Markoff reports, “Steven P. Jobs, the chief executive, said in an interview after the announcement that Apple would have been able to hit its publicly declared target of a million iPhones sold in the United States by the end of this month, even without a price cut. ‘We’re a high-volume manufacturer, and we’re pretty good at getting costs down,’ Mr. Jobs said. ‘It’s very clear we have a breakthrough product on our hands, but it’s also clear that many can afford it, some can’t. We’d like to make it affordable to even more folks going into this holiday season.'”
Markoff reports, “Mr. Jobs said that if the company had waited past the Christmas buying season to reduce prices it would have been forced to delay for another year reaching a broader consumer market. ‘We’re feeling like being more aggressive,’ he said.”
More in the full article here.
In an interview yesterday with CNBC’s Jim Goldman, Jobs said, “We want to get more aggressive for the holiday season. So, you know, we know a lot of people want an iPhone. For some, it’s out of their price range. We want it to be affordable for more people as we head into the holiday season. We’ll launch the iPhone in Europe next quarter…. [In] Asia, probably 2008. I think we’ll start to see it in some countries in Europe next quarter.
Full interview transcript here.
Jobs also spoke with USA Today’s Jefferson Graham and Edward C. Baig:
USA Today: What do you say to customers who just bought a new iPhone for $599? Sorry?
Jobs: That’s technology. If they bought it this morning, they should go back to where they bought it and talk to them. If they bought it a month ago, well, that’s what happens in technology.
USA Today: To do this, are you taking a hit on costs? Or have prices really come down?
Jobs: We’re in high-volume manufacturing, and we’re pretty good on the costs side. We’re also willing to be more aggressive. We think we have a real winner, and customers love the iPhone. The product’s been extremely well accepted; we want to put the pedal to the metal. A holiday season is approaching; we’d have to wait another year for another one.
More in the full interview here.
Good for Steve. So can I get me $200 back now, since Apple can afford the price cut?
Mr. Jobs,
As an early adapter and user of Apple products for over 20 years I an very upset by such a rapid price drop for a newly introduced piece of hardware. You owe the early adapters who paid premium prices for the iPhone at least an acknowledgement of their loyalty and an incentive to continue buying Apple products.
We f’d you.
apple’s liquidating there iphone stock. the 4GB is inn tune for low inventory by the end of the month and the 8GB needed an extra push to deplete its stock.
Why? because they’re coming out with the 16GB possibly 3G iphone on sept 25th in Paris — price will be $599.
so we’ll have
$599 and a $399 iphone.
That’s the price of being an early adoptor. Same with those who have to have Blue Ray DVD player the moment it ships. Nobody gets a refund.
early adopters got pwnt.
Please Steve bring the iPhone to Belgium really quick.
I’m getting more aggressive here.
“16GB possibly 3G iphone on sept 25th in Paris — price will be $599”.
Correct.
So my dear early adopters <sheep> save you bleeting, you have yet to learn what it means to be fully shanked.
SJ
OK, don’t start a bunch of “I got screwed crap”. If you knew what you were buying, and you knew the price, suck it up. Move on. They had to make sure that the kind of volume that they had projected was being achieved before they put a big cut on the margin. Smart moves. They are running the iPhone like an individual business (in the monetary sense), smart move.
STFU you self-righteous moron.
Man, I remember trying to buy a Wii… driving around day after day, waiting outside in the cold… if only Nintendo had charged an extra $200 for a few months at the release, maybe I could have found one in a store. Would have saved money on gas for sure.
The price cut put the iPhone in the range of a lot more people.
I hope too that Apple cuts the price of the accessories like the wireless headset.
Let’s face it, $129 for an Apple brand headset is too high and anyone who will pay $349.95 for the Bang &Olufsen;headset has more money than good sense.
For all those early adopters that used a credit card, you might want to look into your credit card’s price protection program to try to recoup all or some of the $200.
Stop whining. This sort of thing happens all the time.
Early Adopters, stop bitching and moaning, this was clearly coming.
