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Steve Jobs Weighs in on iPad International Pricing and Taxes
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Sigh.. I miss the good old days when stupid people didn't buy Apple products..
Sigh.. I miss the good old days when only smug arrogant tossers bought Apple products..
If your nose gets hurt when I punch you, it's your fault
The founding philosophy which underpins US business requires a weird disconnect between mind and body. The brain's just another biological organ [system], like the hand or the heart, which can be programmed, injured, cared for, exercised, and cured through various stimuli. It's not a magical extra-corporeal conscience. Quasi-religious beliefs about a perfect rational mind are mental chains to the honest, and a tool for the social engineer to take advantage of others.
Q: But why is the price difference so much higher than the difference in tax rates?
A: You're stupid. Just give me your money and go away.
MOD NOTE:
Please keep this thread on topic. Purely political discussions can take place in the appropriate forum.
Please keep this thread on topic. Purely political discussions can take place in the appropriate forum.
Man alive! Here I was on Friday thinking, Hey, the German price isn't that bad! Alas, it has not stayed that way. Ah well, I am able to get tax off so that's fine, bit of a pain though as I wanted to order tomorrow. I presume there won't be any kind of 'Pick up in store' method in Germany as there is only the one official store I believe. Plus Ms Merkel, the iPad isn't a 'PC without a burner', it is actually a 'Magical and Revolutionary Mac without a Burner', get it right!
No, Apple favours its home market. That's the difference and the whole story about exchange rates is a load of baloney. A year ago, when the Euro was $0.64 Apple did nothing. They kept the Euro - Dollar rate the same. And now there is a 'premium'? And yes, I know, I don't have to buy the stuff.
Steve Jobs says 'blame your government'. The UK is sort of between governments at the moment
But he's right, tax + exchange rates do cause the problem. (esp the nasty UK VAT, which may be going up shortly)
However Apple relies on consumers paying whatever for their products. As long as that's the case Apple won't cut their price in other countries to counter this.
But he's right, tax + exchange rates do cause the problem. (esp the nasty UK VAT, which may be going up shortly)
However Apple relies on consumers paying whatever for their products. As long as that's the case Apple won't cut their price in other countries to counter this.
These are rude statements from Steve Jobs. The customer is always right. Don't patronise them with statements such as "Please educate yourself."
While the price increases in the UK do not surprise me - and VAT is largely the reason for the apparent increase - Steve's replies do not do anything to dispel the image that Apple is becoming more and more like the greedy Microsoft of old with each coming day.
While the price increases in the UK do not surprise me - and VAT is largely the reason for the apparent increase - Steve's replies do not do anything to dispel the image that Apple is becoming more and more like the greedy Microsoft of old with each coming day.
Apple does not keep the Euro-Dollar rate the same for its products. When the iMacs were refreshed in 2008 when the Euro was strong, the price of the iMac came down in Europe.
When the recent Macbook Pros were refreshed, the price in Europe went up as the Euro was weakening to the U.S. Dollar. This is very noticeable when we compare new Macbook Pro prices to iMac and Macbook prices when they were refreshed in October - when there was a strong Euro.
In fact, iMac and Macbook prices are, across the board cheaper in Europe now than in the States:
Macbook in the Netherlands - 755,46 = $962 compared to $999.
21.5" iMac - 923 = $1175 compared to $1199
21.5" iMac - 1136,61 = $1418 compared to $1499
27" iMac - 1259,66 = $1604 compared to $1699
27" iMac - 1511,76 = $1925 compared to $1999
Should Apple raise those prices without a product refresh I will retract this entire post. I highly doubt that will happen.
European prices per product cycle are based on Dollar-Euro conversion at time of refresh + VAT + additional taxes (copyright, etc.) + cost of doing business in a country. Home favor may play a role in product releases, but not prices.
When you think about it, why would a company that is actively trying to expand its presence in a region decide to keep prices artificially high? It makes no sense.
The copyright levy does not apply to the iPad
According to the information available the copyright levy Steve Jobs is referring to in his answer does not apply to the iPad. It only applies to "PCs" with more than 40 GB storage (which would only apply to the 64 GB iPad) AND with a freely installable OS (which none of the iPads have).
(please refer to: Why is the iPad so expensive in Germany?) http://www.macnotes.de/2010/05/08/w...eed&utm_campaign=Feed:+macnotes+(MACNOTES.DE)
I think Apple should do their homework and lower the prices in Germany to that of the other EU countries.
My two cents only (worth 15 Euros x the number of iPads sold in Germany)
According to the information available the copyright levy Steve Jobs is referring to in his answer does not apply to the iPad. It only applies to "PCs" with more than 40 GB storage (which would only apply to the 64 GB iPad) AND with a freely installable OS (which none of the iPads have).
(please refer to: Why is the iPad so expensive in Germany?) http://www.macnotes.de/2010/05/08/w...eed&utm_campaign=Feed:+macnotes+(MACNOTES.DE)
I think Apple should do their homework and lower the prices in Germany to that of the other EU countries.
