I have a feeling this is going to happen in America by 2015. With rumors of Verizon not meeting their sales quota on the iPhone (and I have a feeling Sprint isn't either), I think they won't have much of a choice but to take a stance against Apple.
Apple really needs to start offering more variety with their iPhone lineup. I really hope those rumored, ugly colored, budget iPhone pics are fake. They don't need to make a budget iPhone. They need to make a small, medium, and large iPhone for people who feel like size matters. Then, we can take those new iPhones and make them whatever color we want with a case/bumper.
Can you imagine if the only Mac you could pick from was the Mac Pro 2012, 2010, and 2009 models? Or the 15" MacBook Pro 2012, 2011, and 2010 models - NO 13" option, NO MacBook Air models. That is essential what are options are with the iPhone right now - models 2012, 2011, and 2010.
I doubt it'll happen here. If anything, maybe the carriers will go the TMobile route.
As for multiple current models? Maybe the flagship and 5" "plus" model and low cost, off contract model but older models still sell. What's the point in designing a new phone and putting last years parts in it. Apple would have to differentiate it from the current flagship.
The telecoms have only screwed themselves. So screw 'em. Who cares?
Sounds more like they saved themselves. It's a simple business decision to cut out a product line that lowers margins, especially if it takes them negative.
A unique competitive advantage to sell a product that loses you money is not much of an advantage.
Who says they are losing money?
Quote:
Originally Posted by wakefinance
Sounds more like they saved themselves. It's a simple business decision to cut out a product line that lowers margins, especially if it takes them negative.
Losing the customers they are pissing off will undoubtedly take them into the negative.
Losing the customers they are pissing off will undoubtedly take them into the negative.
Where are those customers going to go? The top three carriers are no longer selling the iPhone, so it's not like people can jump ship from one to the other. Had only one of them done this it would be a different story.
The Russian excuses have nothing to do with the decisions being made to drop Apple contracts. The decisions likely were made for the carriers by the government. The issue provoking the decisions has to do with security and financial issues, not marketing costs.
NSA could explain their culpability but likely won't. Russia has agreed to exchange currency with China directly, without exchanging their funds into dollars first. China also has such an agreement with South Korea. Russians can probably get Samsung cellphones for a third the cost of iPhones, maybe even less.
Whether we like it or not, the iPhone has become an instrument of war. Any nation worthy of defense must establish their own operating system as a defensive measure first and as a internal security measure second.
Should the dollar fail, we won't be worried about iPhones anymore.
A new law allows Voice of America to be broadcast within the U.S. now. That's a propaghanda mechanism, mind you.
Sounds more like they saved themselves. It's a simple business decision to cut out a product line that lowers margins, especially if it takes them negative.
I just sounds like they run their businesses poorly to begin with if they are running a negative when the consumer is paying back the subsidy via monthly payments. On the other hand, if the phone manufacturers follow this they will only have Samsung left to sell because all of the others should stop selling smart phones because they are losing money hand over fist.
I suspect this has more to do with Huawei than Samsung, as Samsung has higher costs than Apple, relations are warming between China & Russia, Huwai is partially owned by the Chinese government, so I'm sure Huawei offered a killer deal on helping build out Russia's networking infrastructure with it's products, and it's phones, which are pretty decent Android phones, at least the flagship devices are.
The areas in Asia seem to attacking iPhone most. Russians, Koreans, Chinese (not sure of but assume). Are there other Asian nations like Japan and middle eastern included?
Every time I travel to Russia, my friends and relatives there ask me to bring them iPhone.
They can only buy one for $1k there while the unlocked iPhone is only $700 including tax in my local Apple store.
This.
The problems with Russia Carrier dropping them has absolutely nothing to do with iPhone demands. They are simply far too expensive compared to black market ones.
I can understand them baulking at the advertising component. However, as a retailer they have full control over the price to the consumer. There is nothing stopping them from adjusting the plan, the upfront fee or the monthly repayment on the handset such that every sale would result in a profit.
All Apple needs to do play them off against each other:"OK there are now three tiers; the first carrier to sign gets the best deal, the second gets a slightly worse deal and the third gets the worst deal of the lot. How long can you afford to hold out while all your customers go to your competitors?"
