Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) introduced more affordable versions of the MacBook with faster processors as the company works to woo price-conscious consumers amid slumping sales in the personal-computer market.
Apple cut the price of 13-inch MacBook Pro laptops by $200 and updated its processors. It also launched new models with faster processors and more memory.
Apple Inc. said Wednesday that the MacBook Pro with “Retina” display and 128 gigabytes of flash memory will now cost $1,499, down from $1,699.
A new model with 256 gigabytes of flash will cost $1,699.
The 15-inch model has a faster processor and the same price. It has a retina display and now has a 2.4 gigahertz quad-core processor, while a version with more features comes with 2.7 gigahertz and 16 gigabytes of memory, the company said.
Apple unveiled the new MacBook Pro models last fall. It has flash memory instead of the traditional hard drive, which makes it thinner and lighter.
Apple reported a surprising decline in Mac sales in the final quarter of 2012. It sold 4.1 million of them, down 22 percent from shipments a year earlier.
Worldwide PC shipments declined 3.2 percent last year as consumers and retailers shifted to tablets and smartphones, according to researcher IDC, after a 1.7 percent gain in 2011. Apple’s latest MacBook lineup is part of a push to make products thinner and smaller without sacrificing performance.
Apple also said it will sell a 13-inch MacBook Air with 256 gigabytes of flash for $1,399, a $100 discount off the price the company announced in June.
The 15-inch MacBook Pro with a retina display now has a faster 2.4 gigahertz quad-core processor, while a version with more features comes with 2.7 gigahertz and 16 gigabytes of memory, the company said.
