The Mac brand has always been more than just a product; it’s been a lifestyle. However, Apple has become a more widespread name than just the Mac since the release of the iPod and then the iPhone. As it has grown in popularity, there has become a niche commitment by some people to have Apple products that are the most expensive, blinged out, dressed up products out there. From diamond-encrusted iPhones to gold-plated Macbook Air notebooks, here are some of the most expensive apple products to have hit the market. You’ll find some to be completely out of your league and others to be affordable if you’re willing to put yourself into a little bit of debt in order to be one of the cool kids. At the end you’ll also find out about some of Apple’s most interesting products that flopped because they were too pricey for their market.
The Winner:
• iPhone Princess Plus. Created by Australian jeweler Peter Aloisson, this is an iPhone encrusted with over 300 diamonds. One third of those diamonds are princess cut diamonds which is where the phone gets its name although you really almost need to be a princess to be able to afford this baby. At £89,887 ($176,000), it is the most expensive iPhone on the market to date. There’s a version of this phone that’s about $100,000 cheaper but the diamonds aren’t nearly so perfect.
The Runners Up:
• Diamond Apple iPhone. The world’s first diamond iPhone isn’t nearly as expensive as the new Princess Plus but it’s still got a respectable luxury price at around £$20,000 ($41,000). It’s decorated with over four hundred diamonds and you can choose whether the bezel of the phone is made from white, black or pink sapphire diamonds.
• eBay Resales. When the iPhone first hit the market, it was a highly coveted item that people were paying a fortune to purchase. Those folks who got their hands on the iPhone early were able to resell it on eBay at amazing prices. The most expensive iPhone to sell in the early days of its release was priced at £6365 ($12,500). Bear in mind that this was just an iPhone – no diamonds or gold or anything else!
The Expensive Option for the Average Person:
• Platinum iPhone. Goldstriker International, a company that specializes in altering mobile phones and other electronics with precious metal plating, created a limited series edition of the iPhone in platinum. The price: £1,095.95 ($2145.87). This company also offers several versions of a gold iPhone that are slightly more affordable for those of you who want to get something nice but not too nice. It’s pricey but it can be bought by the average person (whereas the Princess Plus can not).
The Winner:
• Golden Age Apple Macbook Air. Bling My Thing is the business responsible for this creation which adds a Japanese motif design to the Macbook Air. The design is created from Swarovski crystals that are coated from below with 24K gold. The crystals were hand-applied to this one-of-a-kind only Macbook that went on sale in March for £20,000 ($39,750).
The Runners Up:
• 24K Gold and Sapphire Macbook Air. The folks over at Computer Choppers are known for their ability to exquisitely deck out all sorts of Apple gadgets so you can bet that they were excited to get their hands on the Macbook Air. The super-thin notebook is just a whole lot more stylish when it’s been carefully plated with 24K gold. The icing on the cake is the Apple logo which is made of multi-colored sapphires. And the bonus is that they’ve also plated the computer’s optical drive. Computer Choppers reported that the additions don’t add a significant amount of weight to the ultra-light notebook. They do add price, though; the gold computer is £2,553 ($5000) and it’s another $3000 if you want to add the sapphire Apple logo.
• Crystal Icing Design. This company took a lot of flak from the tech news media when they released their bling-bling version of the Macbook Air. The main thing that people didn’t like was the fact that the 8,000 Swarovski crystals added a significant amount of weight to the light laptop. But there were also people who thought that the design was a bit too gaudy for any kind of Mac lover to appreciate it. After all, Macs are all about the streamlined look. Pricing varies due to the custom design but it’s around £1010 ($2000).
The Expensive Option for the Average Person:
• Original MacBook Air. The MacBook Air is not the most expensive laptop ever to be created but it definitely ranks up there in price. When it was first released, many people said that the £868 ($1700) price tag was too much considering that this is a notebook that’s fairly limited in many ways and can not be considered a primary computer (or even a primary laptop for many people). Nevertheless, it does sell so people are willing to pay the price even though it’s a little high.
The Winner:
• Ultra-Bling iDiamond iPod Shuffle. This iPod shuffle has over 400 diamonds covering its tiny little frame. That wasn’t enough for the makers, though; it’s also got 18K white and pink gold plating on the controls. It’s being auctioned off for charity this year and people are predicting the price to be somewhere around £20,429 ($40,000).
The Runners Up:
• CrystalMini. These are iPod minis, nanos and shuffles that are custom-designed to specification with Swarovski crystals of varying colors. They’re created by hand with approximately 1,000 diamonds and can be further enhanced with personalized designs or initials. Prices vary due to the fact that it’s a custom product.
