Woz: iPhone price drop "too soon, too harsh"
updated 02:00 pm EDT, Mon September 24, 2007
Woz on iPhone price drop
Apple co-founder Steve 'Woz' Wozniak says company CEO Steve Jobs' decision to slash the price of its recently-launched iPhone nearly two months after it hit store shelves was "too soon" and "too harsh." "Nobody expects a product to drop that much in price in such a short time," Woz said. "Steve Jobs and everyone expects technology to drop in price. The first adopters always pay a premium. I am one of them. I am used to that. But that one was too soon, too harsh." Apple's chief unveiled the iPhone in January at the Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco, and the device hit selves in late June. Jobs slashed the iPhone's $599 price down to $399 in one fell swoop during a special event on September 5th, angering early adopters and prompting the executive to announce a $100 Apple Store credit for those customers who eagerly purchased the device just after launch.
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Joined: Aug 2002
OTOH
On the other hand, I am very glad that the rebate goes to the end user and not the purchaser.
I bought two iPhones on the day after launch, one for myself and one for a friend who lives far away (FedExed it to him).
If the store credit went directly to the purchaser, then I'd have to find a way to transfer credit to him (not easy if I can't buy a gift card with the credit). This way, he claimed his own credit and we are both happy campers, no fuss no muss.