In another edition of “The Raspberry Pi needs a place in your home now”, we discover that the B+ model, announced in July of last year, has seen a price cut of nearly 30 percent, landing at just $25. While it isn’t the latest version, the Raspberry Pi B+ maintained strong sales as an improved edition of the first generation, but something tells us there’s a new competitor involved in this price change…
According to official data, the Raspberry Pi 2 has already sold over a million units since its launch. The friendly price combined with optimized specs form the ideal combo for those who want to experience the best of the platform. However, availability of the Raspberry Pi enters chaotic territory as it moves away from Europe and the United States. I’ve verified that in some Latin American countries the cost per unit skyrockets by between 200 and 400 percent, thanks to local taxes and other logistics details. Therefore, any chance to lower the price should be very welcome. I understand that the Raspberry Pi Foundation doesn’t operate with very wide profit margins, but economy and access to hardware are the two fundamental pieces that will guarantee the success of the Raspberry Pi in the medium term.
A Price Cut for the B+
That said, CEO of Raspberry Pi Eben Upton announced a price cut for the Raspberry Pi B+ that approaches 30 percent. The new value is $25, placing the computer very close to its younger brother A+, available for only $20. The publication speaks of a “side effect” as the main reason for the drop. Thanks to optimizations that allow selling the Raspberry Pi 2 for $35, it is now cheaper to manufacture the B+ model, losing ten dollars along the way. Official distributors around the globe are expected to modify the price in the coming days, but RS Components (UK) and MCM Electronics (US) have already made the change.
A New Challenger Appears
Still, I think there’s another factor to consider. Since the Raspberry Pi started making its rounds, we’ve seen many similar platforms rise and disappear, but there’s a new low-cost sheriff in town, and it’s called Chip. The Kickstarter project has already raised over $1.2 million, and with 22 days to go, everything indicates the number will grow. If Chip becomes a decent competitor for the Raspberry Pi, welcome. In the end, the big winner is the user.
