$149 Costco iPhone rumor, $5 iTunes movies, Gmail AV chat

[AppleInsider]

One report is suggesting that Apple will not only expand iPhone sales to Costco but cut pricing at the same time. In a more confirmed price drop, Apple is now touting $5 movie purchases as a regular feature. Also, Google has launched its own video chat feature and has started tracking the spread of the flu through searches.

iPhone seen reaching Costco for $149

In a more controversial claim, analyst group Global Equities Research founder Trip Chowdhry believes that Apple will bring iPhones to Costco for $149 in January.

The step would be aggressive for Apple, which dropped the starting price for an iPhone to $199 with the iPhone 3G and so would be cutting the price just half a year later.

What sources if any Chowdhry uses to support the claim haven't been revealed, casting some doubt on the authority of the report. However, his research note comes on the heels of AppleInsider's news that Orange France will run a promo lowering its price to 99 euros in a promo that will end in January.

Apple opens discount iTunes movie section

Catering to a segment of the population that often hunts for bargain movies, Apple has opened its Under $5 section on the iTunes Store.

As noted by Ars Technica, the page will contain a weekly selection of movies that have all been temporarily discounted to $5 or less. Most of these are currently older titles.

It's not known how permanent the feature may be or whether movies will be regularly rotated into and out of the page as with Apple's existing 99-cent rental promos.

Google launches Gmail video chat

Branching out into live video, Google has launched Gmail Video Chat -- its first user-accessible service of the kind.

The feature requires an installed app for Macs and Windows PCs but otherwise just uses the built-in Gmail web interface to start either a full video chat or a sound-only chat using the mail account holder's existing hardware.

Significantly, it uses the same H.264 framework as YouTube and is built with ordinary Internet streaming protocols that aren't forced to run in Google's interface. This opens the door to third-party apps, according to Google.



Google sending flu tracking info to the CDC

Lastly, in an example of Google extending its reach further still, the company today said it's now publicly tracking flu info based on its search engine results.

Those running searches on flu-related keywords are passively contributing to a pool of live information that the search giant believes will help track the spread of the actual influenza virus much more quickly than conventional reports, as many search for virus information and remedies as they themselves become sick.

That information, which has been collected since 2003, also won't be purely academic. Google has supplied that information to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is being matched against actual testing that has so far proven to correlate well with Google's online results. In the future, the data may be used to predict the spread of the flu on its own.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[SpamSandwich]

This would be a smart move on AAPL's part. Continue to drive down the price and drive traffic to the App Store and iTunes... those are the real future of their company.

Also, I couldn't believe what I was hearing recently... NPR had a tech segment and they were totally selling the iPhone and the App Store. Wow.

[k2director]

Dearest Apple,
Please do whatever you have to do to introduce a 48 hour rental period to movies, instead of the current 24 hours. 24 hours is just too short--sometimes I need to split a movie over two nights, and that's just not possible with your current model. The end result: I don't rent many movies from you, but if you could stretch the period to 48 hours, it would probably triple the amount of rental business you get from me. I bet other busy people are in the same boat...

[anantksundaram]

I wonder if this will replicate my experience with Gmail v. Mac mail.

If the Google video chat app works well on the Mac, it's 'bye bye' to iChat which is, by far, one of the most user-unfriendly (because it's port-unfriendly) and frustrating of Apple's software offerings.

[Obi-Wan Kubrick]

No Power PC support for gmail chat.

[Strawberry]

Originally Posted by anantksundaram

I wonder if this will replicate my experience with Gmail v. Mac mail.

If the Google video chat app works well on the Mac, it's 'bye bye' to iChat which is, by far, one of the most user-unfriendly (because it's port-unfriendly) and frustrating of Apple's software offerings.

I use Adium for messaging. If/when it gets video it will be perfect. Although with most of my friends on Facebook these days I just keep a tab open in Safari to chat to them.

[maclvr03]

Originally Posted by Strawberry

I use Adium for messaging. If/when it gets video it will be perfect. Although with most of my friends on Facebook these days I just keep a tab open in Safari to chat to them.

I agree, I love Adium just wish it had video capabilities.

Without using the link in the article for $5 movies, how do you find it in the iTunes store?

[SpamSandwich]

Originally Posted by Strawberry

I use Adium for messaging. If/when it gets video it will be perfect. Although with most of my friends on Facebook these days I just keep a tab open in Safari to chat to them.

