RSSApple Details $100 iPhone Credit Offer
By Ed Oswald | Published September 14, 2007, 3:34 PM
Apple will send its promised $100 store credit to early adopters of the iPhone by text message, the company said Friday.
Those eligible for the rebate must have purchased the phone before August 22, and have service activated. Those purchased between August 22 and September 4 are eligible for a full $200 cash refund under Apple's price protection policies.
Apple is also striking back against those who may have successfully unlocked the phone for use with other carriers: "Only iPhones activated through AT&T are eligible to receive a credit," the offer's terms and conditions read.
Anyone who purchased the phone after September 5, when the new pricing took effect, is not eligible for any refund, either by store credit or cash.
For the price protection claims, owners only have until Wednesday to file, as after that they are only eligible for the store credit. Store credit claims need to be filed by November 30, Apple said.
Customers who may have bought and activated more than one iPhone are eligible for a credit for each device purchased. Claims will be processed in the store from which the purchase was made, or through Apple Store Customer Service if purchased online.
The store credits would all for the purchase of any product in the Apple Store, except store gift cards or iTunes electronic gift certificates. The credits would be given in the form of a code via SMS text message that can either be entered during a purchase on the online store, or shown to an Apple Store cashier.
More details on the credit can be found on Apple's website.
This rant cracks me up... this really isn't an Apple vs. Microsoft situation.
Look at all those people who quickly adopted the first HDTVs and Plasma TVs (and even big-screen LCDs for that matter).. they paid thousands if not more than ten thousand for those TVs... only to watch the prices drop MONTHLY by hundreds if not thousands of dollars as more hit the shelves and equipment prices dropped...
Did you ever see a TV manufacturer give a rebate to their early adopters?
And don't you think those early adopters are lookin' to purchase anew (if not already having done so)? Those early sets couldn't support the true HDTV resolution later adopted as a standard... are probably lacking all the necessary audio/video I/Os and such...
Same thing with any piece of new technology.
Everyone has to weigh for themselves when is the opportune moment to enter the market. Do you buy now that the price point is in your range but you know the next generation will have something cooler but won't be out for another year? Only you can decide for yourself..
... and the iPhone early adopters decided for themselves.
Its awesome that Apple is doing anything at all. Sony never has. Look at its recent price drop of the Playstation.
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|Your $100 credit can buy apple's products. But you'll buy them using the credit plus your own money.
The credit is a way to make people buy. People have the credit has bigger change of buying than people don't have.
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|Where are the PC fanboys to spout their ignorance? You gleefully spouted jelous rants about the price drop...where is it?
Im sure Microsoft would do the same...BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA
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|When will Mac users learn to separate the machine from the OS? At least with the PC if I don't like Windows I can use another OS without having to buy a new computer as is the case if I wanted to try OSX. I have real choice, you have very limited choice, though since the newer Macs are also PCs now they too can run Windows.
Face it, Apple sold you out. If you can't beat them join them... :-)
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|Actually, MS did do the same, for early adopters who bought a new computer got a free upgrade to Vista.
The credit is nice but its still ultimately going right back to Apple as its a credit for apple products. You don't see MS customers screaming about a product that dropped $200 in 2 months hence why would they do it?
Apple did this as damage control, if no one complained, it would never have happened.
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|"Actually, MS did do the same, for early adopters who bought a new computer got a free upgrade to Vista."
You couldn't even give Vista to me for free!
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|OK, thats you, a lot of people liked it, its no different then when XP came out, everyone said they hated it, but then after sp1 people started moving over.
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|I don't agree. I would relate Vista more to Windows ME. It is a "why bother" type of OS upgrade.
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|True, but at least PC users have many other options besides Windows. What do Mac Users have? OSX AND Windows? Both loaded with iCandy at the expense of real performance.
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|by your statement it would seem your a fanboy too.
remember that the whole purpose of any of these companies is to take your money. getting kicks from who's better or worse etc. is utterly obserd. emotional attachment to a product/company basically turns you into a brainwashed consumer where you end up alienating people who you have more in common with then you think. The worste part is you feel good doing it.
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|Its absolutely clear now, how Apple jam company getting popular. If Acer will pay you let say 200$ for some terrible peace of ....technology will you proud of your choice too?
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|Yes that was absolutely clear.
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|"Apple did this as damage control, if no one complained, it would never have happened."
Fascinating business theory based upon insights from the psychologist's couch.
People made a valuation judgment when they rushed out to stand in line to buy the $500 phone, DESPITE the rumors that a cheaper version was already in the works.
The fact that the market success exceeded the expectations (as there was skepticism that at the high price point if it would succeed! Oh yeah, we forgot...)
So the demand exceeds supply and the economies of scale enable reduced costs. And as the product becomes mainstream rather than simply a novelty, the initial price is able to be reduced as production costs drop and volume increases.
From a business POV, there is nothing new nor unique to Apple. Witness Vista. But why should anyone here look at this from a strategic marketing POV rather than the usual fanboy blather? (from whatever camp)
What is rather fascinating is how successful the phone has been. Despite the elegant interface, its combination with available plans and the inability to make calls from inside buildings on Cingular/AT&T renders this success even more interesting to me, as I dropped Cingular for exactly that reason.
But then, when a company sees their own 'spectacular'(sic) customer sat ratings as being worse than that of the purchased name that went from being the world's most recognized brand to a failed enterprise in just 10 years is a fascinating accomplishment. And one that speaks volumes about the company and their service.
And anyone that rushes out to be an early adopter who fails to realize that they will pay a premium for that 'privelege' is not only oblivious to the dynamics of the larger market (witness the launch of PS3!), but they are nothing more than whiny @ssed victims of their own self-imposed stupidity. Waaaaaaaa.
Perhaps its time the early adopters wake up, assume responsibility for making their own decisions, and grow up and assume responsibility for their own actions.
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|Microsoft would do the same .. see: xbox 360 warrenty extension and free repair.
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|Perhaps you should TRY [OS X] before complaining? Performance is superb and you've got BSD unix underneath - something for everyone!
--->What do Mac Users have? OSX AND Windows? Both loaded with iCandy at the expense of real performance.
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|Big deal for the $100 coupon. eBay probably cost you far less.
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|Plus, in the end Apple stills to keep this as it isn't in the form of cash but a so-called "store-credit".
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