• iPod Touch Bought with Credit Card Points. People who earn points on their credit cards can use those points to purchase products including Apple products. Technically, the product doesn’t cost you anything but it requires you to spend enough money to earn the item. In one case, an iPod Touch was purchased for 40,900 points. That means that the buyer sort of got the product for free but really paid over £20,429 ($40,000) to acquire enough points to make the purchase.
The Expensive Option for the Average Person:
• Goldstriker International, the company that makes the platinum iPhone, also has a series of different decked-out iPods available. One favorite is the rose gold nano which retails for £349.95 ($685).
The Winner:
• Diamond iPhone Case. Really, you can’t get one of those uber-expensive iPhones and then stick it in a cheap leather cell phone case, can you? Instead, you might check out this baby which has an 18K gold cover that’s studded with over forty diamonds. Asking price: £10,214 ($20,000).
The Runners Up:
• Promise VTrak E-Class RAID Subsystem with Sixteen SAS Drives. You’ll pay about £10,000 ($19,000) for this fiver channel storage solution that you can use to back-up your Mac.
• Diamond iPod Nano Case. When you’re walking around with your diamond iPhone in its beautiful diamond iPhone case, you can’t very well pull out a boring little iPod nano now can you? To complete the set, you’re going to need to get a diamond case for the iPod nano as well. There was one that sold in 2005 for £6310 ($12,495). It has almost six hundred diamonds set in white gold and was a one-of-a-kind item.
The Expensive Option for the Average Person:
• Diamond iPod Earphones. Your diamond-encrusted iPod just isn’t complete until you get a pair of earphones that are also decorated with diamonds. There are several different designs available from Mac@Work, the most expensive of which costs over £595 ($1100). You’ll also have to pay for shipping.
The Winner:
• 8-Core Mac Pro with Expedited Shipping. In an effort to win a competition for building the most expensive Mac Pro, one buyer added the cost of expedited shipping to his fully tricked-out machine. This caused the total of the new computer to come out to £15,080.46 ($29,889.53). It’s got all of the bells and whistles and it got there fast.
The Runners Up:
• Mac Pro 8 Built to Order. This one cost £13,768 ($27,290) at the beginning of this year and included just about everything that you could want from a personal computer. With two Apple Cinema displays, two 3.2 GHz Quad Core Intel Xeon processors, a wireless keyboard, iWork software and a protection plan, you’re not going to be needing much else.
• G5. This is one frequently cited example of a hyper-expensive Mac desktop cpmputer. Back in 2005, you could opt to pay over £12000 ($24,000) for the G5 desktop available in limited Apple stores. You definitely got a lot for your money including a 2.5Ghz Quad-core PowerPC G5 with 16GB of RAM, two 30” Apple Cinema displays, massive amounts of storage and free shipping to get the machine to your home. Nevertheless, you were paying a fortune for your desktop computer and that was the price three years ago!
The Expensive Option for the Average Person:
• Basic Mac Pro Desktop. It’s possible to get a basic desktop computer with a few frills for around £2500 ($5000). This will get you two dual-core processors, one Apple Cinema display, the Mac OS X platform and the basic memory and speeds you’ll need.
The Winner:
• Autodesk Maya Unlimited. This software can be used on any of the major operating platforms but it tends to be most common on Macs. It’s a 3D modeling and animation software program that costs approximately £2500 ($5000).
The Runners Up:
• Adobe Creative Suite 3 Master Collection. This is software that’s designed for film and web design professionals so it’s definitely got some fancy functions to it. If you’re interested in trying your hand at playing with this creative magic, you can but this software for around £1260 ($2500). Even just the upgrades are in the £650 ($1300) range.
• Final Cut Studio 2. This software suite includes six different sound and graphics application. The total price for the set is just under £650 ($1300).
The Expensive Option for the Average Person:
• Logic Studio. This software set allows you to create, perform and record music all from your own Mac computer. At around £250 ($500) it’s affordable to the average person who wants to get serious about making some music.
The Winner:
• The Apple Lisa. Ah, the Lisa. Back in the days before there was a Mac, the Lisa was created. One of the first commercial computers put on the market, it was designed for individuals instead of businesses and was intended as a step towards getting the average person to use a home computer. Unfortunately, the average person didn’t have £5000 ($10,000) to spend on a personal computer at that time.
The Runners Up:
• The TAM. In 1997, Macintosh celebrated its twentieth birthday by releasing a computer called the TAM (The Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh). It had a thin monitor compared to other products on the market at the time and was advanced in several other ways. However, nobody wanted to pay the £3830 ($7500) retail price so it was discontinued almost as soon as it was released. Those Mac-committed folks who did buy the TAM are part of a strong community devoted to the product.
• Macintosh Portable. Would you pay £3319 ($6500) for a portable computer? Apple thought that customers would when this first notebook was released in the 1980s. Bigger than a briefcase in size, it wasn’t very appealing to most people. However it was an important step towards eventually developing the laptops that are in widespread use today. Too bad it didn’t last even a year on the market because of the exorbitant price.