I’m a real Apple Fan, but you’re 100% right.
drbyers says:
“early adopters got pwnt”
No, sir. They definitely got iphowned
From the article:
“On Wednesday, Apple executives insisted that the price cut had been planned long ago.”
That really bothers me because it’s clear that they planned on price gouging the early adopters and their biggest fans from the outset.
I don’t see that as good business. Trust me when I say there are a lot of people who are upset about this and regardless of whether you feel they have “a right” to be or not, they are.
Apple had to have known there would be backlash.
Does anyone else remember the Macintosh IIvx?
Great specs, OK price. Replaced in a few months with a better Mac at a much lower price. People felt shafted by that one too.
Welcome to the wonderful world of technology.
@Thao Dang
If you bought the iPhone two weeks prior to yesterday’s announced price cut Apple will refund the $200 difference.
Thorin, nicely put (and please OTFU if you want).
If some people do not want their technology purchase either becoming “outdated” of lower in price, then these people should not buy technology.
Those who made the decision to buy an iPhone at the $599/$499 price point were obviously prepared to spend the money and from all accounts have been incredibly happy with the product. If for some reason your more expensive phone is now not performing at the expected level, then you have a beef with Apple.
Otherwise: STFU. It was your decision to be an early adopter.
Big props to all you early adopters (and a mega shoutout to all you peeps that dance to da beat of that ol’ skool vibe, bait-and-switch).
Whatevs, please send me you names and e-mail addresses. We want you in our marketing databases. Do it right now, dont’ think just trust.
Peace out.
Dave, check the cereal box, you might still be able to get a refund on your diploma.
The price of being first. No use complaining.
It happened to the early buyers of the 15″ MacBook Pro. I know cause I am one. Not long after my purchase I could have got a 17″ for the same price.
That is the way it works.
Did I line up to be one of the first buyers of the iPhone. No way baby. But I’ll get one now.
Maybe I’ll hold out till Christmas for the 16 gig iPhone. Sweet. You know it’s coming.
Remaining supply of 4gb iphones is only $299. Now that’s a steal!
This is not the first big price cut from Apple. The huge price cut was when Apple sunk the price for WebObjects 90% in one day. That was huge.
It’s simple. The best marketing device Apple has for the iPhone is current iPhone users.
All the advertising in the world to this point hasn’t convinced tons of consumers out there that the iPhone isn’t just one heck of an expensive cellphone. They just don’t get it cause they haven’t actually seen one yet.
They don’t even think of it in terms of competitively priced smart phone like a Treo. They just think “man $599.00 for a cellphone?”
Until they actually see one and hold one and play with it.
Job’s said consumer satisfaction is off the scale with the iPhone.
So drop the price dramatically in time for Christmas. Get even more out n the streets NOW ahead of the season, and at a great price.
Tons of cellphone contracts coming up for renewal at year end–Christmas Sales will be off the hook with this thing.
Cellphone industry is breaking out the Malox.
“STFU you self-righteous moron.”
I’m not self righteous, but I’m probably smarter, better looking, more wealthy, more spiritual, more honest, and more scholarly than you; and heck, people like me!
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Gheez, I hope it comes to Canada soon. If not, I’ll have to get the iPod touch, but it doens’t have email (I suppose I could use the browser to get web mail).
Oh whine whine whine… bunch of crybabies… this happens all the time. GET OVER IT. If you didn’t think an iPhone was worth $600 you’re an IDIOT for buying one.
The Mac IIvx had a socketed processor, easy upgrade. It was replaced with the IIvi which had a soldered CPU – not so easy (though not terribly difficult.)
But it gave the IIvx an unusual bump in resale value for a while there, and units left on the shelves were snatched up by folks “in the know.”
LOL!
Shafted! 😀
This unfortunately is ‘the early adopters tax’.
I learnt years ago never to rush out and buy the latest and greatest thing from Apple when it comes out.
Basic rule of buying anything from Apple: WAIT A FEW MONTHS before buying the uber gear!
;P
I paid about $2800 for my Mac SE.
Worth every penny and no regrets. And it still works.
re: “STFU you self-righteous moron.”
