Apple raises iMax prices $ 100

Saying the cost of system memory and other components have been rising rapidly, Apple Computer said it has raised the cost of its new iMac systems by $ 100 with the starting price now at $ 1,500 and up to $ 2,000. "Since the new iMac's launch in January, memory costs have tripled and flat-panel display costs have increased with little relief in sight," said Phil Schiller, VP (Worldwide Marketing), Apple. 

Apple has shipped 125,000 iMacs and is now shipping more than 5,000 per day. "Customer demand for the new iMac has been off the charts and we have simply been unable to keep up with it. We are now in volume production, shipping over 5,000 new iMacs per day, and hope to catch up with demand soon," said Steve Jobs, CEO, Apple. "We appreciate our customers' and resellers' patience during this ramp-up period." 

At the Macworld Tokyo exposition Apple also launched free software that lets the iPod portable music player hold contact lists, moving the device a big step closer to adding PDA functionality. "It is not trying to be a PDA. It is a music player with some extended functionality," said Schiller. 

Apple also launched a new iPod with 10 gigabytes of storage, twice the previous level. The device will retail for about $ 500, $ 100 more than the 5-gigabyte version.

Apple also added a $ 3,500, 23-inch panoramic LCD display for its Mac line. The all-Digital display supports 1920 x 1200 High Definition Resolution. It will enable artists to author HDTV content in its native resolution. "The Cinema HD Display is simply the best computer display on the planet," said Jobs. "By offering beyond-HD resolution along with superior brightness, sharpness and color purity, the Cinema HD Display is an amazing breakthrough for creative professionals in every field." 

Unlike most flat panels using an analog interface, the Cinema HD Display delivers distortion-free images from edge-to-edge that never need adjusting. $ 3,499. The Cinema HD Display requires a Power Mac G4 with ADC connector. 

SV News Service

Cupertino