iMac is next year's computer for $1,299, not last year's computer for $999.

Jobs is framing the iMac’s price as a premium justified by forward-looking design and capabilities rather than by commodity comparisons. The line contrasts “next year’s computer” with “last year’s computer” to shift the buyer’s reference point away from raw specs or discounted competitors and toward longevity, innovation, and total value over time. It also reflects Apple’s broader late-1990s strategy: differentiate through industrial design, ease of use, and integrated hardware/software, and resist price wars by arguing that Apple products are not directly comparable to cheaper, older, or more generic PCs.