Apples to Apples
If you’re like most people, you’re always looking to find out when is the best time to buy something and where to get the best deal. Technology products help storm chasers and spotters in various ways, by either assisting us getting to that perfect staging spot, recording video, or taking pictures, and much more. If you’re like me, you want to know when is the best time to invest in new gear, and am I getting a good deal? Just like buying a new house or new car, there’s better times than others to do so. Well, as it would have it, I may be able to save you some time in researching the answer to those questions.
I’ve been a long time fan of Apple products, and if you follow Apple, you’ll start to see that there is usually some patterns in when they release certain products and how often they get refreshed. If you’re interested in upgrading that new Mac, or perhaps it’s time to dive into the world of Apple for the first time, the folks at MacRumors have you covered. They’ve put together a page that summarizes the status of Apple’s product lineup for you. There it provides information on when the product was released, how long since it’s been refreshed, the average product cycle, and previous release dates. Most importantly, it includes a brief recommendation on whether or not it is a good time to buy. This will be displayed as either, “Buy Now, Neutral, Caution, or Don’t Buy”. This is because Apple’s refresh schedule on its products is not the same across the board. For example, Apple has been quite predictable for years now that their new iPhone will typically launch in September of every year. However, Macintosh and iPad dates have been a little less repetitive. Also, unlike many products that slowly depreciate over time, Apple products do not. An Apple product will typically stay the same price throughout its entire product life cycle until it is completely refreshed by the new version. MacRumors obviously can’t guarantee accuracy, as it’s based only on rumors and speculation. They have been quite good at the predictions though and it is what it says it is, a guide.
I think you’ll find it can be quite a useful guide, particularly if you’re new to Apple. Apple has a reputation of making high quality products, but at a price. But buying at the right time to get the most for your money can make this easier, and more confident in your decision when clicking on that “checkout” button on your browser. The next time you do, it just might be in Safari.
You can find the guide by following the link here: http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/
