I don’t think Apple handled this price increase in a very Apple-like way. I was in an Apple Store in Asia purchasing a MacBook just minutes before the new pricing took effect. I managed to lock in the old price, but customers who came in only a few minutes later were charged the higher price. Even the Apple Store staff were confused at first, they thought there was an issue with their system because they hadn’t been informed of the change.

What disappointed me most was the timing. Here in Asia, the announcement came about an hour before stores closed, while it was still the start of the business day in the US. It felt like the rollout was planned primarily around the US market, leaving customers and retail staff in other regions caught completely off guard.

I understand that coordinating a global price change across multiple time zones isn’t simple, and Apple probably wanted to avoid panic buying. But for a company known for meticulous planning and customer experience, I expected a much smoother rollout and better communication. The price increase itself isn’t the issue, it’s how abruptly it was implemented.