I’m not self righteous, but I’m probably smarter, better looking, more wealthy, more spiritual, more honest, and more scholarly than you; and heck, people like me!
—
LOL!
I notice you didnt say you easnt a moron though!
:DD
okay… so STFU, Romney.
My first cell phone cost $3500.
“On Wednesday, Apple executives insisted that the price cut had been planned long ago.” …. but what was the trigger? or rather what were the triggers? Maybe flash pricing was one of the many.
Because Apple was buying so much flash memory the price had gone up, this was when they were building the launch stock of iPhones. As a consequence lots of manufacturers built manufacturing facilities so much that there will be a glut in the next few months. Apple has been able to negotiate some strong deals but all consumers of electronics should be happy because Apple has caused a drop in flash price.
Back in the 90s Apple decided to put CD drives in to computers, they ordered two million from Sony and brought the price down for everyone too. Not so many years ago DVD burners were $3000, then Apple introduced Macs for under $3000 including DVD burners.
With the iPhone and iPod touch Apple will have triggered a price drop in small high quality screens too.
That’s the way it goes in high tech, the R&D;and initial investment in plant and machinery is high, the material cost is low. Once the high initial input costs have been amortized prices plummet.
Someone said, “The best marketing device Apple has for the iPhone is current iPhone users”
So why did Apple stiff them?
Everyone expects the price of new electronic stuff to go down, but there is no justification for a 33% cut in 60 days unless there was either profiteering, a product failure, or a going-out-of-business sale.
To those who didn’t buy an iPhone before yesterday’s price collapse, don’t be so smug. At least the early adopters bought their iPhones before Apple had a track record of volatile pricing. At least it was only the iPhone. They might be laughing even harder at you tomorrow. What Apple purchase are you contemplating? The more expensive the product, the greater the risk. What if you buy a new Mac Pro, and the price drops 33% on the 15th day?
It didn’t seem so likely the day before yesterday, but now it is a distinct possibility.
You bought at the price.
Apple decides to be more aggressive and take a hit in the profit margin.
And you moan. Grow up!
To the early buyers: Just enjoy your iPhone. Take responsibility for your own actions for a change… and buy smarter next time. Apple is in business to make money.
You owe the early adapters who paid premium prices for the iPhone at least an acknowledgement of their loyalty and an incentive to continue buying Apple products.
Are you on welfare or do you just possess an entitlement mentality? Apple doesn’t owe anyone anything. They could offer refunds or store credits, but they don’t have to.
Would I have been pissed if I had bought an iPhone only to see the price drop 33 percent in one month? Yes, but that doesn’t mean I am owed anything.
Well, us iPhone early adopters may not have a “right” to feel shafted, but we certainly have the right to wait a few months the next time Apple unveils a new product. Does Apple really want its future “latest, greatest new product” to have pathetic sales the first 2-3 months? In business, rights go both ways…
$100 iPhone – If the 8Gb iPod Touch costs $300 and the 8Gb iPhone costs $400, doesn’t that make the phone part of the iPhone cost $100? That’s subsidised phone locked to an AT&T;contract territory. Looks like the premium value of AT&T;service became apparent early on.
Whiners, whiners, whiners. So sick of the whiners. Yeah, I paid $599 for mine on launch weekend. But guess what: that shiny glass and metal device on my desk right now is still just as shiny as it was last week, regardless of its current selling price.
Like SJ said, if you bought it just a couple days ago, take it back and get a refund on the difference — you’ll get your $200 back. Every major retailer has this policy. If you bought it before that, like me, suck it up and move on. Apple owes you nothing, and neither does any other company who drops prices on their products.
MW: People’s sense of entitlement seems to have <b>reached</i> epic proportions.
To the early buyers: Just enjoy your iPhone. Take responsibility for your own actions for a change… and buy smarter next time. Apple is in business to make money.
I agree, get over it. You still got a great phone that is only getting better with the new iTunes Wireless store and more to come. I wouldn’t be that upset about it.
What the hell are you talking about, the IIvi and the IIvx were released on the same day (Oct 19, 1992). The IIvi featured a whopping 16mhz processor was however only available in Asia, Europe and Canada. The IIvx screamed past it with a 32mhz processor. The both had the same system bus, and both had a processor upgrade path via third-party vendors.
