MacScrewed by iPhoney initial pricing.

Apple slashes iPhone price to bolster holiday sales.

"Bulls say Apple timed the price cut for the Christmas shopping season to grab a big share of the emerging smart phone market. Plus, it needed to bring pricing more in line with its top-of-the-line iPod Touch, a device that has most of the features of an iPhone except it doesn't make phone calls. The iPod Touch costs $299 with 8 GB of data storage, and $399 for a 16 GB model."

iPhone outsells smartphones.

Palm, Motorola seen most hurt by iPhone price cut.

 

My daughter loves hers. I only waited four hours in line. I bought it because it saves me $35.00 per month over Comcast's monopolistic internet access at my daughter's apartment. I knew the price would drop but if I signed up for comcast they had me for two years w/o a price guarantee. 90% of her internet use is at the library or an internet cafe.

I know people who sold their's on ebay for well over retail.

While spending four hours in line we all discussed the reality that by Christmas there would be a better iPhone for less---I didn't see anyone get out of line.

I'll take the $100 and thank them for it.

If the price had been much lower I wouldn't have got it because the line would have been longer.

Unlike others, Apple does not sell Beta products at retail prices.

My money's on V2 out for the Christmas shoppers, this is the back to school/clear the shelves sale.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Greenkeeper @ Sep 6 2007, 05:52 PM) [snapback]508143[/snapback]</div>

Here's where I have to point out a problem with your post: Apple does not drop prices. IBM, Microsoft, others drop prices. But Apple? I mean, the iPod is still the same price that it has been for years. And take the MacBook: You can't even buy it cheaper at CompUSA then at the Apple Store. That is what shocked a lot of the hard core Apple Heads; this was unprecedented.

But you are right about one thing: Other tech companies would not have done that.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Sep 6 2007, 10:35 PM) [snapback]508299[/snapback]</div>

Man, Dan, you sometimes show your age...'cause when I read that, it sounded like an old man shouting, 'Young punks with their flibaley foo gadgets! '


The iPhone is the worlds smallest hand held computer, that, oh, BTW, has a Phone with it. That is why it costs more, and is worth more. I use about every feature, every day; I check my stocks, the weather, the news.

I can look up where things are with Google, call them, get directions to them. When I was in Dallas recently, with a Rent A Mustang, with no GPS, it helped me find places. It's a amazing computer, that I for one, am glad I got when I got it, and was not mad when the price went down. Now I am happy that I will get $100 back. It will go to my cost of the new 160 GB iPod I can get, and finally have all of my 155GB's of music with me.



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Sep 7 2007, 11:50 PM) [snapback]508889[/snapback]</div>

Do you own one? Have personal experience with it?


I did not think so.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TJandGENESIS @ Sep 7 2007, 11:35 PM) [snapback]508975[/snapback]</div>

I never say "flibaley foo." I generally say "confounded." "Flibaley foo" is probably something some young whippersnapper would say.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TJandGENESIS @ Sep 7 2007, 11:35 PM) [snapback]508975[/snapback]</div>

I do that sort of stuff at home, from my desktop computer. And for lightweight internet access while traveling, my Nokia N800 does not require a two-year contract with AT&T, who probably would refuse me the contract anyway, because I never borrow money and therefore have no credit history.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Sep 7 2007, 09:30 PM) [snapback]508907[/snapback]</div>

Come on. You know better than buying all their marketing hype.

How about these excerpts from the Los Angeles Times?


Apple chief apologizes in price furor

Apple flexes its buzz power

Apple cuts iPhone price, retools iPods

 

If I were Apple, I'd send a letter out to the folks who HAD to have an iPhone the first week it came out saying, "To make up for our recent price cut, would you please send us an extra $100 to make up for the difference?" - because those people would do it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ Sep 8 2007, 12:10 PM) [snapback]509074[/snapback]</div>

No we wouldn't.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TJandGENESIS @ Sep 8 2007, 02:35 AM) [snapback]508975[/snapback]</div>

I beg to differ. The orginal ipod was $399 for a 5gb hard drive, monochrome screen, and 10 hour battery life. Currently $199 buys an iPod nano with 8gb of flash memory, color video playback and 24 hour battery life. There are many other improvements, and it is half the price of the original.

