Apple offers $20 software upgrade for iPod touch

1234579

Comments

  • Reply 121 of 173
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr. H View Post


    Really?



    Why did you buy an iPod touch?



    That's a moot point. It doesn't matter why I bought one. It was an impulse buy. I liked the way it looked. I didn't want AT&T's shiteous network, but I wanted a device similar to iPhone. I never heard Steve say that he was going to charge for updates that other users will get for free. I hadn't known at the time that the iPod line was going to become slave to the iPhone. The list goes on and on and on. Stop changing the subject at hand. Apple is gouging its loyal customers and the fact of the matter is, it's bullshit.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by halfyearsun View Post


    a good reason, but not the only reason.

    "...only the iPhone and Apple TV are currently using Apple's "subscription revenue" accounting model."



    if what people are saying about sec regulations are true, then that would be why products that fall under the subscription revenue model can have updates without fees and others (like the ipod) need to have charges attached to them.



    i haven't heard anybody argue yet that the regulations requiring apple to charge for this upgrade under its accounting model do not apply, if you can do it, you'd be the first.



    http://www.macrumors.com/2008/01/16/...-untold-story/



    I see your point, but for some reason I don't buy it. This would be the first time something like this has happened. It's not like this is a new OS or anything. Agreeing that the reasons in your post are the reasons for the fee, then it didn't have to be $20. It could have been minimal. I feel like I'm being gouged. Like Apple is going Microsoft on me. I don't like it. At all.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 122 of 173
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,453member
    It's pretty simple. No analogies needed.





    "if" you think the features are worth it pony up the $20 if not then save your money. Asking that Apple provide new functionality never promised is asking for handouts. Apple is a corporation not welfare.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 123 of 173
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by haveyoumetmark View Post


    That's a moot point.



    It's not a moot point at all. I'm trying to get you to acknowledge that if the iPod touch didn't fulfill your needs when you bought it, you shouldn't have bought it.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by haveyoumetmark View Post


    I never heard Steve say that he was going to charge for updates that other users will get for free.



    Those "other users" are:



    1.) iPhone users who are paying a rather high monthly fee to AT&T, a share of which Apple receives.



    2.) New iPod touch purchasers who have not had the benefit of owning the iPod touch for however long you've owned one for.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by haveyoumetmark View Post


    I hadn't known at the time that the iPod line was going to become slave to the iPhone. The list goes on and on and on. Stop changing the subject at hand. Apple is gouging its loyal customers and the fact of the matter is, it's bullshit.



    I'm not changing the subject. You are the one avoiding the central points:



    1.) If it's not worth $20 to you, don't buy it. In this case there is no "gouging"; if you think it's "gouging", don't buy! You don't have to be a sheep that blindly purchases upgrades just because they exist rather than because you actually need them. If you really need them that badly $20 isn't that much; it also begs the repitition of the point that if you really need them, why did you buy the iPod touch when it didn't have them?

    2.) You have no right to expect additional functionality for free.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 124 of 173
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by haveyoumetmark View Post


    That's a moot point. It doesn't matter why I bought one. It was an impulse buy. I liked the way it looked. I didn't want AT&T's shiteous network, but I wanted a device similar to iPhone. I never heard Steve say that he was going to charge for updates that other users will get for free. I hadn't known at the time that the iPod line was going to become slave to the iPhone. The list goes on and on and on. Stop changing the subject at hand. Apple is gouging its loyal customers and the fact of the matter is, it's bullshit.







    I see your point, but for some reason I don't buy it. This would be the first time something like this has happened. It's not like this is a new OS or anything. Agreeing that the reasons in your post are the reasons for the fee, then it didn't have to be $20. It could have been minimal. I feel like I'm being gouged. Like Apple is going Microsoft on me. I don't like it. At all.



    According to what I've been reading, it actually happened before with the 802.11n upgrade. I almost agree with charging a more minimal fee, but I have heard it said that the regulations might require more than a token fee, in which case, $4 per app is fairly competitive with the rate of apps for other devices, as far as i can tell.



    And really, I was honestly disappointed that they're charging for the apps too. I think apple should do more to explain why. But I don't think I could go so far as to claim such extremes as gouging and screwing over their loyal customers.