Yahoo! Messenger works fairly well with video on PPC Macs.

[applestockholder]

Originally Posted by k2director

Dearest Apple,
Please do whatever you have to do to introduce a 48 hour rental period to movies, instead of the current 24 hours. 24 hours is just too short--sometimes I need to split a movie over two nights, and that's just not possible with your current model. The end result: I don't rent many movies from you, but if you could stretch the period to 48 hours, it would probably triple the amount of rental business you get from me. I bet other busy people are in the same boat...

I believe if you pause the movie and continue it even several days later, that works. The 24 hour thing is for stopping and restarting!?
I have read this, but not tried myself, so proceed with caution

[quinney]

Originally Posted by SpamSandwich

Also, I couldn't believe what I was hearing recently... NPR had a tech segment and they were totally selling the iPhone and the App Store. Wow.

Oh boy! That should boost sales about .000003%

[inkswamp]

The cost of the iPhone as it now stands doesn't seem as big an issue to me as the cost of the AT&T plan for using it. Seriously, $70 a month for a barebones plan, limited minutes and no text. Apple needs to get AT&T to push the cost down a little. That's like buying a whole new iPhone every 3 months.

[frdmfghtr]

Originally Posted by maclvr03

I agree, I love Adium just wish it had video capabilities.

Without using the link in the article for $5 movies, how do you find it in the iTunes store?

Very good question...I found it by going into the movie section and seeing T2 on the top of the screen. That link will take you to the $5 "bargain bin." It's not exactly obvious that this goes to the entire $5 listing, but it works.

It is my humble belief that ALL digital download movies should be $5. I've found that many of the movies I want can be found on Amazon.com for LESS than the digital download, and once they arrive, my friend Handbrake encodes them for my Apple TV, in better quality (5.1 surround sound) than the download. I end up with the digital copy PLUS the physical media for less than the movie alone from iTMS.

[bsenka]

Costco in Canada has had the iPhone 3G since day one of its release. Same price as everywhere else though.

[julesburt]

Originally Posted by applestockholder

I believe if you pause the movie and continue it even several days later, that works. The 24 hour thing is for stopping and restarting!?
I have read this, but not tried myself, so proceed with caution

Strange - up here in Canada movie rentals are already 28hrs...

However I know for a fact you can't indefinitely pause - after some grace period? (movie length?) it tells you it's been removed...we tested it!

Is it really 24hrs where you are??

[hittrj01]

Originally Posted by inkswamp

The cost of the iPhone as it now stands doesn't seem as big an issue to me as the cost of the AT&T plan for using it. Seriously, $70 a month for a barebones plan, limited minutes and no text. Apple needs to get AT&T to push the cost down a little. That's like buying a whole new iPhone every 3 months.

This argument gets on my nerves. The iPhone costs no more than any other phone in it's class. Get a Blackberry, a Palm, an N96, or any other smartphone, and you'll be paying 30 dollars a month on top of any voice plan you have. The price of the plan is irrelevant, because any alternative is going to cost you the same. People only ever get upset about that data charge with the iPhone, as I have never once heard anybody complain a Blackberry plan costs the same when they don't even do nearly as much.

[dualie]

Originally Posted by inkswamp

The cost of the iPhone as it now stands doesn't seem as big an issue to me as the cost of the AT&T plan for using it. Seriously, $70 a month for a barebones plan, limited minutes and no text. Apple needs to get AT&T to push the cost down a little. That's like buying a whole new iPhone every 3 months.

Totally agree. $199 for a phone is just fine, but that monthly service fee is WAY WAY WAY over the top for me. This is simply no way I can justify that even though I can afford it.

I'll stick with my $60/month Sprint unlimited data EVDO plan for my MBP and a Slingbox. I can stream whatever I need and make phone calls, all for MUCH less than those ridiculous AT&T rates. I will NEVER use their service as long they continue to be the highest priced carrier available for no good reason.

[Dunks]

Originally Posted by k2director

Dearest Apple,
...
The end result: I don't rent many movies from you, but if you could stretch the period to 48 hours, it would probably triple the amount of rental business you get from me. I bet other busy people are in the same boat...

triple nothing is still nothing right

if so count me in!

[johnmcboston]

I'm confused... WHo cares if Costco carries the iphone if you're still stuck with AT&T anyways???

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by johnmcboston

I'm confused... WHo cares if Costco carries the iphone if you're still stuck with AT&T anyways???

