Apple Pissed Me Off, Then Gave Me $100
I had almost finished typing up a rant about losing $200 of my barely 2 month old iPhone investment (after Apple announced a $200 decrease in price at yesterday’s event) when I see a nice letter from Steve Jobs assuring me that Apple is still my friend.
To all iPhone customers:
I have received hundreds of emails from iPhone customers who are upset about Apple dropping the price of iPhone by $200 two months after it went on sale. After reading every one of these emails, I have some observations and conclusions.
First, I am sure that we are making the correct decision to lower the price of the 8GB iPhone from $599 to $399, and that now is the right time to do it. iPhone is a breakthrough product, and we have the chance to ‘go for it’ this holiday season. iPhone is so far ahead of the competition, and now it will be affordable by even more customers. It benefits both Apple and every iPhone user to get as many new customers as possible in the iPhone ‘tent’. We strongly believe the $399 price will help us do just that this holiday season.
Second, being in technology for 30+ years I can attest to the fact that the technology road is bumpy. There is always change and improvement, and there is always someone who bought a product before a particular cutoff date and misses the new price or the new operating system or the new whatever. This is life in the technology lane. If you always wait for the next price cut or to buy the new improved model, you’ll never buy any technology product because there is always something better and less expensive on the horizon. The good news is that if you buy products from companies that support them well, like Apple tries to do, you will receive years of useful and satisfying service from them even as newer models are introduced.
Third, even though we are making the right decision to lower the price of iPhone, and even though the technology road is bumpy, we need to do a better job taking care of our early iPhone customers as we aggressively go after new ones with a lower price. Our early customers trusted us, and we must live up to that trust with our actions in moments like these.
Therefore, we have decided to offer every iPhone customer who purchased an iPhone from either Apple or AT&T, and who is not receiving a rebate or any other consideration, a $100 store credit towards the purchase of any product at an Apple Retail Store or the Apple Online Store. Details are still being worked out and will be posted on Apple’s website next week. Stay tuned.
We want to do the right thing for our valued iPhone customers. We apologize for disappointing some of you, and we are doing our best to live up to your high expectations of Apple.
Steve Jobs
Apple CEO
Thanks, Steve.
4 Comments
Ben G.
Sep 06 @ 06:58 PM
This really makes me happy that I’ve gone to a Mac for my main computer. I think this says a TON about the company as a whole.
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PHP Encoder
Sep 06 @ 11:24 PM
I felt the same as I’d bought the 8Gb model. Whilst $100 doesn’t give me the product for the current $200 saving, I’m cool with it. I was one of the first to get the iPhone and I know a few people who’ve bought them just because I’ve shown it to them. What this gesture does, is it shows that Apple is responsive to customers and I think its a very positive step. Apple, people sometimes forget, are a company who are there to make… profit, so this is certainly a good move. Kudos to Steve Jobs
Frank
Sep 09 @ 07:12 PM
Horse SH$T. Mine was less that 20 days old when the announcement came out. They missed the mark on this phone..where is my bluetooth iPod in here? Why Can’t I sync this via Bluetooth like I can my Nokia E61i???? Come on Apple...Your getting M’s in Kick-backs from ATT for LOCKING THE CRAP out of this device and sticking it to the consumers.
Want to say something positive to me apple???? Then give me a $200 rebate against my ATT bill.......or the $200 difference in a store credit.
PS..I was dissappointed at the lack of “standard” features I expected when I bought the phone..>NOW I am pissed off at the way Steve “B” Jobs handled this for the most loyal of consumers.
Ben G.
Sep 09 @ 08:17 PM
There was a lot more to Apple going with AT&T than “sticking it to the consumer.” I understand your frustration, and believe me, I agree with you.