Apple slashes 8GB iPhone price to $399, 4GB model to fade

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Apple said Wednesday that it is on track to sell its one millionth iPhone before the end of September, and to make iPhone affordable for even more customers this holiday season, it is lowering the price of the most popular iPhone model with 8GB of storage from $599 to just $399.



"The surveys are in and iPhone customer satisfaction scores are higher than we've ever seen for any Apple product," said Apple chief executive Steve Jobs. "We've clearly got a breakthrough product and we want to make it affordable for even more customers as we enter this holiday season."



The 8GB iPhone is available immediately for $399 in the US through Apple's retail and online stores and AT&T retail stores.



The iPhone 4GB model will be sold while supplies last for $299, Apple said.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 408
    What do they mean that the 4GB is going to be sold while supplies last? Is that cheaper than $399? Who is going to buy a 4GB for $499 when they can get a 8GB for $399?
  • Reply 2 of 408
    It will be interesting to see the reaction to such a substantial drop in price shortly after the intro - good news for the next 1m buyers of the device - hopefully, this means they're clearing their inventory and introducing a 3g model
  • Reply 3 of 408
    Who is extremely pissed off to find out that he overpaid for the 8GB iPhone by $200 only 2 months after it was released?



    That would be me! I want a f*ckin' $200 refund! Punish the early adopters. Gotta love that!



    Did they have to do this to maintain interest because they haven't released ANY of the feature enhancements that were expected within a few weeks of launch? I'm a f*ckin' sucker!
  • Reply 4 of 408
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    cwh812, I'm sure they'll work something out. They aren't that stupid.



    I just feel sorry for those who bought an iPhone within the past two weeks or so.



    Those who bought them more recently might be able to return them, but I'm not sure.



    This will blast open the market for sure though,



    Two of the most desired features are now available for the iPhone: Buying songs, and a much lower price.



    Manufacturers who planned on competing with a $599 product now have to deal with one that's only 60% of that cost.



    I guarantee a lot of R&D has been wasted over the past 9 months.
  • Reply 5 of 408
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by macbear01 View Post


    Who is extremely pissed off to find out that he overpaid for the 8GB iPhone by $200 only 2 months after it was released?



    That would be me! I want a f*ckin' $200 refund! Punish the early adopters. Gotta love that!



    Did they have to do this to maintain interest because they haven't released ANY of the feature enhancements that were expected within a few weeks of launch? I'm a f*ckin' sucker!



    You're not a sucker, but you are a whiner.



    They just introduced the iTunes store to the iPhone. That's a feature many wanted.



    That doesn't count as a feature update?
  • Reply 6 of 408
    I, for one, plan on returning the one I bought 2 weeks ago.



    Price Drops happen, but not 40% after only 2 and a half months. Look at Sony and the PS3's. Their sales were not what they wanted, but they didn't smack their fan base in the face by have an almost immediate $200 price drop.



    Not cool Apple.
  • Reply 7 of 408
    akacakac Posts: 512member
    I disgree. Its normal business to do price-correction and market correction. I don't think they had a price issue, but simply wanted to push things more heavily.
  • Reply 8 of 408
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post


    cwh812, I'm sure they'll work something out. They aren't that stupid.



    I just feel sorry for those who bought an iPhone within the past two weeks or so.



    Those who bought them more recently might be able to return them, but I'm not sure.



    This will blast open the market for sure though,



    Two of the most desired features are now available for the iPhone: Buying songs, and a much lower price.



    Manufacturers who planned on competing with a $599 product now have to deal with one that's only 60% of that cost.



    I guarantee a lot of R&D has been wasted over the past 9 months.



    I don't feel sorry. I've made numerous purchases late in the product cycle, only to have it rapidly obsoleted. The product cycle for cell phones is much shorter than in other markets.
  • Reply 9 of 408
    dentondenton Posts: 725member
    Anyone else surprised that Apple didn't also release a 16GB iPhone (since they did for the iPod touch)? Awesome price-drop, though; and still not subsidised. It will be very hard for other manufacturers to compete.



    Now, if only they'll release the thing to Canada!
  • Reply 10 of 408
    Apple needs to give its early iPhone customers (8 gigs for $599) some kind of financial credit for their early support.