Even if you don't, apparently, a lot of others do: http://blogs.computerworld.com/the_iphone_eyes_ubiquity

[rtdunham]

Originally Posted by frdmfghtr

Very good question...I found it by going into the movie section and seeing T2 on the top of the screen. That link will take you to the $5 "bargain bin." It's not exactly obvious that this goes to the entire $5 listing, but it works.

i had to use the link, too, couldn't find it on the iTMS.

Once i went to it via the link in the story, i found that only about half the "under $5 movies" lacked both prices and "buy movie" buttons.

If you navigate to the movie itself there's the 4.99 price. But including "buy movie" buttons for only half of them isn't page implementation up to apple's standards. Or anyone's. I hope they get that fixed. It creates the impression of a web page designed by middle schoolers--or of the quality i was doing years ago. That's not good enough!

[Rot'nApple]

Originally Posted by hittrj01

This argument gets on my nerves. The iPhone costs no more than any other phone in it's class. Get a Blackberry, a Palm, an N96, or any other smartphone, and you'll be paying 30 dollars a month on top of any voice plan you have. The price of the plan is irrelevant, because any alternative is going to cost you the same. People only ever get upset about that data charge with the iPhone, as I have never once heard anybody complain a Blackberry plan costs the same when they don't even do nearly as much.

Yeah, but Apple and AT&T should offer an iPhone-lite plan where somebody who wants the iPhone for the iPhone itself but could care less about Internet and E-Mail and APP store and doesn't want to pay the 30 bucks on top of the Voice Plan can't because such an offering isn't available.

I know, people would say why buy the phone if you are only going to "disable" it by not using the web and e-mail and app store???

Well, it is called the iPHONE some might want it for the phone and only the phone and get to enjoy it's touch screen goodness and common sense menus and elegant UI...

This economy is far from rebounding, trust me. Why would I want to give up my low cost, just a phone, T-Mo for an iPhone that can't be used with an AT&T rate of just a phone? Not going to increase my cellular monthly costs just so I can say I the internet in my pocket. Sorry, not until things pick up.

[Carniphage]

Originally Posted by anantksundaram

If the Google video chat app works well on the Mac, it's 'bye bye' to iChat which is, by far, one of the most user-unfriendly (because it's port-unfriendly) and frustrating of Apple's software offerings.

Agreed.

If people are having trouble with iChat. They can find help here...

http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/page3.html#_ports

C.

Skype video chat seems to be very reliable and will work PC <-> Mac

[SpamSandwich]

Originally Posted by quinney

Oh boy! That should boost sales about .000003%

Not so, NPR listeners are generally well off and tech savvy. I'd say they are a big part of the Apple demographic.

[SpamSandwich]

Originally Posted by Rot'nApple

Yeah, but Apple and AT&T should offer an iPhone-lite plan where somebody who wants the iPhone for the iPhone itself but could care less about Internet and E-Mail and APP store and doesn't want to pay the 30 bucks on top of the Voice Plan can't because such an offering isn't available.

I know, people would say why buy the phone if you are only going to "disable" it by not using the web and e-mail and app store???

Well, it is called the iPHONE some might want it for the phone and only the phone and get to enjoy it's touch screen goodness and common sense menus and elegant UI...

This economy is far from rebounding, trust me. Why would I want to give up my low cost, just a phone, T-Mo for an iPhone that can't be used with an AT&T rate of just a phone? Not going to increase my cellular monthly costs just so I can say I the internet in my pocket. Sorry, not until things pick up.

Get a thick, clunky G1 Google phone instead.

[whimvestor]

Originally Posted by hittrj01

...I have never once heard anybody complain a Blackberry plan costs the same when they don't even do nearly as much.

I think a main difference is that companies typically pick up the tab for Blackberries, whereas the iPhone is (currently) predominantly a consumer device.

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by Carniphage

Agreed.

If people are having trouble with iChat. They can find help here...

http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/page3.html#_ports

This is great, thanks. It will come in very handy.

However, this is the type of 'inside-baseball' detail that most lay users would rather simply avoid.........

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by SpamSandwich

Get a thick, clunky G1 Google phone instead.

Way to be snobby, thanks!

[admactanium]

Originally Posted by Strawberry

I use Adium for messaging. If/when it gets video it will be perfect. Although with most of my friends on Facebook these days I just keep a tab open in Safari to chat to them.

Why don't you just add your Facebook account to Adium. You know it does that now right?