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Those products are only exclusive because they are expensive. And they are expensive because they are high quality.

Exclusivity is a side effect of quality, not a requirement. If the iPhone gets less expensive, that's a good thing, as long as quality doesn't suffer.

However, if Apple wants to keep their iPhone hip, they'll keep it out of Costco, Wal-mart, and 7-11.

I agree with the price quality statement.

On the hip tip though, that sounds right until you see all the ipods already at wal-mart, sam's club...

I remember seeing the umbrella statement by Jobs and wondering if the 8GB model will eventually become the "shuffle" version. The lowest priced whose specs hardly change but entice you to try it out and then upgrade down the road as you get "locked in" to the ecosystem.

But for me it's a nicer ecosystem to be in...
 
I'd expect the price to drop everywhere by January as the recession
intensifies. The real cost of the iphone are the monthly charges, not a
few bucks upfront for the iphone. Keep in mind you could buy a new macbook
every year for the cost of an iphone.

My hope and expectation is that Apple will start selling a new cheaper
version of the iphone with the touchscreen. I'd jump all over one that could
do everything but the internet access.
 
Has anyone heard anything new about this yet? i asked towards the end of dec the guys in the phone kiosk at my local Costco and they told me they "couldn't comment" on that?
Reason is I am thinking of getting an iphone, obviously would be great if Costco sold it at a discount (since im in the middle of a contract with ATT and I'd probably have to buy at full price) but regardless, I get a yearly Costco coupon that I could definitely use towards it....if they carried it....
 
Has anyone heard anything new about this yet? i asked towards the end of dec the guys in the phone kiosk at my local Costco and they told me they "couldn't comment" on that?
Reason is I am thinking of getting an iphone, obviously would be great if Costco sold it at a discount (since im in the middle of a contract with ATT and I'd probably have to buy at full price) but regardless, I get a yearly Costco coupon that I could definitely use towards it....if they carried it....

Haven't heard anything new that I know of.
Maybe they will soon, espcially even since Wal Mart now has the iPhone.
 
When I was looking for cheap LCD TV's for a museum, I wandered into Costco and checked them out. They sell previous models that are being blown out by companies.

If you see the Canon Rebel XSi Digital SLR, it's the older 10MP model, not the current 12MP model. THis is how they can sell them lower than other store, they're not the same models as the other stores (also some models are made specifically for Costco, but that's different)

Wrong.

They sell the 10MP XTi, and the 12MP XSi with different lens bundles. Trust me, I *know*. ;)

As for TVs, they do carry current-model LCD from the major manufacturers. They DEFINITELY have the latest Vizio models, nothing old there.

iPods (classic/nano/touch) are all current models there.

The two 'blowout' older-model major electronics that I've seen at Costco are plasma (not LCD) TVs, and once they cleared out previous-generation iMacs (I think it was the last of the PPC ones when they switched to Intel).
 
You'll be seeing more and more promotions on iphone pricing, probably
refurbs, as the economy continues to bottom.

But by May or so I expect the new 3rd gen iphone and/or iphone nano to show up. And like the rumors this am they might have quad core processors and other unexpected improvements. I'm waiting.
 
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