Report: Apple's 'Black Friday' deals cut Mac prices 8%

But some resellers are already beating Apple's planned discounts

By Gregg Keizer

November 23, 2009 03:24 PM ET

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Computerworld - Apple will cut prices of its low-end iMac and MacBook Pro systems by 8% for a one-day-only sale on Friday, according to reports on the Web.

Apple's Friday prices, however, would still be higher than those currently posted by some authorized online resellers.

As first noted by Boy Genius Report, Apple's "Black Friday" specials will include the entry-level iMac and MacBook Pro models, both which will be priced at $1,098, an 8.4% reduction from the usual $1,199 price tag.

Prices on other models will slip less, according to the leaked brochure that a source provided to Boy Genius Report. The top-end quad-core iMac, regularly priced at $1,999, will be sold Friday for $1,898, a 5% discount. The price cut for the 17-in. MacBook Pro will be an even smaller 2%.

Apple will also discount the iPod Touch by approximately 10%, sell the Apple TV for 9% under list and promote Microsoft's Office 2008 for Mac Home and Student with a $98 deal.

Although Apple has announced it will offer online-only deals on Friday, the company has not spelled out prices.

But several online sellers have already dropped the prices for some Macs -- in some cases, below that of the reported Apple discounts.

MacMall, for instance, currently lists both the low-end 22.5-in. iMac and the 2.26GHz 13-in. MacBook Pro for $1,094.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate. MacMall's sale ends Tuesday just before midnight Pacific.

Best Buy has also cut the price of Macs in a sale that runs through Wednesday. The electronics retailer's Web site currently lists the low-end iMac and MacBook Pro at $1,099, a dollar more than Apple's Black Friday special. Other Best Buy deals include $100 off the usual $1,699 for the 3.06GHz 27-in. iMac, and $200 off the list price of $2,499 for the 17-in. MacBook Pro.

Last week, Microsoft launched a promotion for Office 2008 for Mac that dropped the price of Home and Student Edition to $129.95 and the price of Business Edition to $349.95.

In 2008, Apple's Black Friday special priced the entry-level MacBook at $898, a $101, or 10% savings, from the regular $999.

Read more about macintoshes in Computerworld's Macintoshes Knowledge Center.

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