No price cuts but at the same price as today it's not going to cost as much as the rumoured £1000 so they are making them affordable.
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Tim Cook Says Apple Products 'Change the World' and Aren't Priced Just 'For the Rich'
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No price cuts but at the same price as today it's not going to cost as much as the rumoured £1000 so they are making them affordable.
Most multi-millionaires are.
He's not wrong. He said they aren't priced just for the rich because they are not. Now, you might look at the new flagship model of iPhone or the MacBook Pro and iMac Pro, top-of-the-line configurations and say he's crazy, but this is right up there with saying that Chevrolet only makes cars and trucks for the rich because a Corvette costs more than you can afford. Never mind that you could easily buy a Cruze or something.
Point being, iPhone has models that are more affordable. They have models that carriers offer on discount or that stores like Best Buy and Target have phenomenal deals to purchase. No, they are not the latest and greatest iPhones, but they ARE iPhones and plenty of people buy them and enjoy them because they suit their needs and their budgets.
For a person who makes enough in less than a week (or even a day or two, or less) to buy a flagship iPhone isn't odd. For a kid in college who saved up birthday money and money from part-time jobs to get that new iPhone, it's not odd to go for the flagship model. For someone whose one splurge each year is that new iPhone... not odd to go for the flagship every time.
But, some people just want a phone that works and they like iPhone. They don't need the flagship model. They live on the "once the price comes down" cycle and they are still getting a good phone for their money. And, usually, a sweet discount from wherever they bought it.
So, yeah... Apple's hot-off-the-presses stuff isn't necessarily going to be in the price range that many people can or will want to spend. Doesn't mean all their stuff is only for "the rich."
I cannot count how many MacBooks, iPhones, etc that I have sold over the years to friends, strangers, and so forth. People who were totally thrilled to get a good deal on a product that was in pristine condition and that was still going to be great for their needs.
You see iPhones everywhere. Not just in rich neighborhoods. Or rich countries.
Point being, iPhone has models that are more affordable. They have models that carriers offer on discount or that stores like Best Buy and Target have phenomenal deals to purchase. No, they are not the latest and greatest iPhones, but they ARE iPhones and plenty of people buy them and enjoy them because they suit their needs and their budgets.
For a person who makes enough in less than a week (or even a day or two, or less) to buy a flagship iPhone isn't odd. For a kid in college who saved up birthday money and money from part-time jobs to get that new iPhone, it's not odd to go for the flagship model. For someone whose one splurge each year is that new iPhone... not odd to go for the flagship every time.
But, some people just want a phone that works and they like iPhone. They don't need the flagship model. They live on the "once the price comes down" cycle and they are still getting a good phone for their money. And, usually, a sweet discount from wherever they bought it.
So, yeah... Apple's hot-off-the-presses stuff isn't necessarily going to be in the price range that many people can or will want to spend. Doesn't mean all their stuff is only for "the rich."
I cannot count how many MacBooks, iPhones, etc that I have sold over the years to friends, strangers, and so forth. People who were totally thrilled to get a good deal on a product that was in pristine condition and that was still going to be great for their needs.
You see iPhones everywhere. Not just in rich neighborhoods. Or rich countries.
True... but the 2017 iPhone lineup will actually start at $649... just like it has for years.
And you can still get older (but still great) iPhone models at a lower price.
Apple products have never been "cheap"... let's be honest here.
But we also can't forget that this new $1000 iPhone is actually an additional model above the standard lineup.
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Let's look at the watch as an example. You can get the sport model, or the ceramic. Wildly different costs. Yet both are out of reach of many. Same with a "cheap" Ford, or else people wouldn't buy cars for $1000 that are over a decade old and barely functional. That doesn't mean Ford needs to give away things to accommodate people who can't even reach the base level. Is it unfair? Sure, but then so is life. I worked very hard and made it a point not to throw away money on nonsense so that I could afford an Apple watch when it came out. It was my choice, so I would be a fool to complain about my own decision, and I sure don't feel bad for people who decided to go barhopping and ended up doing without.
Only the last 30 years...
Apple stuff has been expensive since ever, even when nearly nobody bought it.
Did you expect that they wouldn't be expensive now that they ve become much more successful?
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Apple could sell all their products at half price and make even bigger profits, boosting market share. And, of course, using standard ports and non-soldered upgradable internals, besides promoting headless Macs (mini, mini tower and tower) instead of iMac all-in-one. Because CPU may last for seven years, yet displays last more than 20 years, thus being ecological.
He is kinda right with the iPAD and iPhone though. Noone really needs to have the newest and most expensive ones, when just 1-2 years earlier everyone was perfectly happy with them and desperately wanted one. It's crazy. (Sadly i'm crazy too)
With other products who are really just priced for the rich, you would not have the option of buying a new but older device, you would have to find a used one.
With other products who are really just priced for the rich, you would not have the option of buying a new but older device, you would have to find a used one.
If it generated more sales... why not?
I don't think shareholders are consulted on product pricing...
iphone 7 plus 256 is £919, with applecare £1038 today.
Even without applecare, the new X will break £1K to top end, £1200 with applecare, watch applecare go up tomorrow also.
Right now Best Buy has a prepaid AT&T iPhone SE with 32GB of storage on sale for US$139.00 plus tax.
If someone wants an Apple device, there are options available. It may not be the latest and greatest, but they have options.
If someone wants an Apple device, there are options available. It may not be the latest and greatest, but they have options.
in Canada, the iPhone X, if really priced at 999USD, will likely be closer to $1500 CAD.
that's insane for a phone.
Price gouging? Every business will try to charge the highest price possible that their customers are willing to pay.