The Expensive Option for the Average Person:
• Macintosh TV. £1020 ($2000) was a big price to pay for a television back in 1993 when this product was introduced to the market but that wasn’t the reason that people didn’t take to this product. Instead, it was the fact that Apple’s first attempt at computer-TV integration was a technical failure in too many ways.
Adding to the iPhone: £89,887 ($176,000)
In terms of mobile phones, the iPhone is up there in price (unless you’re comparing it to designer phones, of course). But it doesn’t become one of the most expensive Apple products out there until someone has done something to enhance it. Here are some of the most expensive versions of the iPhone that have been created:The Winner:
The Runners Up:
• Diamond Apple iPhone. The world’s first diamond iPhone isn’t nearly as expensive as the new Princess Plus but it’s still got a respectable luxury price at around £$20,000 ($41,000). It’s decorated with over four hundred diamonds and you can choose whether the bezel of the phone is made from white, black or pink sapphire diamonds.
• eBay Resales. When the iPhone first hit the market, it was a highly coveted item that people were paying a fortune to purchase. Those folks who got their hands on the iPhone early were able to resell it on eBay at amazing prices. The most expensive iPhone to sell in the early days of its release was priced at £6365 ($12,500). Bear in mind that this was just an iPhone – no diamonds or gold or anything else!
The Expensive Option for the Average Person:
• Platinum iPhone. Goldstriker International, a company that specializes in altering mobile phones and other electronics with precious metal plating, created a limited series edition of the iPhone in platinum. The price: £1,095.95 ($2145.87). This company also offers several versions of a gold iPhone that are slightly more affordable for those of you who want to get something nice but not too nice. It’s pricey but it can be bought by the average person (whereas the Princess Plus can not).
Dressing up the MacBook Air: £20,000 ($39,750)
If you don’t think that the £868 ($1700) price tag of a normal MacBook Air is too much, you might want to find a way to add some more pizzazz to the machine. Of course, you’ll also add a pretty penny to the price. Here are some of the most expensive versions of the MacBook Air:The Winner:
The Runners Up:
• 24K Gold and Sapphire Macbook Air. The folks over at Computer Choppers are known for their ability to exquisitely deck out all sorts of Apple gadgets so you can bet that they were excited to get their hands on the Macbook Air. The super-thin notebook is just a whole lot more stylish when it’s been carefully plated with 24K gold. The icing on the cake is the Apple logo which is made of multi-colored sapphires. And the bonus is that they’ve also plated the computer’s optical drive. Computer Choppers reported that the additions don’t add a significant amount of weight to the ultra-light notebook. They do add price, though; the gold computer is £2,553 ($5000) and it’s another $3000 if you want to add the sapphire Apple logo.
• Crystal Icing Design. This company took a lot of flak from the tech news media when they released their bling-bling version of the Macbook Air. The main thing that people didn’t like was the fact that the 8,000 Swarovski crystals added a significant amount of weight to the light laptop. But there were also people who thought that the design was a bit too gaudy for any kind of Mac lover to appreciate it. After all, Macs are all about the streamlined look. Pricing varies due to the custom design but it’s around £1010 ($2000).
The Expensive Option for the Average Person:
• Original MacBook Air. The MacBook Air is not the most expensive laptop ever to be created but it definitely ranks up there in price. When it was first released, many people said that the £868 ($1700) price tag was too much considering that this is a notebook that’s fairly limited in many ways and can not be considered a primary computer (or even a primary laptop for many people). Nevertheless, it does sell so people are willing to pay the price even though it’s a little high.
Enhancing the iPod: £20,429 ($40,000)
It’s not just Mac’s functional tools that can be improved and inflated in price. The fun stuff can get blinged out, too. Here’s a look at what some people have done to fancy up the iPod:The Winner:
The Runners Up:
• CrystalMini. These are iPod minis, nanos and shuffles that are custom-designed to specification with Swarovski crystals of varying colors. They’re created by hand with approximately 1,000 diamonds and can be further enhanced with personalized designs or initials. Prices vary due to the fact that it’s a custom product.
• iPod Touch Bought with Credit Card Points. People who earn points on their credit cards can use those points to purchase products including Apple products. Technically, the product doesn’t cost you anything but it requires you to spend enough money to earn the item. In one case, an iPod Touch was purchased for 40,900 points. That means that the buyer sort of got the product for free but really paid over £20,429 ($40,000) to acquire enough points to make the purchase.
The Expensive Option for the Average Person:
• Goldstriker International, the company that makes the platinum iPhone, also has a series of different decked-out iPods available. One favorite is the rose gold nano which retails for £349.95 ($685).
