20th Anniversary Mac (1997)
(Source: macrumors.com)
Proof positive that raising the bar of expectations is only dangerous if you can’t clear that bar. Apple intended the 20th Anniversary Mac (TAM) for executives. It was a good machine, well designed and capable. Apple’s plan was to run a limited number of TAMs, price them right ($9,000) then sit back and count the money. The design was spectacular, one of the first for Jony Ive, who is now Apple’s CDO. The TAM featured an LCD display, at a time when most computers were CRT. Below the display was a vertical insert CD-ROM tray and two Bose speakers. The package included a stylish subwoofer to boot. The problem was, nobody was willing to pay $9,000, so they dropped the price to $7,500, then $3,500, then eventually just under $2K. These drops were a service nightmare as people who paid top dollar wanted rebates, which Apple obliged. The good news was, the last units sold within two weeks of the last price drop.
