Apple For Cheap Mac

Apple Computers Inc sees the need of a cheaper entry-level computer and hopes to benefit from the expansion of the internet in Europe, its general manager for Europe said. "We are concerned about Apple not having a sub $1,200 product ," Diego Piacentini said in an interview. "We are concerned because 40 to 50 per cent of the market is there (below $1,200)," he said. "This is what we need to go back into revenue". He gave no details but said Apple would not licence another manufacturer to buy the cheaper machines, he said.

Apple expected very strong 1998 Christmas sales in Europe and was trying to boost sales and increase the proportion of software and consulting in its turnover. The company is changing its manufacturing process to build-to-order, from build-to-forecast, so it meets real demand rather than making machines according to market estimates. It will launch in Britain by the summer sales of machines on the Internet, allowing customers to place orders on its web sites. One of the main features of 1998 for Apple is the release of

 

Microsoft's Office 98 for Mac in March, at the same time as the Windows version.