Apple is counting on all the loyal fans to drool over the new product. They create the frenzy with the “Big” product announcement. This is why Apple likes to have so much secrecy. It builds up the speculation, and the desire for the product. They are pandering to the crowds that for years clamored for a new innovation from Apple. I got burned with the Apple TV. Something along the lines of 45 days after it came out the new version with the 160 GB harddrive was released, oh, for another 100 bucks. It is the nature of electronics. You can always count on the early adopters. You plan your product line out in advance. They put the first one out with a few missing things knowing that the cost would be cheaper to manufacturer without 3G, and they also went with 8 GB of memory. They probably already have the 32 GB model with some other enhancements already planned, and set to ship by late 2nd quarter to 3rd quarter of next year. Oh by the way, they will be rolling out a 16 GB iPhone by the 4th quarter, and it may have 3G/broadband. If they hold off on the 3G/broadband thing until early next year they will be able to sucker another round of upgraders before the 32 GB model is out next year.
As an Apple user we like to upgrade. There are tons of folks who stay in the Apple fold because of the integration, and the products work very well for the most part. The problem is when we are somewhat taken advantage of with the repetitive upgrade pricing. That would be the case with the iPhone in this episode. It happens with many other companies. Apple just happens to be very good at these strategies, and they also have many diehard fans. It all comes down to choice. Do you want a product today that is available at a high price, or do you want to wait a little while to see if the demand decreases, and the price is reduced? The choice is that of the consumer.
Man, I’m PISSED!!!! I bought my 40GB iPod in October 2003 for $500!!! Now, four years later, I can get a 160GB iPod for $350. WTF?????? Apple owes me money!!!!
Those of you who are bitching about the price cut have obviously never been an early adopter of a new cell phone in the past 5 years.
I bought a BlackBerry 7290 a couple years back for $399 with 2 year contract. 6 weeks later, it was being offered for $99. Called my service provider and they told me politely that there was nothing they could do for me.
Look at many hot new cell phone out there, and you’ll see similar price drops within months of their launches. Bottom line, if you don’t like it, don’t be an early adopter. Simple as that. If you can’t hold your load long enough for the price drop, then don’t bitch when it happens.
That is a bunch of Hooey! He is going to cut costs on phones like every other phone manufacturer does because it is the business model of the cellphone industry at the moment. There was a time that RAZR’s went for $500.00 (why should that price point sound familiar to iPhone owners?) look how much they cost now. When the business model of the cell phone industry changes so will the price structure. Come January, Mr. Jobs will introduce the new $500-600 model.
Just my $0.02
To the “quit yer bitchin” crowd: Your wish shall be granted.
Apple significantly re-set the degree to which customers trust the company. There will be no whining next time, but that will be because the early adopters will have gone away.
Apple and Microsoft are no different. They are both out to make money. If you think Apple execs and Steve Jobs are saints, you are just a naive sucker. Of course they planned this pricing strategy from the beginning. They took advantage of the hype and their Apple fan base to make a quick buck and it worked. Jobs is not being altruistic making this price drop for the poor disadvantaged masses. He is doing it for one reason – to make money.
As the saying goes, “The shine is off the Apple”.
@ JAKE:
-SP
What a bunch of whining babies! I’m embarassed by you whiners. I own a 4Gig iPhone that I bought on the first day available. I could care less that new phones are out cheaper.
Perhaps, Steve should have done something akin to what he did with iPods? He should have released the new 16Gig iPhone for $500, and the new 3G version of the iPhone for $600. That way he keeps the same price points, while lowering the price of old models. Would that have stopped the whining?
Its standard business – get used to it!
SJ and Apple isnt doing anything that any other business is doing everyday in every country all over the world.
That fake Steve Jobs page is VERY funny.
KenC – You deserve to be embarrassed.
I bought an iPod photo for $600 and the price shortly dropped to $400. I was irritated, but I also realize that this is life.