My two cents only (worth 15 Euros x the number of iPads sold in Germany)
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I agree, especially when they're stupid..they are remarkably right.
Truth hurts.
Steve treats most of his email complaints as if they were whiney children. Thing is, many of them are
Personally I'm happy he have yet another Jobs quote we can use for a short lived meme. For the next month, you know how many messages on this forum will now read something like this:
"Please educate yourself, <insert rude and inflammatory point deriding other macrumors member>. Not that big of a deal"
classic
Personally I'm happy he have yet another Jobs quote we can use for a short lived meme. For the next month, you know how many messages on this forum will now read something like this:
"Please educate yourself, <insert rude and inflammatory point deriding other macrumors member>. Not that big of a deal"
classic
Short. To the point.
Gotta love Mr. Jobs!
Why?? because he is an A$$hole?
People ask some questions and he answers in a rude manner. Those who are saying that Jobs answered in a rude manner because the people who asked the questions are stupid must be the smartest guys guy on earth. I imagine they know everything. Their duty in life is to enlighten all of us.
You mean the TV licence or is there some other nefarious tax i've not noticed?
Because the beautiful thing is, if you own a television you only have to pay a TV licence if you're watching or recording "live TV broadcasts".
DVDs, blu rays, games, even the BBC iPlayer are not covered by this. You KNOW they're itching to find a way to change it, but I wouldn't be surprised if the BBC just became ad supported like the rest of the world. Its certainly the only way they can support iPlayer (which is the future of BBC broadcasting) I don't see how the BBC could really manage and charge all iPlayer users.
i know its of subject but the BBC do have adverts for there own things. Back to the responses its a free world and he has put it as he sees it they could probably charge more for the ipads and people would still buy them. Its still a giant ipod or iphone now. magical dont see how revolutionary yes but not as revolutionary as say having the entire mac osx os running in touch mode i am sure that is on the way but not just yet let people get used to the whole interface before it becomes out right standard.
If you are insulted by his replies then maybe you need to look inward rather than cast disgust onto Mr. Jobs. Frankly, if you don't understand the difference between a sales tax and a VAT, and yet, complain about the U.S. and Euro price disparities, then you do need to educate yourself. What is rude about saying that? Would it really soothe your ego if it was sugar coated in PR B.S.?
If you are living in the UK then I consider not knowing that all UK prices advertised include 17.5% VAT and not knowing that all US prices advertised include no sales tax at all to be extremely stupid, and "please educate yourself" is advice that you should take really, really serious. Complaining to the CEO of one of the world's greatest companies and wasting his time because you are too stupid to educate yourself is stupid.
That "potential customer" actually got an answer that, if taken seriously, might help them a long long way with their self development. Maybe some multi-millionaire business man will write a book in 2050 where they write "when I was a young lad, I wrote an email to Steve Jobs complaining about Apple's prices in the UK. He sent an email back with the words "Please educate yourself". But instead of going mad at the insult, I asked myself why the CEO of this great company would be so rude to me. And I realised it was because I had acted like a stupid, uneducated, thoughtless dolt. That day I started changing my ways, and today I am a billionaire myself. Thanks to Steve Jobs".
"The customer is always right" applies in exactly two cases: 1. If a customer tries to get you into an argument about which is the best football team, and you have a choice between being right or making a sale, then the customer is always right. 2. If you give a customer the best possible advice, but the customer knows better and it's _his_ money that gets wasted by not taking your advice, then the customer is always right.
Why?? because he is an A$$hole?
People ask some questions and he answers in a rude manner. Those who are saying that Jobs answered in a rude manner because the people who asked the questions are stupid must be the smartest guys guy on earth. I imagine they know everything. Their duty in life is to enlighten all of us.
I'd say you just lost the right to call anybody rude.
Now you have it wrong!
You price with Tax was $524.
Our price with tax will be $635
Overall $111 more, some down to VAT, but $40 down to Apple.
Unless you actually saw the email that was sent to Steve I think it is unfair for you to comment. The question could have been just as rude or worse.
Why?? because he is an A$$hole?
People ask some questions and he answers in a rude manner. Those who are saying that Jobs answered in a rude manner because the people who asked the questions are stupid must be the smartest guys guy on earth. I imagine they know everything. Their duty in life is to enlighten all of us.
Do you have a copy of the email he responded to? NO.
When you do and we can see the tome of that email, I will listen to you.
When ever I have emailed Steve, he has always been polite (if short) with his reply.
My guess is the email he got was less polite than his reply!
I am happy
Born, raised and living in Ireland*. Free undergraduate degrees, plus a grant of around e7,000 if you're poor - though you still have to be reasonably not stupid to get in - and free ''healthcare'' as the yanks call it. It means that I'll have to pay e500 ($636) for the lowest model of the iPad, but, you know... and it always bothers me when people complain about the high prices we have to pay for imported goods. Same in most European countries. And Australia. And the Scandanavia countries. And most of Eastern Europe. And Greece.
What I DON'T like is that the iPad won't be coming to Ireland until the end of July. Boo-urns.
*Telling American tourists that leprechauns are real is fantastic fun. It's our summer sport.