Apple is known for being at the cutting edge of new and innovative technology which is why many of their customers do not mind paying a premium for their products. However, they are pushing the limits with their latest announcement for their new computer monitor, the Pro Display XDR. The monitor itself was announced at WWDC 2019 and set to be sold for a whopping $5000. Given that the computer that the monitor is supposed to go with, the Mac Pro, is already $6000, Apple is definitely pushing the limits of their brand loyalty. However, this was not even the biggest news on the day. Apple announced that the stand that they had presented with the monitor, comes separately. On top of this customers would have to pay $1000 if they want their $5000 monitor to be able to stand.
Apple have marketed this monitor as optional, but it really isn’t optional since most people want their computer monitor to be able to stand on its own. The announcement has caused controversy across the internet and many people have openly expressed disagreement and shock. It’s worth noting that a big cause of the backlash is not just the price, but how apple chose to present their product and the messaging they conveyed to customers. If Apple had simply included the stand with the monitor and charged
$6000 it is essentially the same deal, but it provides a very different message to customers. The Mac Pro and the Pro Display are both marketed towards professionals and creative businesses so the price tag of the monitor being $6000 wouldn’t really have bothered them too much. However, not many people, professional or otherwise would see a monitor stand by itself as being worth $1000.
The $1000 computer monitor Stand
Much of this backlash comes from consumers which both the monitor and computer were never meant for. However, the outrage and uproar that Apple’s announcement has attracted is largely due to how they’ve chosen to introduce their product. Had Apple simply kept the monitor and the stand as a single package and set the price at $6000 nobody would have reacted nearly as strongly as they are now. Marketers need to learn from Apple’s mistakes and ensure they pay just as much attention to how they offer their products as they do to advertising.
