Apple to Charge for Bootcamp?
Rumor has it that Apple Inc. may be charging users to obtain the final release of Boot Camp when it moves out of the Beta testing phase in the coming months. This may come as no surprise to many who have recently been told that they would need to pay a small fee to unlock the ability to use 802.11n Wi-Fi technology in their Intel Macs.
The source of this rumor? MacScoop! While this really is just a rumor at present, a senior analyst with Pike & Fischer says, “At $30, Boot Camp is a steal. That’s a drop in the bucket for software that allows for a dual operating system.”
For some it may be a steal but for me it’s almost a joke. Apple’s main reason for developing Boot Camp in the first place was to:
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A) Prevent users from hacking their systems to run Windows
B) Allow users to actually run a stable copy of Windows on their machines
C) Attract existing Windows users to the Mac platform in the knowledge that they could use both Windows and Mac operating systems
Why would a Windows user, who is probably too scared of a change anyway (as many are), want to fork out over $1000 for a computer, then pay more money again to run a Windows operating system? Sure, to a Mac lover like you or I this is a case of “stop being so tight, tight ass,” but a lot of Windows users are already put off by the expense of the Mac range without having to fork out even more money.
The question I find myself asking now is: why is Apple charging people for this? Here’s one thought, although it’s a long shot. Is there a possibility that Apple’s sales aren’t going as well as expected from the moment they announced Boot Camp, and they feel as though they would gain more money by charging current Intel Mac users for it? Meaning, there’s more revenue being generated by existing customers than by new customers?
Or here’s another more likely thought. Maybe Apple knew that the free beta release of boot camp would entice plenty of Windows users to cross over, and now that they’re over, Apple wants to hit those users with a bill for using the product they switched platforms for in the first place because they thought it was free? Clever business strategy, if you ask me.
According to Bit-tech.net, users who are currently using the Beta version will still be able to use the software even after the pay-for version is released, they just won’t get much driver support from Apple. Of course, if you wait for Leopard to be released you’ll get the full version anyway, without a fee (we hope). Apparently users can also expect Windows Vista to be supported on the pay-for Bootcamp.
I’m still in two minds about whether charging users for a handy piece of software is the right way to go anyway. On the one hand, it’s only $30 (£15); on the other hand, why should we have to pay when, realistically, we have already spent enough on a Macintosh computer in the first place?
What’s your view on this? Is Apple being greedy or is this fair play?
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uhmmm. but why pay when anyone even remotely competant could just use vmware fusion?
“Is there a possibility that Apple’s sales aren’t going as well as expected from the moment they announced Boot Camp, and they feel as though they would gain more money by charging current Intel Mac users for it?”
Did they not just announce gagillion dollar profits?
You believe everything someone tells you? A company would happily lie or at least bend the truth a little to keep morale high with its consumers.
You fail to mention that the MacScoop story states *Tiger users* will have to pay for Boot Camp, it will still be included in Leopard.
I mentioned that if you purchase Leopard you’ll most probably get it included without a fee.
I fall under ( C ). I bought a Mac thinking great I can run both XP and OSX. Now after having my Macbook Pro for 3 months I’m sticking with OSX.
D) By charging for Bootcamp, Apple is provided continuous feedback on how many people are actually using Bootcamp and therefore derive greater insight into their market.
Let’s fact it, we’d all download something that’s free. If it costs $29.99 it’s more probable that we actually plan to use it.
And with CrossOver, Parallels, and VMWare, it might be a waste of time and money for Apple to divert resources to Bootcamp. I’m not saying that it is, because I like having the security of being able to boot into Windows if necessary. But I might be in a very small minority. And I certainly don’t *need* to boot Windows.
reinharden
Not sure what the big deal is. They charge for iLife but it comes with a new Mac.
If you want it you’ll have to pay for it, which means your going to get support for it as well as updates to fixes and such. Someone needs to pay the bills and payroll of those who create it.
Perhaps it is an attempt to maintain a market for Parallels, VMWare, etc.? Sure these are more functional products, but it’s hard to compete with free.
With regard to #3:
Aaron, do you recall Enron? Since that little scandal, corporations have had the threat of personal liability held over them. Not as many CFOs are willing to chance prison and repeated anal rape to certify false public reports.
It would be reasonable to assume that the Q4 reports issued by Apple were, for all intents and purposes, accurate. If you doubt it, I’d encourage you to do the actual research rather than make potentially libelous statements.
With regard to Boot Camp, why would it be a surprise? Beta software is supposed to be free. Apple doesn’t give away any release software anymore. They are greedy. Otherwise, what’s the point in profit?
I think charging people for Boot Camp is Apple’s way of weaning x-Windows users off XP and forcing them to make the decision to finally move all their stuff over to OS X. More than anything, Apple wants Mac OS X to succeed. Letting users run Windows was a controversial decision, but it seems Apple always had a master plan. Now that ‘switchers’ have got a Mac on their lap, let’s make them use OS X!
Apple wants to hit those users with a bill for using the product they switched platforms for in the first place because they thought it was free? Clever business strategy, if you ask me.
Clever? Bait-and-switches are usually frowned upon as kind of “dicky.” But hey, this is Apple so everything they do must be right.
I have my doubts that they’d charge for Boot Camp, software that is more or less a component of the OS. It would be like charging for Bonjour. I don’t see it happening.
By charging for Bootcamp, Apple is provided continuous feedback on how many people are actually using Bootcamp and therefore derive greater insight into their market.
While sycophantic justifications for Apple’s greed aren’t rare, this one is certainly imaginative.
IF Apple even cares about how many people are actually using BC as opposed to just downloading it (which I doubt), I’m sure there are better ways to find out than charging users $30. There’s registering users who install the software, for example.
It would be reasonable to assume that the Q4 reports issued by Apple were, for all intents and purposes, accurate.
Would this be the same Apple that backdated their stock options so that executives could get more money?
It’s not an uncommon practice in the industry to give out a free beta and charge for the final version… but this is all rumor and speculation that they are going to charge at all.
They can do what they damn well please. It’s their software. If you want it free, download it now and hold on to the most recent free version.
Of the $5 (or $2 depending on where you read) WiFi 802.11n update, that charge was directly due to Sarbanes-Oxley and has no relation to Boot Camp.
Quoting an apple spokesman “[the company believes] if it sells a product, then later adds a feature to that product, it can be held liable for improper accounting if it recognizes revenue from the product at the time of sale.” It’s a CYA maneuver. With the recent stock inquiry, they’re making sure they have all future bases covered.