Sun's Aussie price hike: 15 per cent

Sun Microsystems has announced a 15 per cent price increase across all its products in Australia, effective from today.

Despite the sudden change, a spokesperson from Sun Microsystems said the company's local partners would have 30 days price protection from the increases.

The spokesperson said that the universal price increase was a result of "exchange rate fluctuations", with the RBA reporting a significant fall in the average value of the Australian dollar compared to the US dollar at the end of 2008.

The Sun spokesperson said that Sun would continue to adjust its Australian prices as exchange rates fluctuated: "When the rates return to a more normal level, Sun will adjust its prices accordingly."

The price increase comes off the back of the poor results for the financial year 2008 for the company's Australian arm, with the company reporting a 30 per cent fall in December last year.

Two months later, Sun's Australian MD Duncan Bennett departed the company, to be replaced by Andrew Goodlace. Sun also said it would globally shed 15 per cent of its workforce, but would not comment on Australian jobs.