And gouging will only work if your consumers don't have alternatives. Guess what, there are plenty of cheaper phones and computers out there. People can buy those instead of Apple's.
Maybe you should try starting a business, and see if you can survive without your definition of "gouging."
You see iPhones everywhere because the average US household has $8,377 in credit card debt.
Well, yes and no. Some people can empathize with the financial situations of the average citizen. Or even the poorest citizens. It's not like he's tone deaf.
Sure, there are people who really have no clue. Our current president is one of them. And, I am not making this political. I'm using that example because he grew up rich, he's always been rich, and he never had to live or work around poor people... and pretty much hasn't. Ever.
I could say the same for someone like Gwyneth Paltrow, to use a more liberal example so it's clear I'm not taking political swipes. She appears to be genuinely clueless about the average woman's financial picture. Anyone selling jade eggs for hundreds of dollars for women to wear in their vaginas or recommending we all go on retreats that cost thousands for women to have a yogi touch their feet and then retire to their private villas and plan their thousands of dollars' worth of casual clothing that helps the body breathe and can also be worn in carpool is WAYYYY out of touch with the average woman.
So, yes... it does happen. I don't think Tim Cook is one of those people, though. I don't think Jobs was, either. I think he knew who he was choosing when he chose Tim.
I think the question to ask is
"Can I easily and comfortably write a chq for £1000 for a phone"
Most people would not be able to be comfortable with that amount.
Therefore Tim is wrong.
Most iphones in the field are "on finance" with carriers or as you say preowned.
Go back and actually see what Apple charged for the Macintosh, Lisa, etc. There's a reason Windows has the largest market share. Apple has been charging a "premium," it's their business decision, and noting is wrong with that.
But please, only for the rich? Do you think a $400 iPhone SE or 2017 iPad are too expensive? Get real.
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The question is "Does Apple only sell a $1k iPhone?"
The answer is no.
If you buy outright yes but a lot of people who can't afford it often have them on contract. Personally i'm not a fan of contract i much prefer to buy outright and put a Pay as you go sim card inside, also the 7 and 7 Plus will likely remain at a lower price while the 8 and 8 Plus then replace the current price point, the X will probably start at 1K, it's the same with the Apple Watch, there are cheaper models that start at around £300 with a more expensive edition at £1,299, my point being that they don't just cater to the rich.
Edit: also there is a iPhone SE that sells for even less!
It's the entitlement generation. These are the same people that thinks 99c a month of icloud is too expensive.
Not even talking about the US. You could point to CC debt, but I know plenty of people who buy iPhones second hand or wait until the price drops on the models from the prior year and a special is running before they get their iPhones. With programs like NEXT from AT&T or the Apple Upgrade Program, one can also choose to upgrade more often and get an interest free loan to purchase a newer model as long as they can afford it monthly. So, there are options that don't involve driving up one's credit card debt. I think we all ought not to assume that everyone who has credit card debt isn't using credit cards and great options like balance transfer and zero percent interest to maximize their spending power and keep more money in the bank, working for them. You just never know.
Real-life example: You always see those advice-givers on the internet telling people never to finance jewelry. Well, that's stupid. If you can get zero percent for X period of time and you know that the payments are well within your budget, why not use their money? As long as you are good at sticking to a plan, it'll work. My husband did a half down, half at zero percent deal with Tiffany when he bought my engagement ring years ago. He had the cash to buy it, but he liked the idea of earning interest in his money market account every month while paying it down. So, that's what he did.
I think you're all missing the point. I bought my last iPhone (6s) on the "old" carrier model; few hundred bucks up front and a new 2 year contract. That is not an option anymore, so instead I have to drop the full cost up front or else pay way, way more by using the carrier financing (which I would never do.)
I'm not poor, but I'm not fantastically rich, either. This means that even if I can drop $1000 on something I don't need, I can only do this so many times in any given period (roughly 2 months, in my case.) So 6 times a year I can buy an iPhone unit of toys. The question is, paying up front, do I actually want a thousand dollar phone more than anything else? The answer I find myself reaching is, no, not really. When an iPhone cost me 4 or 5 hundred dollars I definitely saw the value, but now it is effectively double that. What used to be a reasonable impulse buy is now 2 months of discretionary spending, or else trimming expenses and actually feeling the cost as a reduction in quality of life. Even if the new iPhone were very good, I seriously doubt it would be twice as good as the one I have now. The value proposition just isn't there for me. I'm betting I'm not alone in that thinking. This is partly a result of the end of carrier subsidies and partly the inflation of the actual cost. Taken together, I don't think iPhone sales are going to keep up with historical levels, although that isn't to say they aren't going to sell a lot.
I'm not poor, but I'm not fantastically rich, either. This means that even if I can drop $1000 on something I don't need, I can only do this so many times in any given period (roughly 2 months, in my case.) So 6 times a year I can buy an iPhone unit of toys. The question is, paying up front, do I actually want a thousand dollar phone more than anything else? The answer I find myself reaching is, no, not really. When an iPhone cost me 4 or 5 hundred dollars I definitely saw the value, but now it is effectively double that. What used to be a reasonable impulse buy is now 2 months of discretionary spending, or else trimming expenses and actually feeling the cost as a reduction in quality of life. Even if the new iPhone were very good, I seriously doubt it would be twice as good as the one I have now. The value proposition just isn't there for me. I'm betting I'm not alone in that thinking. This is partly a result of the end of carrier subsidies and partly the inflation of the actual cost. Taken together, I don't think iPhone sales are going to keep up with historical levels, although that isn't to say they aren't going to sell a lot.