Granted, apple is always introducing something better at the old price point, and essentially moving the older units down the line but I think we can still fairly call that a de-facto price cut.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TJandGENESIS @ Sep 8 2007, 02:35 AM) [snapback]508975[/snapback]</div>

It may well be that, but I still don't have a particular use for it, given my lifestyle.

I have an MP3 player that I don't use, because I actually love a particular radio station that I listen to all the time (WQXR in New York), even streaming it online while at work when appropriate. In fact, I rarely even use my CD player in my car - only when I'm on 'long trips' once or twice a year.

I have a cell phone with Blue Tooth, since the Prius I bought already had Blue Tooth in it and I was ready to upgrade my phone, anyway (less than $30), even though I rarely use my cell phone. But I don't use my cell phone for internet access or text messaging, because those options are relatively expensive to use. When the prices for those services fall, I'll consider getting some sort of 'smart phone'.

(When I first got a cell phone last century, they used to have an option where people could send emails to the cell phone number, and there wasn't any extra charge for receiving them - that was handy.)

I DID buy a GPS two months ago, though, not to give me driving directions, but as an aid to night-driving on poorly lit, curving roads - my night vision has gotten worse as I approach 60.

So Daniel's description of the iPhone made me giggle!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jeannie @ Sep 6 2007, 10:55 PM) [snapback]508415[/snapback]</div>

I have a rule about consumer electronics ... unless the retailer has a 30 day price guarantee, I force myself not to look at prices for at least 2 years (or until I'm ready to upgrade). You will drive yourself crazy.

I do delay purchases often; I have no trouble being a "late adopter". You wouldn't believe how cheap this Tandy 2000 computer was!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Sep 7 2007, 08:50 PM) [snapback]508889[/snapback]</div>

You hit the nail on the head. A product, any product, is only worth what people will pay for it. The iPhone was worth $599 to enough people to make Apple set that price. Now it's worth less so they are charging less. Evenentually any electronic product will be worth less than companies can charge to make a profit and then it will be discontinued.

 

TV.

Small black and white screen. When the first TVs came out, weren't they a luxury item? Didn't the price eventually drop?

When color TVs came out, weren't the more? Their prices eventually dropped too.

Now it's Plasma and LCD and HDTV.

Early adopters always pay a lot. Subsequent products are always better and the price lower.

It doesn't seem to stop anyone.

But I guess Apple is an easy target for bashing, no matter what they do. If apple paid you to take an iPhone, I'm sure you'd have to gripe about that too.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Sep 8 2007, 11:42 AM) [snapback]509146[/snapback]</div>

Not a mere 66 days after they were first introduced.

Not a mere 66 days after they were first introduced.

No. I would not take if for free in the first place. First, the mandatory service that you have to buy from Wireless by AT&T in order to use the iPhone is way overpriced in comparison to other voice and data plans that are offered by other cellular service providers. Secondly, it cannot use the 3rd generation UMTS/HSDPA high speed network for data and internet browsing. Thirdly, the iPhone does not have sufficient memory which is why the 4 GB model has already been discontinued an embarrassingly short 66 days after its much hyped debut. The 8 GB model will be history within a year to be replaced by a 16 GB and even more powerful models.

I have nothing against Apple. I use their products, such as the iPod Classic, Mini and Nano. But I refuse to pay a premium for an under performing status symbol.

For you, on the other hand, Apple seems to be the Holy Grail and it can do no wrong.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(fshagan @ Sep 8 2007, 10:16 AM) [snapback]509111[/snapback]</div>

I was at the local Mac store, and they had old, refurbished G4 Macs with CRT screens for $349.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Sep 8 2007, 11:42 AM) [snapback]509146[/snapback]</div>

Yes, and they were crap. My uncle was a big spender. He bought my (then teen-age) cousin a Jaguar. So of course he bought the first color TV on the market. The colors were all wrong and the thing was always needing repairs.

