The world of tech is corrupted by mark-ups for quality received by the consumer. According to Yahoo Finance, in 2024, “The Department of Justice, along with 15 state governments, accused Apple of unlawfully monopolizing the smartphone market through restrictions on app developers that curb choice and innovation, which it said forces consumers to pay higher prices.” This makes the number one culprit Apple. Apple is able to charge ridiculous prices for any of their products, and still get away with it. So, how is Apple still making millions of dollars for average tech products? And, how has Apple been able to make a “trendy” tech company?
Apple, in recent years, has skyrocketed in size. In a matter of a decade, the company was worth $643 billion dollars in 2014 and increased to $3.4 trillion dollars in 2024, according to Companiesmarketcap.com article titled Market Capitalization of Apple. As a tech company, this is something new, incredible, and unstoppable. Yet, is it truly deserved?
To investigate, I decided to talk to Mr. Steven Ridley. He specializes in the media industry, working for a company called Vieta, which “has been created to assist in maximizing the value available from monetized infrastructure to all parties in the value chain.” (LinkedIn) and knows how the tech itself and industry works. If you were in the same situation as a DHS student, would you buy a Windows computer or a Mac computer? If so, why? A windows computer. Because it is cheaper and more versatile. Explain versatile. It will allow you to do more things you will need to do in high school, as well as be useful for things outside of high school. Do you think the people currently with a Mac would be better off with a Windows computer? Yes, they probably would be. Although, they’re not quite as stylish.
Because of this, do you think the style and aesthetic plays a role in Macs popularity? Yes, absolutely. They are extremely stylish and made with another level of quality. Do you think another testament to the popularity of the Mac is due to its connectivity and popularity with other Apple products? Yes, this is what attracts people in the tech industry. Ultimately, would you consider, not just Macs, but all Apple products are overpriced. Why? Yes, definitely. They are made to be aspirational and they offer performance that no one ever needs for high school. So, the cheapest Mac (Mac Air) to reach DHS standards, with a student discount, is almost $1,100. Do you think it’s possible to find a Windows computer with the same specs for half the cost? I know it’s possible. Your computer is it, Elliot.
For clarity, a Dell Latitude e7420 (like new) is available for purchase for half the price ($550) and EXCEEDS the requirements of DHS and Apple charges double for mildly exceeding the requirements.
As much as this has backed up the fact that Macs are overpriced, credit must be given where it was due: Marketing. Apple spent nearly a billion dollars on marketing last year. Their advertisements are simple, yet creative. A breathtaking example of this is from Apple’s YouTube channel: Introducing the all-new AirPods 4 | Apple. But, what makes Apple’s marketing so brilliant, is its relationship with the product. A sleek product with a sleek advertisement. And as much as Windows has been catching up on this, Apple has been doing it for way longer. In the world of marketing, consistency counts.
Apple is also using their other selling points to make money. Over the past few years, the price of Macs in the US have stayed relatively consistent, but in other countries: “12% in the U.K., up to 5% up in Australia and up to 6% higher in Canada.” (MacBook) So, they can keep up with the massive following in the US and use their smaller followings in other countries. As much as it’s cynical, it’s genius.
Although, not only Apple has to explain itself, so does DHS. DHS states that the minimum requirements for an Apple computer is 16 GB of RAM and the OSX 14 Somona operating system. Yet, Windows only needs 12 GB of RAM and the (older) Windows 10. So, with this in mind, Apple is even making the consumer indirectly overprice the product for Apples benefit. Another cynical, yet genius process.
So, in conclusion, the world of Apple is a mosh pit of overpricing and aesthetics. As much as Apple is bad for doing this, Apple is also incredibly intelligent. To be honest, my next computer will probably be a Mac as well.
