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8GB iPhone Price Drop, 4GB iPhone Discontinued
- Thread starter snowboarder
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I almost purchased an unlocked iPhone for $1,300 about two weeks ago. They have them in Akihabara. They looked so nice. Very nice!It sucks! UK / Japan are high rollers, we (UK) will pay approx. double but still have to wait half a year
Unfortunately, Japan does not use GSM like the US and Europe so more than likely I would have never been able to use it as a phone. My guess is that Japan will get more of a world phone type iPhone, but who knmows.
Now I may just go with the iPod Touch. It has more memory and is cheaper. And I can get it now!
Apple is first and foremost a customer experience company. If you bought a 4GB iPhone 16 days ago, would you be happy with your Apple experience? For one of most consistently savvy consumer product marketers, this was a really bad marketing blunder, and was easily avoidable had they done the following:
1) Announced the 4GB was upgraded to 8GB, and a 16GB will be available in the future.
2) Drop the price $100 now, and offer additional holiday rebates in Nov/Dec.
3) Offer $75-$100 gift cards to those who have already purchased.
Without some corrective action, they are alienating some important groups:
1) Early adopters who have been responsible for lots of sales.
2) Credit card companies facing millions of dollars in price protection claims.
3) Anyone considering buying a newly launched apple product in the future.
1) Announced the 4GB was upgraded to 8GB, and a 16GB will be available in the future.
2) Drop the price $100 now, and offer additional holiday rebates in Nov/Dec.
3) Offer $75-$100 gift cards to those who have already purchased.
Without some corrective action, they are alienating some important groups:
1) Early adopters who have been responsible for lots of sales.
2) Credit card companies facing millions of dollars in price protection claims.
3) Anyone considering buying a newly launched apple product in the future.
It's a bit pointless comparing this to Leopard since Leopard unlikely to have a price drop ever let alone two months later. Everyone one of us will buy Leopard on the day it comes out, that is not an indication of the impact of this move. The question is who will go out and buy the iPod Touch, or the iPhone now in case the price gets lowered again right after Christmas.
I think people will be much more wary of buying straight way from now on. And for all those folks in Europe that are laughing at us right now don't think that Apple won't price the iPhone high initially and then reduce it there to. My guess is that they'll use the exchange rate to mask a high intro rate (e.g. GBP300) then reduce it by 30% in a couple of months to stimulate sales and bring it into line with US pricing.
Now whose thinking hard, huh! I can hear it now, "maybe he's right, I should wait a little, but how long?... no I must buy straight away". Then you all will be annoyed too. My suggestion - nobody buy the iPhone when its launched in your country, it's guaranteed to come down in price very quickly. That'll teach Apple.
You are in investment banking? Amazing.
What, precisely, is your legitimate complaint? Answer: You don't have one, other than feeling ripped off because you paid $200 more for a particular product.
Bob
Wait 'til the 16GB iPhone comes out !!
This happens all the time, we all know it... soon enough...maybe in '08, the iPhone will incorporate the 16GBs now found in the NEW iPod Touch... it'll happen & we all know it...
I held off buying the iPhone because of this very reason... I've bought too many Apple products just prior to the release of a better version of what I ordered... ie... my PowerMac 9600... OH, now there's a G3 tower....or my 1.25GHz 15" PB....OH, look, they now have the 1.5GHZ version.... my 60GB iPod.... the following week...there's the 80GB for the same price !!!
It's the 21st Century, we all know... the week after you buy any piece of electronic equipment...it becomes obsolete... I feel for all of you who spent the extra $$ on the iPhone...really I do.... It does Suck... But it does happen all the time with different products everyday.
This happens all the time, we all know it... soon enough...maybe in '08, the iPhone will incorporate the 16GBs now found in the NEW iPod Touch... it'll happen & we all know it...
