Apple - Innovators or Money Grabbers?
January 15th, 2008 8
I write this having just forked out £12.99 to upgrade my iPod touch with Applications that should have really been there in the first place, and it makes me a little sad inside.
In fact, I’ve been thinking about Apple’s money grabbing tactics for a few days. I really want an iPhone - it has (most)everything I want (ok, except G3, a decent camera, Bluetooth file exchange, Video calling, & GPS). The only problem with the iPhone is the talk plans - O2 can pretty much get away with charging what they want - and they do! £35 per month for 200 minutes and 200 Texts is laughable. Yes, you get the unlimited data package, but that’s not even G3.
OK, So that’s O2 - but don’t Apple get some kind of kickback from each tariff? £5 per month? They’re raking it in!
What about if you want to assign your favorite pumping club tune, or a bit of the old Spice Girls as your ringtone, just to prove how cool you are. Well, even if you’ve been a good boy (or girl) and payed for the tune from iTunes Store, you have to pay again to turn it into a shorter version of itself!
It just feels to me that Apple are devising more and more ways to squeeze as much money from us as they can. Is this right? Is this fair? No, defiantly not! But will we stop buying their mouth-wateringly cool products? Well, I’ll let you decide that one for yourself!
And as for a new phone, so far I’m thinking Sony Ericsson P1, but that keyboard and smaller screen is putting me right off… Come on guys, help me out here. What should I be getting?
8 Comments (+0 in the moderation queue).
#1 On January 16th, 2008 at 6:09 am Paul Lloyd said...
I’ve just watched the Stevenote, and when he announed the $20 fee for the iPod Touch update I was shocked (cue entire apartment block hearing a massive ‘WHAT???’ yelp from me). But then you know what, you just paid for it, so your argument is flawed straight away. If people will pay for it, then they will continue charging these fees for such upgrades.
As to splashing your cash, I think if you don’t need to buy anything, you should have a look at this thing called ’savings’ - I hear it used to be all the rage…
#2 On January 16th, 2008 at 8:54 am Jon said...
Cheers Paul. It’s not really an argument mate, it’s a rant. I’m not trying to sway people into thinking my way - if that were then case then you’re right, I’m a hypocrite! But this was simply just me ranting on about something I’ve noticed.
As for splashing the cash on a new phone, let me put it this way then - Free on contract.
And savings? Yes, I’ve heard of that mate, thanks for the advice dad.
#3 On January 16th, 2008 at 1:45 pm Kris said...
All big companies such as apple, although they might advertise the fact that their philosophies are centred around innovation will always have profit maximisation as objective number 1 and if they can screw you out of money, then they will. Its a shame, but thats business!
The I-Phone in my opinion is a poor product in general without even considering all the network locks, I wouldn’t be able to get past that fact that a company so proud of innovating new products would release a device so technologically far behind alternatives that had already been on the market for a good 12 months. Its pretty i’ll give it that, but once that novelty wears off (as it always does with shiny new stuff) the lack of substance will become much more apparent. Maybe they will sort it out on the 2nd/3rd gen.
Perhaps have a look at the Samsung F700 smartphone mate. I’m not a big fan of Samsungs usually but this ones got some good reviews, has a 3mp Camera, 3G, HSDPA, Touchscreen and a neat little full qwerty keyboard that slides out from under the bottom.
Link
#4 On January 16th, 2008 at 3:17 pm Jon said...
Thanks Kris - This one is nice, and I really like the keyboard, but the lack of wifi and a decent interface makes it a bit of a none starter.
Hmm, looks like there’s no true alternative to the iPhone out there. Shame.
#5 On January 18th, 2008 at 4:22 pm vhxn said...
Yeah you have rightly pointed about money grabbers.
#6 On January 21st, 2008 at 2:13 pm IanG said...
“ok, except G3 (3G even), a decent camera, Bluetooth file exchange, Video calling, & GPS”
and no MMS either!
#7 On February 4th, 2008 at 2:58 pm Rob Mason said...
Nokia 3110 (http://shop.orange.co.uk/shop/orangerecommends/payasyougo?WT.mc_id=ConShoShMob_1283#phone1link) it’s a phone…for talking on…nothing fancy.
#8 On February 6th, 2008 at 5:54 pm Aaron Heath said...
I just bought a N95 8GB, which is sweet.
Mind you, it’s not as good as my BlackBerry 8800 for email and it’s not as good as the iPhone for the web.
There is no single great phone.
I must also say that I’m not terribly happy with Apple’s current strategy.