BTW, at the iPod price drop, they also dropped the Firewire power brick, the firewire cable, the dock, the video cable and maybe some other goodies so that the reduction on the iPod itself wasn’t as severe.
Prices on these electronic goodies do come down, features and capabilites do go up. Live with it.
Early adopter or not, a product is worth exactly what someone will pay for it. It’s the same for gold, dizzy dean baseball cards and high tech. If you were happy w/your phone then by definition you paid a fair price and a cut shouldn’t impact you in any way.
By extension:
I suspect few readers of this forum don’t know that refurb products are available a few months after a new release. Anyone knowing this who bought on day 1 knew they were overpaying and obviously didn’t care. When I bought this MBP I knew I was leaving several hundred dollars on the table by not waiting for refurb but I bought and smiled.
@Jack – Apple’s *entire reason for being* is to make money. They do it by producing superior products but making money isn’t a side benefit, it’s the objective.
MS and Apple’s ultimate objectives are exactly the same, it is their methods for pursuing this objective that differ.
A positive spin on this news:
If you ever looked at cost of mass production, you would realize there is significant price drop with quantity. Apple probably set $599 price point for iPhone assuming certain annual production rate. This news could mean they over-shot their annual production rate by a large margin, so the cost of production became much much lower than they were expecting.
Go buy AAPL
Quit your kevetchin’ $200 / 69 days since iPhone intro = $2.89 a day. People who can afford the iPhone spend what, at least twice that everyday on coffee? Small price to pay for the joy, functionality, usability, and utility of the device.
If you don’t get ‘screwed’ one way, you get it another. Instead of the iPhone, I needed (Yes, actually need, the old one died) a new digital camera body. I purchased the 30D… Guess what, the 40D came out! I lost out on the camera, but will make it up with the iPhone, whether its the 8gig at $399, or a new 16 or 32 gig at $600
Move on people, nothing to see here. Except maybe the grief, anguish, and moans of dispair coming from the other mobile phone makers. Wow, thats kind of exciting. I’d pay real money to see that…. Like maybe $400-$600 for the iPhone!
Apple must think this market is worth the time and money to go after. They have never (web object don’t count) dropped prices like this. Shareholders must be VERY excited to see where the puck is going.
Realistically, the reason that some are complaining about the price drop is most likely because they couldn’t really afford one in the first place, and now they feel cheated.
These are the same people who carry a tremendous amount of credit debt, always living in the red, and never seeming to understand why.
If you couldn’t afford your iPhone at $600, then you should not have purchased it. Now that it is cheaper two months later, you feel shafted by Apple because the price went down. However, no one forced you at gun point to go wait in line for a whole day and plunk your money down on it the moment it came out. You can certainly wish you had waited… that’s to be expected, but you wanted the latest, greatest tech gadget, and you got it for a premium. Now that the price has dropped, you’re whining? Grow up.
What’s next…? You going to buy a plane ticket, and then be upset that the week after you traveled, you could’ve purchased a cheaper ticket?
I would quite happily buy one at $599 today if I could in the UK!
You’ve got your hands on one of these way ahead gadgets and using it and apparantly loving it to bits and now you’re acting like you have a smell under your nose as far as Apple is concerned – blimey, some people! Plonkers!
Zorrin –
“That really bothers me because it’s clear that they planned on price gouging the early adopters and their biggest fans from the outset.”
Dude, it’s only price gouging if you have no choice about making the purchase. Prices for gasoline and pharmaceuticals are an example. The iPhone, on the other hand, is a purely discretionary purchase. I paid $600 for mine, and it was worth $600. If it had turned out to be seriously flawed or otherwise disappointing, I might feel cheated. But, it’s been everything I hoped it would be. No regrets. I paid what it was worth, and I got what I paid for. Anyone who whines about being overcharged simply isn’t taking responsibility for their own cost-benefit calculation. Would Apple have been less “greedy” if it HADN’T dropped the price? It’s a for-profit company, for God’s sake, and it’s pricing strategy is determined by many factors other than greed. Also, show me a company that offers more than two weeks’ price protection. Seems to me that Apple played it cautious until it was sure it had a hit, and now it’s getting more competitive. We all benefit, even those of us who paid the intro price, since we will have a cheaper upgrade path all that much sooner.
