen iPad is £369 (up from £319), new iPad is £499, Mini is £569 (up from £479), Air is £669 (up from £569), 11-inch Pro is £899 (up from £749), 12.9 inch Pro is £1249 (up from £999)

WTF?!

umm, wouldn't that be the poor performance of the pound and not Apple?

 

[Jessica_23]

It’s the pound that’s worth less, the Mexican Peso has remained more or less equal against the US dollar and so the prices have stayed the same in the Apple Store on existing models.

Maybe you’re not used to it but the pound has been going downhill with recent -and not so recent- developments in the UK economy.

To everyone defending this disgusting money grab by Apple, please do the maths.

The rate of inflation and the value of the pound do not equate to a price increase of £100 on a product that has received zero updates since this morning, when it was £100 less!

Apple are taking advantage of the average consumer seeing the iPad range being updated, and they hope the average consumer doesn't notice that the iPad Air received ZERO updates!

It's a monopoly price grab on a product line that has almost no competition!

There are huge amount of Android phones and Windows laptops, desktops, that compete directly with Apple products. But what competes with the iPad? nothing. So Apple milks the consumer for everything they can, because they can.

If this was inflation and devaluation of currency, then explain to me why today, when Apple increased the price of the iPads, they have NOT increased the price of the iPhone product line, or the Mac product line? or even the Apple Watch?

It's because they can't, people will look elsewhere.

 

[iPadified]

So, don’t buy. Inflation drops when we don’t buy stuff. I wonder how Apples next quarter will look like. At least people in Europe and UK are probably prioritizing heat and food over new iPads this Christmas.

 

[tann]

Inflation is driving the costs of everything up.
Next months MacBook Pros are gonna cost £500 more at least I think.

Apart from in the USA, where it doesn't seem to exist...

 

[haydn!]

To everyone defending this disgusting money grab by Apple, please do the maths.

The rate of inflation and the value of the pound do not equate to a price increase of £100 on a product that has received zero updates since this morning, when it was £100 less!

Apple are taking advantage of the average consumer seeing the iPad range being updated, and they hope the average consumer doesn't notice that the iPad Air received ZERO updates!

It's a monopoly price grab on a product line that has almost no competition!

There are huge amount of Android phones and Windows laptops, desktops, that compete directly with Apple products. But what competes with the iPad? nothing. So Apple milks the consumer for everything they can, because they can.

If this was inflation and devaluation of currency, then explain to me why today, when Apple increased the price of the iPads, they have NOT increased the price of the iPhone product line, or the Mac product line? or even the Apple Watch?

It's because they can't, people will look elsewhere.

MacBook Air M2 was £250 more than it's predecessor when it launched in the summer. iPhone 14 line up was all approx £100 more expensive than iPhone 13 models when they launched last month. Apple Watch Series 8 was £50 more expensive than Series 7 when it launched last month. When, for many years, prices remained relatively stable.

Mac's will see increases when they're updated. They didn't change today because most of the Mac line-up will be updated within the next 3-6 months (some probably next month).

Yes, Apple's international pricing is never a direct currency conversion because because they have to bake in market fluctuations and lets face it, the GBP has been up extremely volatile in recent weeks. And has been trending downwards against the dollar all year.

 

[KPOM]

Apart from in the USA, where it doesn't seem to exist...

There is a reason the M2 MacBook Air is $1199 while the M1 was $999 when it was originally released.

 

[issacj]

MacBook Air M2 was £250 more than it's predecessor when it launched in the summer. iPhone 14 line up was all approx £100 more expensive than iPhone 13 models when they launched last month. Apple Watch Series 8 was £50 more expensive than Series 7 when it launched last month. When, for many years, prices remained relatively stable.

Mac's will see increases when they're updated. They didn't change today because most of the Mac line-up will be updated within the next 3-6 months (some probably next month).

Those were all new releases with some upgrades, at least. This is just the same exact iPad Air which this morning cost £569 and now costs £669.

 

[MathersMahmood]

It’s fine. I will just vote with my wallet and not buy. I was so excited to buy today until I saw prices.

 

[haydn!]

Those were all new releases with some upgrades, at least. This is just the same exact iPad Air which this morning cost £569 and now costs £669.

True, whilst I don't want to defend Apple's prices as such (they are high even in the US), they have zero control over the exchange rate and things have changed alot in the last six months since the Air was last updated.

 

[Jessica_23]

MacBook Air M2 was £250 more than it's predecessor when it launched in the summer. iPhone 14 line up was all approx £100 more expensive than iPhone 13 models when they launched last month. Apple Watch Series 8 was £50 more expensive than Series 7 when it launched last month. When, for many years, prices remained relatively stable.

All of the products you reference had been updated, significantly! You are missing the blindingly obvious.

