Since news of the iPhone price slash on Wednesday ($200 discount for the 8GB model in just two months!) people have been asking me if I had heard about it (yes, I followed it in real time the day it transpired), and more recently if I received my $100 (no, details of the credit will come out next week). Since I'm the only Mac advocate and iPhone owner most of them know, they ask for my take on it.
I'm actually surprised Steve-o capitulated a coupla days later and offered all early adopters a $100 credit. That totally makes up for how I felt when my 4GB iPhone suddenly became obsolete, and its remaining stock is being sold off for $299 ( I bought it for $399*). Of course, if I had purchased the $499* 8GB (non-obsolete) iPhone I'd be out $100...but I didn't. Hah.
I'm not sure if he meant all along to "apologize" and make kissie-kissie to his most loyal customers, because when asked about the dramatic price drop, he initially claimed, "That's (just) technology". Perhaps the ensuing complaints/hate mail really did get to him, compelling him to yield to the masses...but I kinda think not. It probably was all in the grand Steve-o scheme o' things.
I went out with friends tonight and as I was asked again about the iPhone news, one of them remarked, "That's OK, she's a shareholder." I never thought of it that way. I do check how AAPL stock is doing (131.77 as of Friday, down from a high of 143 a few weeks ago, I think -- but hey, the entire stock market has taken a hit). I bought shares at at around $18 for a purely emotional reason: I've always loved my Macs. Hardly anyone would've purchased Apple stock at the time, and it's performed waaay beyond anyone's wildest dreams. While it delights me, from a practical standpoint, I don't really care since I'll never sell. At least, that's what I've been saying all these years...
The $100 credit will come in handy eventually, but we have yet to hear details. Since I pretty much have all I want that's offered at the Store, I might just blow it on iTunes gift cards. . You won't see me getting any of the new iPods, that's for sure. My Classic U2 iPod serves me fine as my home sound system player.
Below are new iPods, fresh from the vault (not yet on display on the floor), at the Apple Store I visited the other night.
* OOPS: I stand corrected, thanks to reader/friend Willy. Evidently I don't know what I'm talking about. I was off by $100 in how much the original iPhones cost. 4GB was $499 and 8GB was $599. OK, so the $100 credit might not be such a great deal, but again, it was unexpected, and obviously I don't care all that much or I'd know how much I paid for the thing, so people, stop asking me!