I pinch my pennies as hard as anyone, but the whining is just silly and self-indulgent. Sheesh.
To any early adopters that are angry about this:
SHUT YOUR MOUTHS. YOU GUYS ARE MORONS. If it wasn’t worth the $600 when you bought it, then why did you buy it?!
Apparently, you felt it was WELL WORTH the $600 to run out drooling and grab your hands on a frickin’ iPhone to be the first on your block to have one.
So if it was worth $600 yesterday, then it should still be worth $600 today. Plus, you got use out of it in the meantime. Plus, Apple has a generous 14-day price protection policy.
This is what happens EVERY DAY in the electronics industry. If you don’t understand how the electronics industry works, then don’t buy anything at all.
You guys would rather have your personal egos stroked about the poor $200 that YOU WILLINGLY SPENT for this device than have Apple kick ass this holiday season because they were fortunately able to lower prices & open up the iPhone to a whole new demographic.
Thorin,
I agree with you wholeheartedly. Oh, and don’t forget, you’re also too sexy for your shirt!
I love Apple products and own a Mac (G5 dual tower), 23″ Cinema Display, iPod Video (80 gb, bought four months ago, so I’m getting theoretically screwed by price cuts too — if I was a WATB), an iBook, and both my kids have older Mac desktops.
I am NOT an early adopter, however, and knew that within six months of release there would be a better and cheaper iPhone released. Everyone who frequents this site should have known that, but you chose to get your pretty new toy. So the price cut is a bit more than you expected. Deal with it! I don’t love my iPod any less — it was worth what I paid for it and it will last me for years.
As for an iPhone, there are a lot more consumers in my position — those that took a wait and see attitude — than there are early adopters of the iPhone, and this price cut is going to make the wait-and-seers VERY, VERY happy. Including 5 or 6 million of them who wouldn’t even have considered an iPhone purchase before the price cut — who declared, as i did, that there is no way I’m paying $500 for a freakin’ phone, no matter how sweet it is.
I think all this whining about Apple’s cutting prices for a breakthrough device in order to garner widespread adoption (and to make more money) is incredibly babyish. Enough!
Mobile phones are notorious for dropping in price shortly after being introduced. The only real shock here is that it was Apple’s iPhone, because Apple traditionally does not drop prices so severely.
Apple is actually making a smart move right now. The iPhone is 1/3 less in plenty of time for the Christmas season, and it has been reduced in price BEFORE any other phone maker has a chance to try to catch up with iPhone.
In other words, Apple is cutting off Nokia, LG, etc. at the pass by having by far the best smart phone at a price point that the competitors can’t meet.
Someone asked what was the trigger to lower the price. Perhaps it was knowledge of new smart phones designed to compete with the iPhone that may be introduced before Christmas. Think of this price move as a pre-emptive strike.
Bitching and moaning is part of the entitlement mentality of many Americans and other people around the world, like people owe you something.
I bough several at the full 600 price and I’m not crying. I look at it as an investment in Apple and we’ve enjoyed our phones.
And now they will cost less to replace if we lose them! It’s not such a bad thing.
I bought my iphone for $600 the day after it was released. I am thrilled about the price cut because it just means a wider market which will result in more software development. Now maybe I will be able to get epocrates on my iphone.
Does the ipod touch have a camera? I was an early adopter, am stll happy. Now i can consider getting more for my family. I think apple did what needed to be done. Nice features across the whole ipod line. The pricing is now where it should be. It would be nice if apple offers the early adopters a credit to itunes store for maybe 50$. Just a thought. It sure would quiet the whinning some.
To: Andy C. And I bet you haven’t overpaid on a brand new cell phone again, right? (unless you’re thick or rich.)
I’d be surprised if the same early adopters rush out and buy the next iGadget from Apple.
I paid the $200 early adopter money/privilege tax/$#!@ you money etc, but a fat lot of good reducing the price has done – I’m down thousands with the share price dropping $10 as it’s done in the past two days!