 

I got an iPhone last night (the original price was too much for me as much as I wanted one) and like other Apple products, it is intuitive, no manual needed. Hooking it up to my computer I had changed phones and activated the iPhone in five minutes. Pairing the phone with the Prius needed the Toyota manual and good luck finding phone in the index.
Today, the Prius Nav couldn't find a POI. I was the passenger, took out the phone. googled the address and put that in the Nav (after stopping) and now we had the route. The iPhone gave the route too with Google Maps with a close up satellite overlay of the intersections. It's better than I thought it would be.

My first cell phone was a Motorola Startac, I loved that thing. I had to move on and leave analog for digital and then tri-mode. The following phones just didn't excite me until the iPhone came along and for the first time in a long time I was excited about a phone again. Of course there will be a 16g iPhone out, the iPod Touch has 8g or 16g and my guess it will be out in time for Christmas. I had a 4g iPod and the 8g phone will be enough for me. I now have one thing to carry in place of two and my leftovers are going to a grateful relative, happy not to buy a phone or iPod.

I like my iMac and my iPhone, but I don't criticize any one on their choice of products. I'm always amazed at the hate that come out for unique items, like Apple and the Prius. I love Prius owners bashing an overpriced phone, when they have a car that many think is overpriced. Why does anyone have to defend their choice? Bash Steve Jobs and Apple, Volkswagon or whatever is poison to you, but leave people in peace with their choices and be happy with your own choice to buy or not to buy.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Sep 8 2007, 05:19 PM) [snapback]509209[/snapback]</div>

Come on. You typically put forth much better reasoning than this.

1) Price of the phone. I was shopping for a new video capable iPod to replace my mini. $300 right there. $600 - $300 = $300 for a pretty darn nice phone. At $399 it is a steal.

2) Pricing of the plan. First of all you are one of the few who realize that the price of the service is the REAL price of phone ownership. BUT, the iPhone data plan is a hardly overpriced. Please show me either a better or an equivalent but cheaper plan. The iPhone plan is $20 for unlimited data.

3) I concede. This is the iPhone's biggest drawback. 3G would be very nice, but unfortunately GSM can't scale to 3G as well as CDMA can. Too bad that Verizon didn't decide to work with Apple.

4) 8 Gig is not enough memory??? WHAT? Most "smartphones" barely have 8 MEG of memory. That's why they ALL have card slots. 8 Gig is plenty for a smartphone. You don't need a SD card for your iPhone.

5) 4 Gig iPhone. I don't even know why Apple even released the thing.


I won't call Apple perfect. But I have been happily been using the Mac since before Apple FIRED Steve Jobs (I bought my Mac 128 in March 1985). Even though the market hasn't rewarded Apple with marketshare, Apple has always* been the technology leader.



*(Ok, Ok not from 1995-1997. The Gill Amelio and Michael Spindler years don't count )

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Sep 8 2007, 03:19 PM) [snapback]509209[/snapback]</div>

I cannot complain about AT&T's pricing of service....$30 for unlimited internet, IM, text messages......
Yes that is on top of our already $80 for three lines sharing 1300 minutes plus rollover.

Comcast wanted $65/month for six months with a two year agreement, price unknown in six months.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Sep 8 2007, 05:19 PM) [snapback]509209[/snapback]</div>

Everything happens faster now. Improvements in technology make products obsolete before they even hit the store shelves.

If you want to take that tack, you'll never buy anything because something is always coming out soon that has more memory, is faster and costs less.

BTW I don't own an iPhone. I don't own any cell phone at all. I also don't own an iPod or MP3 player of any kind.

And for me Apple is not the Holy Grail nor do I think they can do no wrong. By all means make an ASSofU but leave me out of it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Sep 8 2007, 08:01 PM) [snapback]509290[/snapback]</div>

That's exactly what I love. I keep playlists in my iPhone that only contain songs that I have NOT listened two in the past two weeks. I figured out a long time ago I don't need months of music for everyday use. I do own a video iPod for extended travel.