Computer enthusiasts can now pay less than $50 to buy a brand new computer from Apple, Amazon, Lenovo, HP or Dell.
The move comes as the cost of the latest generation of smartphones has become increasingly unaffordable.
Apple, which has a long history of price-cutting, has also been forced to raise its prices to the point where the brand new iPhone 5 is now $649, and the iPhone 6S Plus is now priced at $699.
Apple’s decision to cut prices is in line with recent trends that have seen the cost per-computer of high-end PCs rise sharply, with a significant rise in prices of $300 to $500 in recent months.
But Apple’s move has drawn criticism from the computer industry, which warned that the move will force consumers to seek out cheaper alternatives.
“Apple’s price-cut announcement is not the right move,” said Steve Roth, senior vice president of product marketing at computer manufacturer Hewlett-Packard.
It’s a small step, but a very small step.
We think it’s not an important one, and we think it will be less popular than the next big price cut that they make.
Many analysts, however, see Apple’s price cut as an attempt to attract more buyers to Apple. “
[People] will look for cheaper options and we will get them,” Roth said.
Many analysts, however, see Apple’s price cut as an attempt to attract more buyers to Apple.
Last week, analysts at Forrester Research forecast that Apple’s share of the market for computer sales in the second half of the year will rise from 22 percent to 35 percent.
Apple will also be able to lower its retail price of computers in the United States, as the company’s retail stores will no longer be required to charge a premium.
