iPhone Early Adopter Rebate
September 6, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Once again reminding me why I love Apple, Steve Jobs wrote a letter to iPhone customers today. As part of the new product launches and updates revealed yesterday, came a shocking $200 price drop in the 10-week old iPhone. This change was not received so happily by the early adopters who felt a bit gouged by this sudden drop.
In summary from Jobs:
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. …
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.
Second … 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.
Third … 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 … a $100 store credit towards the purchase of any product at an Apple Retail Store or the Apple Online Store. …
This is the sort of stand up move that truly separates evil corporation from rabidly followed fan favorite company. Yes, I’m proud to be an Apple fan.
Tags: apple, apple fanboy, fan, iphone, iphone rebate, letter, rebate, steve jobs
DRM is Cracking
April 3, 2007 | 1 Comment
Digital Rights Management or DRM is a concept I have always opposed. In general I feel it is expensive and complicated for vendors to sustain, while relatively simple others to break, all the while punishing consumers and paying customers. I had never really summarized my thoughts on this other than the occasional verbal tirade.
After Steve Jobs shared his thoughts against DRM last year I felt it was no longer necessary for me to chime in since he hit the nail on the head. Finally someone with the ability to influence direction of DRM today and in the future was making bold statements about why it is ridiculously broken. However, were these merely words? Was Jobs making these statements to pander to the European Union who is blocking the international expansion of the highly successful iTunes music store?
Apparently not.
Casey pointed to the huge joint announcement this week from Apple and EMI about their planned release of the entire EMI digital collection in DRM free, higher quality (256kbps) AAC files for $1.29 per song. This is a 30 cent increase that is well worth it to gain higher quality and vendor neutrality in the future. To sweeten the deal, when purchasing full albums, there will be absolutely no cost increase for DRM free music! What about those of you who have already filled your music collections with EMI music that has the Apple DRM? For a mere 30 cents, you can upgrade to the DRM-free version! This new service will launch in May.
EMI’s diverse list of artists includes: A Perfect Circle, The Beatles, David Bowie, The Chemical Brothers, Coldplay, Dandy Warhols, Gorillaz, Ben Harper, Norah Jones, KoЯn, Lenny Kravitz, Pink Floyd, Queen, Radiohead, Relient K, The Thrills, KT Tunstall, Robbie Williams, Yellowcard, The Rolling Stones, Radiohead, Keith Urban, etc. There are many old school artists, as well as new artists I’ve fallen in love with from Virgin Radio or idobi Radio. In short, no matter what type of music you’re into, EMI has something for you.
Hopefully EMI will see great success from this initiative. In turn, this could cause all of DRM in digital music to crumble. As the music industry succumbs to delivering more consumer friendly, flexible music, video should follow. This is good for everyone.
Since the beginning of the digital music revolution, I have reduced my music buying habits. In fact, I have bought less than 10 CDs in the last 7 years. Prior to that, I had built a CD collection in excess of 300 CDs. These have all been ripped to my iPod. Additionally, I listen to a lot of podcasts. For new music, all of this comes from internet radio. I’m looking forward to finally being comfortable purchasing music again.
Tags: A Perfect Circle, aac, apple, Ben Harper, Coldplay, Dandy Warhols, David Bowie, DRM, emi, Gorillaz, idobi radio, internet radio, Keith Urban, KoЯn, KT Tunstall, Lenny Kravitz, mpaa, music, music industry, Norah Jones, Pink Floyd, podcast, podcasts, Queen, radio, Radiohead, Relient K, riaa, Robbie Williams, steve jobs, The Beatles, The Chemical Brothers, The Rolling Stones, The Thrills, virgin radio, Yellowcard
Big Apple Announcement Today At 1PM EST
September 12, 2006 | 4 Comments
I love big Apple announcement days! All the predictions and conjecture are often more entertaining than whatever they announce. We know that Jobs is announcing the new movie plan he has negotiated, including two price points at $9.99 and $14.99. Possible additional contenders to be announced today include:
- iTunes version 7
- airVideo (airTunes equivalent for video)
- new bigger screen iPods
- a Mac Media (similar to media PCs)
Personally, I think we’ll get the first two. A new iTunes version seems natural to go with the delivery of movies. Jobs has also talked extensively about how people are not going to watch feature length movies on tiny iPod screens. This is why I think an “airVideo” would enable playing video on your regular TV, thus accomplishing the goal of putting downloadable video content on a bigger screen.
A new series of iPods seems a bit odd to me. People are still happy with the current ones and if a bigger screen means a bigger form factor, most people won’t be impressed. Other options seem more approopriate right now.
A Mac for your entertainment center has always seemed natural since the initial release of the Mac Minis. Apple has repeatedly been surrounded with rumors related to this, but they have never been true. This has always been a long shot, I don’t think the odds have changed. Especially since they retooled the Mac Minis for Intel Core Duo so recently…
Whatever happens, I’m sure Apple will have new fun toys to covet!
Tags: airvideo, apple, core duo, digital movies, intel, ipod, itunes, mac, mac media, steve jobs