Apple defends prices

Apple has rejected claims it charges Australian consumers significantly more for its products than overseas shoppers.

The high Australian dollar – trading as high as US96c in recent weeks – should mean US imports are relatively affordable, but according to The Age prices for Apple products here are often 20% to 30% higher than overseas.

Apple has defended its Australian pricing policy however, arguing its products remain within reach of most people.

“People are buying iPods here at a higher rate than anywhere in the world; Mac [sales] are growing at three times the rate of the PC industry,” Ron Johnson, senior vice-president for Apple retail in Australia, says. “I have never once – and I receive hundreds of emails a day from customers – had one email [complaining] about our pricing.”

But CommSec economist Craig James says Apple is not providing benefits to its customers that would be expected.

“Apple has elected to pass on some currency savings to consumers,” James told the newspaper, “but not all of them, buoying profitability.”

Read more on Apple products