And therefore making the Russian mafia and criminals extremely happy to charge a high cost premium for black-market iPhone's and increasing iPhone thefts from those who have 'em.
Can you imagine if the only Mac you could pick from was the Mac Pro 2012, 2010, and 2009 models? Or the 15" MacBook Pro 2012, 2011, and 2010 models - NO 13" option, NO MacBook Air models.
You mean, "can I imagine something that isn't true?" Why? I worry about real things.
Comments
I doubt it'll happen here. If anything, maybe the carriers will go the TMobile route.
As for multiple current models? Maybe the flagship and 5" "plus" model and low cost, off contract model but older models still sell. What's the point in designing a new phone and putting last years parts in it. Apple would have to differentiate it from the current flagship.
Sounds more like they saved themselves. It's a simple business decision to cut out a product line that lowers margins, especially if it takes them negative.
Illegally imported? It was against Russian law to import a first gen iPhone? Wow, that is interesting, can you provide a link for this?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crowley
A unique competitive advantage to sell a product that loses you money is not much of an advantage.
Who says they are losing money?
Quote:
Originally Posted by wakefinance
Sounds more like they saved themselves. It's a simple business decision to cut out a product line that lowers margins, especially if it takes them negative.
Losing the customers they are pissing off will undoubtedly take them into the negative.
Some sales just aren't worth it.
Sweet. I know who I'll be selling my iPhone to when it's time to upgrade in the fall.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeJones
Losing the customers they are pissing off will undoubtedly take them into the negative.
Where are those customers going to go? The top three carriers are no longer selling the iPhone, so it's not like people can jump ship from one to the other. Had only one of them done this it would be a different story.
NSA could explain their culpability but likely won't. Russia has agreed to exchange currency with China directly, without exchanging their funds into dollars first. China also has such an agreement with South Korea. Russians can probably get Samsung cellphones for a third the cost of iPhones, maybe even less.
Whether we like it or not, the iPhone has become an instrument of war. Any nation worthy of defense must establish their own operating system as a defensive measure first and as a internal security measure second.
Should the dollar fail, we won't be worried about iPhones anymore.
A new law allows Voice of America to be broadcast within the U.S. now. That's a propaghanda mechanism, mind you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wakefinance
Sounds more like they saved themselves. It's a simple business decision to cut out a product line that lowers margins, especially if it takes them negative.
I just sounds like they run their businesses poorly to begin with if they are running a negative when the consumer is paying back the subsidy via monthly payments. On the other hand, if the phone manufacturers follow this they will only have Samsung left to sell because all of the others should stop selling smart phones because they are losing money hand over fist.
I suspect this has more to do with Huawei than Samsung, as Samsung has higher costs than Apple, relations are warming between China & Russia, Huwai is partially owned by the Chinese government, so I'm sure Huawei offered a killer deal on helping build out Russia's networking infrastructure with it's products, and it's phones, which are pretty decent Android phones, at least the flagship devices are.
Oh, it's entirely possible I'm misremembering. Perhaps it was something else about the process that was illegal...
Here's an article about it, but it doesn't clarify whether it was the importing or the fact that they were unlocking the iPhones that was illegal...
Mea culpa in advance, if necessary.
Ditto for China and India if they run into the same issues
This.
The problems with Russia Carrier dropping them has absolutely nothing to do with iPhone demands. They are simply far too expensive compared to black market ones.
I can understand them baulking at the advertising component. However, as a retailer they have full control over the price to the consumer. There is nothing stopping them from adjusting the plan, the upfront fee or the monthly repayment on the handset such that every sale would result in a profit.
All Apple needs to do play them off against each other:"OK there are now three tiers; the first carrier to sign gets the best deal, the second gets a slightly worse deal and the third gets the worst deal of the lot. How long can you afford to hold out while all your customers go to your competitors?"
And therefore making the Russian mafia and criminals extremely happy to charge a high cost premium for black-market iPhone's and increasing iPhone thefts from those who have 'em.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrENGLISH(TM)
Can you imagine if the only Mac you could pick from was the Mac Pro 2012, 2010, and 2009 models? Or the 15" MacBook Pro 2012, 2011, and 2010 models - NO 13" option, NO MacBook Air models.
You mean, "can I imagine something that isn't true?" Why? I worry about real things.