Accessorizing Apple’s Accessories: £10,214 ($20,000)
Apple products aren’t just about the products themselves but are also about the accessories for those products. Cases for the iPhone, bags for the Macbook Air and other add-on items help to make or break the style of the product itself. Here are some of the most expensive accessories out there:The Winner:
The Runners Up:
• Promise VTrak E-Class RAID Subsystem with Sixteen SAS Drives. You’ll pay about £10,000 ($19,000) for this fiver channel storage solution that you can use to back-up your Mac.
• Diamond iPod Nano Case. When you’re walking around with your diamond iPhone in its beautiful diamond iPhone case, you can’t very well pull out a boring little iPod nano now can you? To complete the set, you’re going to need to get a diamond case for the iPod nano as well. There was one that sold in 2005 for £6310 ($12,495). It has almost six hundred diamonds set in white gold and was a one-of-a-kind item.
The Expensive Option for the Average Person:
• Diamond iPod Earphones. Your diamond-encrusted iPod just isn’t complete until you get a pair of earphones that are also decorated with diamonds. There are several different designs available from Mac@Work, the most expensive of which costs over £595 ($1100). You’ll also have to pay for shipping.
Apple’s Most Expensive Desktop Computers: £15,080.46 ($29,889.53)
The MacBook Air is expensive, especially when it’s been fancied up. However, it’s in the area of desktop computers that Apple can really drive a hard bargain with its asking price. Apple’s most expensive desktop computers are in the £7500 – £15,000 ($15000-$30000) range once all of the hardware and accessories have been purchased. Here are some of the top examples:The Winner:
The Runners Up:
• Mac Pro 8 Built to Order. This one cost £13,768 ($27,290) at the beginning of this year and included just about everything that you could want from a personal computer. With two Apple Cinema displays, two 3.2 GHz Quad Core Intel Xeon processors, a wireless keyboard, iWork software and a protection plan, you’re not going to be needing much else.
• G5. This is one frequently cited example of a hyper-expensive Mac desktop cpmputer. Back in 2005, you could opt to pay over £12000 ($24,000) for the G5 desktop available in limited Apple stores. You definitely got a lot for your money including a 2.5Ghz Quad-core PowerPC G5 with 16GB of RAM, two 30” Apple Cinema displays, massive amounts of storage and free shipping to get the machine to your home. Nevertheless, you were paying a fortune for your desktop computer and that was the price three years ago!
The Expensive Option for the Average Person:
• Basic Mac Pro Desktop. It’s possible to get a basic desktop computer with a few frills for around £2500 ($5000). This will get you two dual-core processors, one Apple Cinema display, the Mac OS X platform and the basic memory and speeds you’ll need.
Most Expensive Mac Software: £2500 ($5000)
You’ve got to have applications for your Mac and there are some that just aren’t cheap at all. Here are the most expensive Mac software options out there.The Winner:
The Runners Up:
• Adobe Creative Suite 3 Master Collection. This is software that’s designed for film and web design professionals so it’s definitely got some fancy functions to it. If you’re interested in trying your hand at playing with this creative magic, you can but this software for around £1260 ($2500). Even just the upgrades are in the £650 ($1300) range.
• Final Cut Studio 2. This software suite includes six different sound and graphics application. The total price for the set is just under £650 ($1300).
The Expensive Option for the Average Person:
• Logic Studio. This software set allows you to create, perform and record music all from your own Mac computer. At around £250 ($500) it’s affordable to the average person who wants to get serious about making some music.
Expensive Products from Apple’s Past: £5000 ($10,000)
Apple has made a whole lot of great products that people love. However, it takes a lot of mistakes to get to the good stuff. Many Apple products have been failures in the market, some due to the fact that they were too expensive. Here’s a look back in time.The Winner:
The Runners Up:
• The TAM. In 1997, Macintosh celebrated its twentieth birthday by releasing a computer called the TAM (The Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh). It had a thin monitor compared to other products on the market at the time and was advanced in several other ways. However, nobody wanted to pay the £3830 ($7500) retail price so it was discontinued almost as soon as it was released. Those Mac-committed folks who did buy the TAM are part of a strong community devoted to the product.
• Macintosh Portable. Would you pay £3319 ($6500) for a portable computer? Apple thought that customers would when this first notebook was released in the 1980s. Bigger than a briefcase in size, it wasn’t very appealing to most people. However it was an important step towards eventually developing the laptops that are in widespread use today. Too bad it didn’t last even a year on the market because of the exorbitant price.
The Expensive Option for the Average Person:
• Macintosh TV. £1020 ($2000) was a big price to pay for a television back in 1993 when this product was introduced to the market but that wasn’t the reason that people didn’t take to this product. Instead, it was the fact that Apple’s first attempt at computer-TV integration was a technical failure in too many ways.
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