Here’s a solution:
Apple should offer all current iPhone owners a $200 credit toward the purchase of an Apple computer.
I remember paying about $2500 for one of the first PC ATs. I bought an iPhone in July. It was worth the money then and now.
I’m actually wondering if Apple and AT&T;have perhaps negotiated a new deal on subsidies ($200?) to Apple from AT&T;since AT&T;has seen the ability of the iPhone to pull in new AT&T;customers.
I paid $599 around July 6 and I’m perfectly happy with that. A brief, fun 2 month period of having the top product of the year. And it was used heavily.
So stop your pathetic whining, you complaining pussies.
I bought my iPhone on Day 1, and don’t think it’s bad that they’re cutting the price. Just means it will be that much cheaper to buy the gen 2 phone when it comes out. In fact, it’s *great* that they’re cutting the price. They’ll sell a ZILLION of these things in the next year. More installed base = more support, more applications.
It was worth it to me when I bought it, and I’m certain it was worth it to all of you whiners, too — if it wasn’t, then what you guys are telling us is that you knowingly purchased a product for a price much higher than you thought it was worth, which was … completely your fault. It was either worth it to you at the time or it wasn’t; and if it wasn’t, then you’re the one who made the mistake. So in the words of a wise man above: STFU.
Apples share price just went down… I think they should refund the money I lost on the share price… Wait, do I have to *give* back Apple money I got when the price went up?
I haven’t bought my iPhone yet.. And I just saved $200… so that means I have to share some of that savings with uh Apple, so uh… ooh my head hurts from all this.
This is clearly NOT good business. Next new product that comes out, who is going to want to go out and buy it immediately if they think waiting 2 months might save them $200.
No, you act like this and bilk your loyalists, you just hurt business in teh long wrong. This was the wrong thing to do.
I bought my 8 GB iPhone on July 1.
It was worth it to me, then, and it’s still worth it to me today.
Would I have LIKED to have gotten it for $399 and not $599? Sure thing … who wouldn’t? But that wasn’t the cost 60 days ago. I paid $100 a month to use this phone. My old cell-phone was a Palm-based piece of crap that I had been hanging on to because I wanted an iPhone. My contract had been on a month-by-month basis while I waited. When it came out, I didn’t want to “wait and see how it does” because I NEEDED the phone, THEN. So, I bought it … THEN.
Does Apple owe me a refund? Nope … I bought outside the price protection period. Do I still feel a little hosed? Yes … a little … but I’m not letting it get me down. I’m using my phone to write this post, with 2 months of practice on the virtual keyboard that those who waited don’t yet have.
What really annoys me are those who didn’t buy who are now laughing, goading, and picking on those of us who did. I’m a pastor, and so I’m going to say this pastorally … shut up.
I’m going to shut my mouth now and wait and see. With it, I’m shutting my wallet.
Laundry list of previous Apple purchases I’ve made:
Apple ][ GS
Apple PowerMac G4 x 2, G5 x 1
Apple MacBook Pro 15″ 2.0 GHz x 2
Apple MacBook Pro 17″ 2.33 GHz x 1
Apple MacBook 2.0 Ghz x 2
Apple iMac G5 x1
Final Cut Studio
Apple iPod 3G, nano 1G & 2G, shuffle 1G & 2G
Apple Airport Express & Extreme N
(could add quite a bit more if I included business purchases)
I was pretty easy to sell to. Didn’t need ads, newspaper articles, signs on the sides of buses. Just bought when I needed to and what I needed to.
Immediate Apple orders that have been cancelled:
– MacBook Pro 15″… $1999
– iPhone… $599… oops… $399
Don’t need anyone to tell me how I should feel or react to this drop. I’m just closing my wallet to Apple indefinitely.
So let me get this straight:
You love Apple products.
You want an iPhone.
You ordered an iPhone but haven’t received it yet at the $599 price.
You can now get that iPhone for $200 less.
You are angry about saving that $200 and no longer want the iPhone nor love Apple products.
Now tell me this: why should we take anything you have to say seriously?
“It’s very clear we have a breakthrough product on our hands, but it’s also clear that many can afford it, some can’t.”