I held off buying the iPhone because of this very reason... I've bought too many Apple products just prior to the release of a better version of what I ordered... ie... my PowerMac 9600... OH, now there's a G3 tower....or my 1.25GHz 15" PB....OH, look, they now have the 1.5GHZ version.... my 60GB iPod.... the following week...there's the 80GB for the same price !!!
It's the 21st Century, we all know... the week after you buy any piece of electronic equipment...it becomes obsolete... I feel for all of you who spent the extra $$ on the iPhone...really I do.... It does Suck... But it does happen all the time with different products everyday.
iPhone is a smartphone. If you claim that the iPhone is a hand held computer then every keyboarded smartphone is a hand held computer, but that isn't the case.
Originally Posted by CJD2112
Finally, someone understand the market. I love how people have come on here to insult people with legitimate complaints, and CLAIM to know about the market. As my father and I both work in investment banking, I can assure you, this price drown on new technology that is essentially listed as a handheld computer (NOT a smartPHONE), and not subsidized by any carrier, is ludicrous and insulting to the customers who purchased this phone 60 days ago and made it a success for Apple.
Shame on Apple.
Originally Posted by CJD2112
Finally, someone understand the market. I love how people have come on here to insult people with legitimate complaints, and CLAIM to know about the market. As my father and I both work in investment banking, I can assure you, this price drown on new technology that is essentially listed as a handheld computer (NOT a smartPHONE), and not subsidized by any carrier, is ludicrous and insulting to the customers who purchased this phone 60 days ago and made it a success for Apple.
Shame on Apple.
Everyone is complaining about a $200 price drop on the iPhone, so I know how to fix this situation and make everybody happy:
Apple should announce a $200 price increase to the iPhone. Apple makes more money and the consumer has to pay more money for the same device. Problem solved!
And hell Apple, throw in a price hike for the iPod touch too while you're at it, why not - price drops seem to anger people.
Apple should announce a $200 price increase to the iPhone. Apple makes more money and the consumer has to pay more money for the same device. Problem solved!
And hell Apple, throw in a price hike for the iPod touch too while you're at it, why not - price drops seem to anger people.
I hate to bust your bubble, but unless you sold millions of shares, Apple will not even know you sold your stock. So they will not get your point that way.
As for making money in the stock market, capital gains tax will eat into your gains so it is usually better to keep the stock and ride out the ups and downs for long term gains.
For those who are frustrated, a polite letter to Apple or Steve Jobs would probably do more good than contacting the BBB, selling stock, complaining on MR, etc.
I'd like to see what happens when you buy a brand new car. Prices change constantly.....if you feel you got a great deal then be happy. If you think your deal was ok and the price decreased then obviously you shouldn't have gotten the deal in the first place. I recently bought a new truck....really happy about the price...yeah i've seen ads a little cheaper, but i'm not complaining. If you do this on everything you buy....technology especially you will constantly be getting ripped off in your eyes. I waited on the iphone bc i knew something like this would happen.....even if it didn't I wasn't paying $500 for a cell phone. $299 for a 4gb is more like it.....I bought one for the great price. If it drops to $199 next week...OH well. I still got a great deal that others missed out on. suck it up.
I have emailed and called Apple. I politely and professionally let them know my complaint and let them know how to fix it and make me (and many others) happy and proud Apple owners and supporters again. MR is a way for people to vent... which is exactly what these forums are for.
~Shard~, I like your idea of the price increase!Everyone is complaining about a $200 price drop on the iPhone, so I know how to fix this situation and make everybody happy:
Apple should announce a $200 price increase to the iPhone. Apple makes more money and the consumer has to pay more money for the same device. Problem solved!
And hell Apple, throw in a price hike for the iPod touch too while you're at it, why not - price drops seem to anger people.
And that is how the Japanese cellphone market operates, so if we were all Japanese cellphone users, we'd be used to this and it would be a non-issue.
And if we were all EU cellphone users, we'd not have paid $6, much less $600, so it would be a non-issue there, as well.