The iPad Air HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED 🤦‍♂️

Price at 9am = £569

Price at 7pm = £669

Updates = NONE !

If this was due to inflation and/or devaluation of currency then why did Apple not update the price of all the other products they sell which have also not been updated?

It's nothing to do with inflation or devaluation of currency.

It's greed.

 

[JPack]

All of the products you reference had been updated, significantly! You are missing the blindingly obvious.

The iPad Air HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED 🤦‍♂️

Price at 9am = £569

Price at 7pm = £669

Updates = NONE !

If this was due to inflation and/or devaluation of currency then why did Apple not update the price of all the other products they sell which have also not been updated?

It's nothing to do with inflation or devaluation of currency.

It's greed.

Apple only updates prices due to currency fluctuations during new product launches. Unless there is a Turkey or Russia situation happening, they don't update prices mid-cycle.

Look at the facts. GBP and euro have dropped like a rock in the past 12 months and Apple been acting as a buffer.

The bread, gasoline, and electricity you buy every day hasn't been "updated" either. Yet prices have increased because of increase in materials and labor costs.

 

[haydn!]

All of the products you reference had been updated, significantly! You are missing the blindingly obvious.

The iPad Air HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED 🤦‍♂️

Price at 9am = £569

Price at 7pm = £669

Updates = NONE !

If this was due to inflation and/or devaluation of currency then why did Apple not update the price of all the other products they sell which have also not been updated?

It's nothing to do with inflation or devaluation of currency.

It's greed.

It's not about whether it was updated or not. It's totally about currency. Not sure why you find that so hard to grasp?

All the products Apple have launched since the summer have had currency volatility factored into their prices already so there was no reason to update those again today. Everything else Apple sells, that hasn't already been updated is due an update in the next few months so prices will increase then. A few products that we're updated earlier in the year, or are older, have since increase. Not just the iPad Air. For example, Apple Pencil has increased from £119 to £139. Magic Keyboards have increase too and I'm sure there are proboably others if you look hard enough.

 

[OllyW]

Those were all new releases with some upgrades, at least. This is just the same exact iPad Air which this morning cost £569 and now costs £669.

The reason for the price increase has been clearly explained in this thread. Apple have been selling the iPad Air at well below the US price in the UK and Europe for the last few months and have adjusted it while the store was down for the new iPads. I’ve been following Apple releases for over 20 years and this is not the first time it has happened. It has also gone in the other direction when the Pound and Euro has been strong and Apple have reduced their prices to follow but this doesn’t seem to gain the same attention.
Only last year, the iPhone 13 Pro was released priced £50 lower than the outgoing iPhone 12 Pro while the US price stayed exactly the same. This year it went in the opposite direction due to the strong Dollar and weak Pound adding £150 to the price of the iPhone 14 Pro. Again, the US price was the same as the previous years.

 

[apparatchik]

To everyone defending this disgusting money grab by Apple, please do the maths.

The rate of inflation and the value of the pound do not equate to a price increase of £100 on a product that has received zero updates since this morning, when it was £100 less!

Apple are taking advantage of the average consumer seeing the iPad range being updated, and they hope the average consumer doesn't notice that the iPad Air received ZERO updates!

It's a monopoly price grab on a product line that has almost no competition!

There are huge amount of Android phones and Windows laptops, desktops, that compete directly with Apple products. But what competes with the iPad? nothing. So Apple milks the consumer for everything they can, because they can.

If this was inflation and devaluation of currency, then explain to me why today, when Apple increased the price of the iPads, they have NOT increased the price of the iPhone product line, or the Mac product line? or even the Apple Watch?

It's because they can't, people will look elsewhere.

Because they don't do currency corrections all the time, usually it's when they update a line when you see accumulated corrections take place, furthermore you have to consider taxes and import duties, which are applied as a percentage of the item's value, this is, if the price increases due to currency corrections, the new, higher price, gets applied a percentage VAT and Import duty, which is now also higher as an absolute amount. Apple might cover themselves with an estimated currency value for the mid term. In short: the price adjustment can see disproportionate.

Apple gains nothing here, they upset customers, sale less items due to higher price, etc. To think that this is a "money grab" by them makes absolute zero economic sense as this is not Insulin or a life-saving product, they will just sell less iPads in Britain. Otherwise they would hike the prices across the board in all regions, but, as I just pointed out to you, countries whose currencies are stable against the dollar have not had price increases on existing models. Mexico being just one example.

Brits and Europeans are just not used to large currency fluctuations I guess, thus they ignore and are surprised by things common in more volatile currencies such as the Canadian Dollar or the Mexican Peso. Mexicans and Canadians know for a long time how a fluctuation in relation to the USD hits prices all the time.

The peso has actually gained in value against the dollar, and our inflation rate is lower than that of Europe. iPhones and iPads are cheaper here now...