In an e-mail sent to retailers, schools, and other partners supplied directly by Apple, the company launched end-of-life pricing for the older systems, AppleInsider reported.
"Our MacBook family has been updated and all current stock of MacBook and MacBook Pros need to be sold," the e-mail said, according to the Mac enthusiast site. "All current in-store computers are on a first-come, first-served basis."
In addition, AppleInsider posted a "Mac Price Guide" that lists the reduced prices of previous-generation Macs available through such retailers as Amazon.com, MacMall, MacConnection, B&H, Best Buy, and ClubMac. The guide shows prices on MacBooks, MacBook Pros, MacBook Airs, and Mac Minis dropping from about $100 to as much as $850.
The discounted Macs have slower processors and less storage than the latest hardware. Apple started rolling out a new generation of Macs at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco on Monday.
Apple introduced a refreshed MacBook Pro line with some models up to $300 less than the previous generation, before the latest price cuts. Apple also introduced the iPhone 3G S, a faster version of the older iPhone 3G, and dropped the price of the latter to $99, with a two-year service contract from AT&T, the exclusive wireless carrier in the United States.
The new Macs include a 13-inch MacBook Pro for $1,199, a l5-inch model for $1,699, and a 17-inch version for $2,499. All the prices are for the least-expensive configurations. In addition, Apple refreshed the MacBook Air, and lowered the starting price to $1,499.
While comparable Windows laptops are available at several hundred dollars less than the new MacBook models, Apple's lowering of prices indicates that the company is positioning itself to be a tougher competitor on the higher end of the PC market. Analysts have long said that Apple is too expensive, particularly in the economic downturn, despite strong reviews.
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