iPhone Price Drop: Boo F’in’ Hoo
All you iPhone owners out there, pissed off that Apple’s cut prices of the trendy gadget by $200: Get a grip.
Today in the Post, Eugene Robinson—a columnist I consider to have a head on his shoulders—takes on Steve Jobs and his maneuverings.
He says if he had an iPhone, he’d be “iRate.”
I’m sorry, but enough with the pity parade. You shelled out $600, people, because it was worth $600 to you at that point. And, let’s face it, because you wanted people to know it was worth $600 to you. Frankly, Jobs was being all too kind to offer you $100 in Apple Store credit back to you idiots (though I’m sure it’ll turn out OK for him when most of you show up with your certificates and end up spending twice that). Thing is, this was masterful use of price differentiation: Jobs & Co. knew there were thousands of you suckers out there willing to pay $600 for one of these things, and he actually got you to spend that much money. Good for him. But he also knew there’s a whole lot more folks willing to spend $400 for it (maybe myself included), and he’ll probably make a whole lot of money doing that. Good for him.
Robinson does make a really good point:
The sky-high price was supposed to guarantee a decent period of exclusivity. For a time, if you bought an iPhone, you were supposed to be the envy of your friends….Eventually, you understood, everybody would have one…[but] the aura of supercool should have lasted longer than a couple of months.
True, but I feel like the iPhone early birds have had plenty of fun. And it’s all part of the risk of being an early adopter. I was a relatively early iPod adopter, getting a 2nd-generation 10-gig model in late 2002 for $400. I got about six months of state-of-the-artness before the sleeker, more capacious new models appeared—the ones that really sent the iPod into the stratosphere—and my old one was a relic.
So be happy with the two months you got, iPhoners. I think that most folks have gotten their $200 in early-adopter-benefits. Looking around various District watering holes in the past few months, I can’t help but think there’s a goodly number of men who got much more than their money’s worth in female companionship based on their iPhones. Do they really deserve gift certificates?
September 7th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Well said, Mike.
I also think the iPhone will remain somewhat exclusive at the new price of $400. $400 isn’t a fortune, but it is a lot more than the $0 or $49 phones that are offered with most new cell phone contracts — and most of them are decent phones. You’ve got to really, really want one to shell out that money for a phone.
September 7th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
Totally agree, Bones. Some of us JUST shelled out $249 to buy the 30GB Ipod video for our honey, only to have Apple drop the price on the 80GB one to $249 the same day they dropped the iPhone price. Where’s the $100 credit love for us poor schmos?
I picked up the iPhone at the Apple Store recently and played with it. While it did fill me with technolust, no phone is worth $600 unless it dials God and causes him to show up on the doorstep in thirty minutes or less with a pepperoni pizza and a sixer of Dogfish.
September 7th, 2007 at 3:46 pm
People need to get a grip! They should be happy they got the Iphone to begin with. Getting mad at Apple for the price cut won’t do squat. For me, I’m waiting for another price cut to happen.
September 7th, 2007 at 6:04 pm
I can’t care less whether it’s $600, $400 or $249. An iPhone man who gets his money worth of female companionship can shove his iPhone up his ass and fuck off while doing it. Along with the female companion.
September 8th, 2007 at 6:33 am
wow peggy. tell us how you really feel.
September 8th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
Peggy feels terrific! Incidentally, you could go away as well, Gophy. Along with Carrie the Red – the one whose expectations of technology may be unrealistic yet whose richly-colored rear end could definitely be put to a good use in development of photographic pictures.
September 9th, 2007 at 11:59 am
I’m confused, why again should I feel sympathy for someone who spends $600 for a phone?
September 10th, 2007 at 8:40 am
But, Ernest, you digress! I hear you exclaim, What about them iPhones?
Well, I reply, cell phones are extremely common among the populace of all walks of life. See them yapping on the street corners and every public place imaginable. The technology gives one the sense of self-important significance, the seldom-given opportunity of self-expression by means of communicating ideas. The iPhone in particular supplies a person with the general air of being fairly well-to-do, in a vulgar yet comfortable, easy-going yet complicated sort of way. Just like a full-size SUV would. Isn’t it priceless?
September 10th, 2007 at 11:21 am
It’s good to see the baiters running wild here, and Ernest, you are a Master Baiter.
September 10th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
This is interesting, this is very interesting. Thanks for the update, Ernest.
Now, you’ll get back to work or you’ll quit the office instanter! Your status report is months overdue, you know.
September 10th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Go to the devil with your status report! I want to go to the Bahamas.