Excellent example of double-speak, putting a positive spin on less than stellar sales. Apple usually sets their goalposts low and likes to blow them away. Everyone thought the iPhone was going to be a sellout with weeks of wait-time to get one – that did not happen, so Apple is reducing the price hoping to spur more sales. However, it likely won’t make much difference. Opening up the software and releasing an official SDK certainly would though.
iPhone … one step short of greatness, but one big step for mankind.
From a high-level employee at Rogers Wireless in Canada: iPhone to be announced at the end of this month.
Whether that means it will be announce but not distributed until late Q4 or whether it will be available immediately, I do not know.
33% price drop in 60 days? That’s not “Technology” that’s bad product pricing. Too much, too soon! Give the loyal customers a partial refund!
I should have listened to Microsoft and Verizon when they said not to buy an iPhone!
I recent bought a black iPod Nano, and am I pissed that a new one just came out with video and stack of new features?
No way! I bought my nano for a given use, and it meets that use, and I love it.
people who buy products for the coolness factor are always gonna get burned when the next coolest thing comes out.
Thats the nature of the beast, whether its fashion or technology.
Buy products for what you need first, everything else is irrelevent.
This is simply an amazing offer Apple is doing.
It is wonderful to see.
Apple really does need to explain or do anything… yet Jobs has.
Damn generous I think.
Excellent jesture Mr. Jobs.
“Welcome to the wonderful world of technology.”
Or the wonderful world of being an MacSheep.
“Remaining supply of 4gb iphones is only $299. Now that’s a steal!”
Not really, you can get a more functional 4GB music phone for less than $299. A steal yes, but Apple once again stealing from you.
“then Apple introduced Macs for under $3000 including DVD burners.”
Only after every man and his dog in the PC world was already shipping one.
“Apple is in business to make money.”
And fleecing MacSheep is easy money.
“I recent bought a black iPod Nano, and am I pissed that a new one just came out with video and stack of new features? “
In November 2006 I bought a 4 GB iPod nano for my Dad and put all of my audio sermons on it so he could listen to my preaching while undergoing kidney Dialysis. That nano, when I bought it, was the second generation nano … the one that was just replaced by the new one. That generation of nano lasted from September 2006 to September 2007. A full YEAR. During that time, the price didn’t change. There’s a big difference between a YEAR and 2 months.
Yes … time obsoletes everything in technology, but people can usually be assured, when they buy something that has just been released, that they won’t be undercut by price drops within just a couple of months. Had it been 6 months, rather than just 2, and had it come with the release of an updated version (16 GB, for instance), I suspect most of the whiners wouldn’t be whining. Half a year of use is a respectable period before something better is released and/or there’s a price cut for the existing line. It was this aspect of the whole thing that annoyed so many.
Did Apple owe us anything in terms of the rebate (as they have now so kindly offered)? Nope. Not a thin dime. At least, not legally for anyone who bought beyond 15 days before the announcement of the price cut. For those who bought last week … sure … they can get that $200 back. But for people like me, nope. Not at all. Hence, that Apple IS offering $100 in store credit is very kind, indeed, and most unexpected. I’ll use it to bring the price of a MacMini down. And, speaking of which, I waited for nearly 6 months to buy a MacMini, sure that 1 month after I bought one apple would cut the price or release a better one. I waited … and waited … and waited … to the point that it felt like Apple was waiting for me to buy before they released the upgrade!!! But, I held out longer than Apple and they finally did and I finally will. If, after I buy, Apple releases a new update to the Mini within 2 or 3 months, I’ll be annoyed. But … I need a new, small, low-end desk top for use in my office RIGHT NOW. The mini is perfect for my needs, hence I’ll be happy no matter what. However, given how the Mini seems to be the negelcted Mac desktop, I doubt they’ll obsolete my purchase with a new one anytime soon.
MDN Magic Word: hand … as in … I’ve got to hand it to Steve.
Didn’t MS lower the price on their Zune Player the same day? Is MS going to refund the price difference to their loyal first adopters? Still waiting for that Press Release from Redmond!
Agree with Revneal