    And people do bring up the $100 iphone rebate. While it wasn't equivalent to the price drop, i've never even imagined any american company offering any kind of concessions for something that could easily say "that's the market, that's life" and walk away from. I was impressed by that, and I think people are taking that for granted...they made extra effort towards customer service, and people are turning it back around against them.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 125 of 173
    I was turned on the 21st of december 2007, to an iTouch owner and Apple-user. Guess I should have waited oh...say 4 more weeks before buying my player and I would have gotten the extra things for free... this is quite simply rude to charge for the update. Why do I have to pay $419 for a player that today in the store cost $399 to have the same functionality? Because I was stupid and bought the player 4 weeks to early? I guess thats the Apple way.... I though for some reason this would be different...
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 126 of 173
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by KrisitanH View Post


    I was turned on the 21st of december 2007, to an iTouch owner and Apple-user. Guess I should have waited oh...say 4 more weeks before buying my player and I would have gotten the extra things for free... this is quite simply rude to charge for the update. Why do I have to pay $419 for a player that today in the store cost $399 to have the same functionality? Because I was stupid and bought the player 4 weeks to early? I guess thats the Apple way.... I though for some reason this would be different...



    http://forums.appleinsider.com/showp...&postcount=124
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 127 of 173
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by halfyearsun View Post


    More than preposterous and asinine, it's basic economics. You put a price on something, if it's worth it, people buy it. If not they don't.



    It's not so easy with technology. With something like a computer or an iphone or ipod touch, it's a combination of software and software. And it's pretty much a given that the software will get updated in the future. Based on Apple's previous releases, people assumed that software updates would be free, and they bought because they thought that the touch was just about worth it AND that it would probably get even better with software improvements.



    That's exactly what happened with the iphone and aTV. I'm not sure why apple chose not to do that with the touch.



    Generally, with many tech companies, and in the past with Apple, you could feel OK buying a product that still was missing a few things or with a few bugs because you trusted the company to release (FREE!) updates to address those issues.



    Apple just pissed away that trust. In the future expect a LOT more people to wait until later versions of the product, to not buy a product from Apple until ALL outstanding issues have been fixed. Apple just sent a clear message of giving the finger to early adopters, and the result will be fewer early adopters.



    And that will be that new products from apple will take longer to catch on and sell well. As someone who owns apple stock, I'm pretty pissed at that bonehead move.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 128 of 173
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,453member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by KrisitanH View Post


    I was turned on the 21st of december 2007, to an iTouch owner and Apple-user. Guess I should have waited oh...say 4 more weeks before buying my player and I would have gotten the extra things for free... this is quite simply rude to charge for the update. Why do I have to pay $419 for a player that today in the store cost $399 to have the same functionality? Because I was stupid and bought the player 4 weeks to early? I guess thats the Apple way.... I though for some reason this would be different...



    What's the cost/value of you enjoying your Touch for 4 weeks? The people buying today get the extra value by happenstance. I don't know why people would think that there's no benefit to owning a product for some time. You bought your touch...the featureset was good enough to make you purchase and now you're crying over spilled milk because progress ensured that the next version was slightly better? I can't imagine why you thought it would play out any other way.



    What about the people that bought the last generation iPods before the Touch and thought at the Touch's launch "damn I wish I would have waited a month"



    I don't think Apple should be giving away new apps for free. It devalues the applications and the work they put in. Quid Pro Quo...if you see the value ante up.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 129 of 173
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by minderbinder View Post




    That's exactly what happened with the iphone and aTV. I'm not sure why apple chose not to do that with the touch.



    Generally, with many tech companies, and in the past with Apple, you could feel OK buying a product that still was missing a few things or with a few bugs because you trusted the company to release (FREE!) updates to address those issues.



    Apple just pissed away that trust. In the future expect a LOT more people to wait until later versions of the product, to not buy a product from Apple until ALL outstanding issues have been fixed..



    Again, it's not exactly what happened with the iphone and atv. different. accounting. models.