And yes, in the US market, prices do drop and drop quickly. Way back when, I used to sell cellphones and I remember when the first Moto flip-phone came out at like $1000 or something and was $500 a year later.
Again, I'm not upset about it. I'm not whining about it. I'm not demanding "Apple do me right" by it. I accept that Apple has done it and neither my life nor my iPhone is the worse for it having happened.
Apple may be under the same pricing pressures with their cellphones as Motorola and Nokia and Samsung and everyone else is. And if that is the case, then so be it. I can understand that and I can accept that and will now exercise a bit more caution when buying Apple cellphone products. I'll still "Day One" on other Apple products as I feel they warrant it until such time as Apple starts to do the same with them.
Yes they do. However, that doesn't change the fact that this was an anomaly for Apple (at least for their hand-held consumer products). But I accept and understand that this is also a new product line for Apple so I accept that the "old rules", so to speak, may not apply.
E-mail is okay. But a real letter carries more weight with most companies.
Silly me, I thought that MR was to discuss upcoming product rumors and related topics. I didn't realize that it was a venting forum.
Yes, I am being a bit sarcastic.
Anyhow, good to hear that you've taken some steps to remedy your situation.
Everyone is complaining about a $200 price drop on the iPhone, so I know how to fix this situation and make everybody happy:
Apple should announce a $200 price increase to the iPhone. Apple makes more money and the consumer has to pay more money for the same device. Problem solved!
And hell Apple, throw in a price hike for the iPod touch too while you're at it, why not - price drops seem to anger people.
Didn't you say the exact same thing yesterday?
I understand your perspective whole heartily, however do you own an iPhone, I am guessing no. Correct me if I am wrong, but if you do, then I would think your perspective my be a bit skewed. I think it has a whole lot to do with perspective. I have found that when you believe you are a victim of a situation like this, you tend to feel more like most of the people here when they discovered the value of their product has just decreased. I am not happy with this either, but it will not prevent me from using or enjoying my iPhone. I would think people would feel a bit more angry to buy a new vehicle and realize if they drive it off the lot, they are looking over 10% of its value ;-) I buy cars about ever 2-3 years and it has not kept me from buying new ones LOL
I fully understand how people here feel about this, and I agree its bad for the early adopters, and bad publicity for Apple. But then again Apple is in business to make money right? So its like anything else, the more people complain, the more chance they may do something about it.
Actually that's not exactly what these forums are for - they are for discussion surrounding Apple-related announcements, rumors and the like. Yes, people may passionately express their opinions from time to time, which is fine, but that is not the sole purpose of the Forums as you have implied, contrary to some people's incorrect assumptions.
Look at the title of this thread for example. Is this the "8GB iPhone Price Drop, 4GB iPhone Discontinued" discussion thread or the "Official Let's Whine and Complain About Apple Decreasing the Price of a Product Vent Session" thread?
called apple iphone sales line to complain and ask about possible concessions. Representative was friendly but repeated that the 14 day policy is apple's official stance.
I asked him if many people were calling about the same thing. He told me that 80% of the calls he was taking were identical to mine, but most people weren't as friendly as I was about it.
This is BAD for Apple.
I say the best way to show them how we feel in the future is to stay away from lining up for Leopard or ANY big Apple product launch.
It can take years to build up a good reputation and customer loyalty, and this maneuver shows Apple doesn't give a crap.
If I don't get anything back, I'll live. But this certainly sours me toward making any purchases in the near future from Apple.
I asked him if many people were calling about the same thing. He told me that 80% of the calls he was taking were identical to mine, but most people weren't as friendly as I was about it.
This is BAD for Apple.
I say the best way to show them how we feel in the future is to stay away from lining up for Leopard or ANY big Apple product launch.
It can take years to build up a good reputation and customer loyalty, and this maneuver shows Apple doesn't give a crap.
If I don't get anything back, I'll live. But this certainly sours me toward making any purchases in the near future from Apple.