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Apple's $0.99 FaceTime Charge Due to Accounting Requirements

Thanks, but no thanks...

I have Skype and iChat and Skype is also a free app for the iPod touch and the iPhone. Thanks for playing, but I will pass on this one.
 
I'm going to buy a new macbook pro to aviod paying this fee.

I wasn't going to get one for another two years, but this has pushed me to get a new one this month.
 
Icestorm815 said:
Whenever Apple posts comments about "accounting requirements" I'm always skeptical. If that's the case, why do we get things like Safari, quicktime, xtools, etc. for free and there isn't the $0.99 charge?
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Indeed.

More importantly, the beta of this was free, so Apple were already in breach of Sarbanes-Oxley if this was actually a requirement. Which it isn't, as it was dropped in 2010.

Apple are bluntly just lying here. Let's not forget, Steve himself stood on stage and stated they didn't have to do this anymore at the iOS4 launch which is why the iPod Touch iOS4 upgrade is free.

Phazer
 
I will simply wait until Lion is released, this will most likely be included for free with it, so why pay now, just to pay later?
 
and I say the "accounting excuse" is exactly that. It pure greed plane and simple. Apple could just give it away and not have to charge for it. But lets face it Apple is greedy and this is just more proof of it.
 
I agree with what someone else said, if you can afford a MBP, you can afford to pay $0.99 for Facetime.

My question is.........I have the Facetime Beta installed, is there any reason to pay for the upgrade on a 2010 MBP? Will the Beta stop working?

Just curious.

I think Facetime is a great app that's definitely worth $1.
 
Not surprising, and entirely reasonable.

If its functionality is valuable to you, it's worth at least the single measly buck asking price. If you don't consider it worth even $1, then you won't pay it and you don't need it.

If they were really grabbing at money, why would they charge the smallest price the App Store is capable of handling? That's not money grabbing. Double the price to a whole $2 and they'd double their evil money-hungry profits.

Seriously. If they were out to ream Mac users for money, they'd have charged more. And they could have charged much more. It's fricking half the price of the 802.11n enabler.
 
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The Phazer said:
Indeed.

More importantly, the beta of this was free, so Apple were already in breach of Sarbanes-Oxley if this was actually a requirement. Which it isn't, as it was dropped in 2010.

Apple are bluntly just lying here. Let's not forget, Steve himself stood on stage and stated they didn't have to do this anymore at the iOS4 launch which is why the iPod Touch iOS4 upgrade is free.

Phazer
Click to expand...

Sarbanes-Oxley? Really? You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. This has to do with GAAP, multiple deliverables, revenue recognition, etc. It has nothing at all to do with SarBox.
 
The Wedge said:
Up in arms over 99 cents. Give me a break.
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Take 5...(grin)


I'm sitting down not really caring that much, just think it's a missed opportunity for Apple to get people to give facetime a try as it's the last one out.

I think it's fun that we care that much about Apple that we take the time to talk about a software released just now. Isn't it great.
 
DTphonehome said:
Oh grow up people. It's 99 freaking cents. Less than a can of soda. Good God.
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Fair enough. But you're a total mug if you buy it. Anyone is. Skype does the job just as well (if not better), on many more platforms at a total cost of £0.00.

Accounting requirements my arse. This is more proof of Apple greed and anyone denying it is just plain blind.
 
It's the principle that matters.

99 cents for FaceTime... what's next?
99 cents for Airport updates?
99 cents for Time Machine updates?
99 cents for Terminal updates?
99 cents for X11 updates?
...
99 cents for Disk Utility updates?

It's called "hooking" customers. Buy expensive Mac and get charged for incremental updates to basic utility software...

Apple is not what it used to be...
 
People complaining about 99 cents is just sad -- I paid 99 cents for my copy (which will be installed on four machines, at that) even though one of the machines I have came with a "Facetime Camera" (MacBook Air, in case you are wondering). I could certainly gripe about having to pay for additional functionality that I should've arguably have gotten with my laptop, or I could just pay 99 cents and get on with my life.
 
Donate to charity...

If this is indeed an accounting requirement, Apple should publicly commit to donating an amount equivalent to what they take in due to this requirement to some charity.
 
The Phazer said:
Indeed.

More importantly, the beta of this was free, so Apple were already in breach of Sarbanes-Oxley if this was actually a requirement. Which it isn't, as it was dropped in 2010.

Apple are bluntly just lying here. Let's not forget, Steve himself stood on stage and stated they didn't have to do this anymore at the iOS4 launch which is why the iPod Touch iOS4 upgrade is free.

Phazer
Click to expand...

Yeah, at this point it's more like the "government regulatory compliance fees" or whatever they're called that AT&T adds to your bill for basically doing what they're required to do anyway. Just trying to justify a charge by blaming it on the government. Embarrassingly disingenuous.

Just be honest and say that Apple will now add optional functionalities to their core system software but ask people to pay for it. I can't wait for a la carte Lion.
 
These are internal accounting rules; how Apple budgets are managed internally, not regulations.

That being said, I prefer to buy a can of soda than spend 99¢ on that thing that clearly I will never use.

(btw, to the person who suggested Apple may charge for software updates: they already do! I paid 29$ for Snow Leopard... haha).
 
tigerstaden said:
I don't understand why so many people complain about this insignificant fee.

If you can afford a MacBook Pro, you can afford an application with the price tag of 99 cents.
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agree! by our own choices, we all quite easily spend at least $1000 for a laptop, several hundred dollars for an iphone plus nearly $90 per month for service, several hundred dollars more on accessories, and spending $4-plus on lattes every couple of days here and there, but complain about 99¢ as though it could break our bank accounts. no one is twisting anyone's arm to purchase this. it's not the same as finding surprise charges in our billing statements.

:rolleyes: really???
 
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kwfergy said:
Sarbanes-Oxley? Really? You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. This has to do with GAAP, multiple deliverables, revenue recognition, etc. It has nothing at all to do with SarBox.
Click to expand...

Actually it's to do with the FASB regulations created as a result of SarBox, but I was dumbing it down to the same level Apple were when they announced it for a public forum.

Are you denying that said FASB regulations were relaxed in 2010 and this is no longer neccessary? Or that Apple stated that at the iOS4 launch themselves?

Phazer
 
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