    And, to nick the phrase from mr. h, "added functionality" is completely different from fixing bugs. you do get free software upgrades with the ipod touch. remember when people complained endlessly that they couldn't edit ical entries...software upgrades amended that. Adding applications...additional functionality...is completely different. it wasn't "missing" these applications. They were never there, and no one claimed they would be there.



    These are all points that have been brought up several times.



    To KrisitanH: I agree that your luck sucks, but it's something that's likely to happen, with any company...at least with apple you could have known "hey macworld is coming up in a month...maybe i should wait 4 weeks before i buy this in case they announce something better."
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 130 of 173
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by minderbinder View Post


    And that will be that new products from apple will take longer to catch on and sell well. As someone who owns apple stock, I'm pretty pissed at that bonehead move.



    P.S. if you own apple stock, why are you contributing to the complaining and the ill will toward a company that you are financially invested in? just because you own stock doesn't mean you speak from a position of authority...it means you're trying to sabotage your stock.



    People think anybody who defends apple is a fanatic or a cultist, but the fact is, many of us own stock and want the company to succeed, so we are bothered when people bitch about things they don't understand and unjustifiably complain because they don't get things for free.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 131 of 173
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by halfyearsun View Post


    Again, it's not exactly what happened with the iphone and atv. different. accounting. models.



    First, there's no reason apple can't use that accounting model for all products. Pretty much everything they ship is going to get updates at some point. And second, if there's a law that says they have to charge for new features, why not charge a token amount of $5? Or 99 cents? 20 bucks is just ridiculous, especially for a unit that hasn't been out that long.



    And they have added new features to the iPhone and the aTV.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by halfyearsun View Post


    P.S. if you own apple stock, why are you contributing to the complaining and the ill will toward a company that you are financially invested in? just because you own stock doesn't mean you speak from a position of authority...it means you're trying to sabotage your stock.



    People think anybody who defends apple is a fanatic or a cultist, but the fact is, many of us own stock and want the company to succeed, so we are bothered when people bitch about things they don't understand and unjustifiably complain because they don't get things for free.



    Complaining about an idiot move by apple isn't going to hurt the stock. ("sabotage"? )



    Idiot moves by apple are what hurts the stock.



    I'm complaining because apple f'd up here, and I want to see them make it right ASAP. I'm not going to ignore every time apple drops the ball just because I'm a stockholder.



    I often defend apple, and I don't believe that defending them makes someone a fanatic. But this isn't ignorant or unjustified complaining, this is a situation where it would have cost apple very little to make customers happy, and instead they are pissing customers off for something that's going to bring them very little money.



    Sorry, but I find their position in this particular situation indefensible and counterproductive to the company. And I'm not going to just look the other way and pretend that it's all OK.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 132 of 173
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hmurchison View Post


    What's the cost/value of you enjoying your Touch for 4 weeks?



    I bought the thing on my vacation, I came home monday this week, I hadn't had a chance to connect it until tuesday this week (the day before the update came.) So after using the thing for 1 day I can't help feeling ripped of, just alittle bit.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hmurchison View Post


    What about the people that bought the last generation iPods before the Touch and thought at the Touch's launch "damn I wish I would have waited a month"



    Maybe Im at fault here, but I cannot possibly see that this is the same thing? With different or new products I would expect differences. So if they could have called it iTouch "the sequel" or something like that maybe, to imply a different product all together it wouldn't have bothered me the least.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hmurchison View Post


    I don't think Apple should be giving away new apps for free. It devalues the applications and the work they put in.



    But they are doing just that, just not to everyone! And this is why its bothering me. If you have already bought the thing and actually with that purchase showed support to Apple then you have to pay more, on the other hand if you haven't yet done so you can get it for free cause the price certainly hasn't increased on the iTouch, in stores.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 133 of 173
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr. H View Post


    Really?



    Why did you buy an iPod touch?



    I bought a touch to play music, and surf the web. It still does that, but I also bought it with the (mistaken) understanding that like the iphone, it would get updates, particularly the "missing apps" that shipped for free on the iphone notes and calender input.



    Honestly speaking I couldn't wait for the apps and jail broke. I've been using all these apps for the last 3 months or so, and its been well worth it. I use notes and calendar everyday, for free.



