I dont understand what is so shady about it? plus who is to say that their wasnt other cost incurred in the development of a CDMA iphone, which is why the price is a little higher...
It's SHADY because the majority of people who are going to pay FULL retail are those of us who are ineligible for an early upgrade and have been loyal Verizon subscribers. We've been w/them for 10 years.
Many of us gave up on ever seeing the iPhone on VZW. A the same time I love Apple gear and use it daily for my business.
I gave up in late 09. Do I expect them to give me a free phone? No. But, for being a loyal customer, a little price break would be nice. Ok we can't get that? Fine, I'll still pay full retail. Guess what, they then announce a $50 premium over the AT&T iPhone4. It's nickle and diming 101.
So $50 isn't much maybe to a shill, but what is too much? And yet, why does Apple themselves list it for $50 cheaper if it cost so much more to develop?
I don't need an education on Business 101 or electronics. I run my own Professional Photo Retouching Business and my wife is a Professional Photo Agent who runs her own business. And I'm an electronics whore and major audio/video gear freak. I just understand the point of diminishing returns and that extra $50 may have just hit that point for me. It hits a point where it's laughable to drop that much on a PHONE. Just like some of the idiots I know who will spend $10,000 on a turntable stylus thinking they can eek out another -1db of harmonic distortion on a slab of vinyl.
I do understand however a company like, say, DIRECTV that will give you breaks if you call in to question why a new customer gets free HD for life and a 10 year customer doesn't. Their solution? A credit on my bill every month for the $10 HD fee. No haggling. Just asking. They seem to be doing ok.
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