    And they should be free, if we didn't want to use a calendar to input on an ipod we would have bought a classic ipod or a nano. The reason for the touch screen is to input data. That is why apple gives it to new touch users for free, its part of the package.





    Question: If iphone users got the apps free, new touch users get them free, and only the early adopters get charged, then why should people support apple products so quickly in the future?
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 134 of 173
    ajpriceajprice Posts: 320member
    Question: What happens when 1.1.4 is released, and you haven't 'bought' 1.1.3 and the apps?
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 135 of 173
    azpazp Posts: 1member
    Remember that keynote in which Apple laughed at Microsoft because they priced Vista in several ways depending on how many apps it included? Well, they are now doing something similar.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 136 of 173
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ajprice View Post


    Question: What happens when 1.1.4 is released, and you haven't 'bought' 1.1.3 and the apps?



    As previously mentioned, 1.1.3 is free and separate from the new apps-- as will be 1.1.4, and whatever additional apps may be up the road.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 137 of 173
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AZP View Post


    Remember that keynote in which Apple laughed at Microsoft because they priced Vista in several ways depending on how many apps it included? Well, they are now doing something similar.



    Good god amighty, what ever happened to making a good impression with your first post on a forum? It's just decent manners. You don't just come barging in and shout out the first goofy or irritable thing that comes to mind.



    And not to single you out, AZP, because there seems to be a great deal of this going on.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 138 of 173
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by addabox View Post


    As previously mentioned, 1.1.3 is free and separate from the new apps-- as will be 1.1.4, and whatever additional apps may be up the road.



    When I downloaded 1.1.3 (for free), I didn't get any of the new functionality of the firmware - no jiggle and rearrange, no web clips, etc. But it said it was 1.1.3, and the dock looked different. Then after I paid the $20, I got the new firmware features and the new apps.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 139 of 173
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by BRussell View Post


    When I downloaded 1.1.3 (for free), I didn't get any of the new functionality of the firmware - no jiggle and rearrange, no web clips, etc. But it said it was 1.1.3, and the dock looked different. Then after I paid the $20, I got the new firmware features and the new apps.



    I'm assuming 1.1.3 is bug fixes and some minor functionality. Like, for instance, did you happen to notice if the "two thumb" typing deal was enabled by 1.1.3 alone?



    At any rate, as per the earlier question, it seems pretty clear that you can update to 1.1.3 for free, and will be able to go to 1.1.4 from there, added functionality notwithstanding.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 140 of 173
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by minderbinder View Post


    First, there's no reason apple can't use that accounting model for all products. Pretty much everything they ship is going to get updates at some point. And second, if there's a law that says they have to charge for new features, why not charge a token amount of $5? Or 99 cents? 20 bucks is just ridiculous, especially for a unit that hasn't been out that long.



    And they have added new features to the iPhone and the aTV.



    Complaining about an idiot move by apple isn't going to hurt the stock. ("sabotage"? )



    .





    To make the statement that there's no reason apple can't use that particular accounting model for all products requires an extensive knowledge of apple's accounting, which you probably don't have (despite our presence on this board, i would venture to guess that we all have lives



    From what I can tell, using the deferred revenue model is not an ideal/favorable accounting method, unless you're going to release a significant number of updates, in which case it will stem customer dissatisfaction when you release updates every two months (which they will need to do to keep the iphone ahead of the pack and make the atv a viable product.) but this model lowers your reported earnings. While moving all products onto this model might be pleasantly convenient for us (customers who don't want to pay for an occasional update/improvement/new apps), it wouldn't be a successful business move



    As for the price, from what i can tell, they can't just charge a token amount because there is already a market value set on mobile apps (for palms and blackberrys and the like.) with the 802.11n upgrade, there was no such market value because it was a unique case, so they could set a $1.99 price tag. $5/app is likely a fair market value.



    basically, i would say that if you join in with the crowd of people who don't know the details of what they're talking about and just want to complain because they can't get stuff for free, that would be detrimental to apple's popularity, and thus, your stock. sabotage is a strong word, but not completely unapplicable.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
Sign In or Register to comment.