    Dropping the price by $200 after only 2 months on the market makes the early customers look like they were gouged, and leaves a bad taste in the mouth of people who were Apple's most enthusiastic supporters. Also, who's going to want to buy future high-priced Apple products when they first hit the market, knowing that a move like this will happen?



    If the iPhone is selling so well, then Apple can surely afford to reward the Apple faithful.
  • Reply 11 of 408
    gqbgqb Posts: 1,934member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by macbear01 View Post


    Who is extremely pissed off to find out that he overpaid for the 8GB iPhone by $200 only 2 months after it was released?



    That would be me! I want a f*ckin' $200 refund! Punish the early adopters. Gotta love that!



    Did they have to do this to maintain interest because they haven't released ANY of the feature enhancements that were expected within a few weeks of launch? I'm a f*ckin' sucker!





    No, you got exactly what you paid for. A fine device (apparently exceptionally fine for a v1.0 product), and 2 months of "ain't I cool" bragging rights.



    The real question is, why are you suprised?
  • Reply 12 of 408
    What will be most interesting will be who hacks the Touch first to get Skype to run on it over Wi-Fi and retrofit a wireless phone earpiece.
  • Reply 13 of 408
    mjtomlinmjtomlin Posts: 2,673member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by macbear01 View Post


    Who is extremely pissed off to find out that he overpaid for the 8GB iPhone by $200 only 2 months after it was released?





    Wait a second! You "overpaid" for your iPhone? So you're saying you knew it wasn't a good deal when you bought it? I wouldn't call you a "sucker." ... Moron, idiot, loser; these words are more applicable.
  • Reply 14 of 408
    dentondenton Posts: 725member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by cwh812 View Post


    I, for one, plan on returning the one I bought 2 weeks ago.



    Price Drops happen, but not 40% after only 2 and a half months. Look at Sony and the PS3's. Their sales were not what they wanted, but they didn't smack their fan base in the face by have an almost immediate $200 price drop.



    Not cool Apple.



    The problem is that iPhone sales are just what Apple wanted. They are probably dropping the price because they sold so well in their first two+ months: now Apple can take advantage of built economy of scale. The higher prices were to cover their asses if they only sold 200K in the first two months.
  • Reply 15 of 408
    I am a recent Mac convert, and have a household with four iPods and an iPhone. I will never, EVER, buy another 1.0 product from Apple. To have my phone depreciate by $50 a week is ridiculous. F-you Apple.
  • Reply 16 of 408
    You always pay more to be first on the block.

    If only they could have a different color so that I could still

    say I was cool and got mine early.



    Now "everyone" will have one.



    16 gig $599 release before Thanksgiving???



    I should have sold my 30 and 80 gig videos last week though.
  • Reply 17 of 408
    dentondenton Posts: 725member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by k2director View Post


    Apple needs to give its early iPhone customers (8 gigs for $599) some kind of financial credit for their early support.



    Dropping the price by $200 after only 2 months on the market makes the early customers look like they were gouged, and leaves a bad taste in the mouth of people who were Apple's most enthusiastic supporters. Also, who's going to want to buy future high-priced Apple products when they first hit the market, knowing that a move like this will happen?



    If the iPhone is selling so well, then Apple can surely afford to reward the Apple faithful.



    early adopters had the pleasure of using the device in the first two+ months. Isn't all of your salivating co-workers and friends worth the $200 price-tag?
  • Reply 18 of 408
    octaneoctane Posts: 157member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by macbear01 View Post


    Who is extremely pissed off to find out that he overpaid for the 8GB iPhone by $200 only 2 months after it was released?



    That would be me! I want a f*ckin' $200 refund! Punish the early adopters. Gotta love that!



    Did they have to do this to maintain interest because they haven't released ANY of the feature enhancements that were expected within a few weeks of launch? I'm a f*ckin' sucker!



    *raises hand* I'm extremely unhappy at this, infact saying I'm so flaming pissed-off I could shoot someone would be like calling the atlantic ocean a pond.



    Two f**king months, Apple. TWO WTF are you thinking?!?! I'm usually one of those people who doesn't question what Apple does because it usually works out, but this is one where I'm on the other side. This hurts, Apple. Call me a whiner, but you basically said, "thanks everyone who bought an iPhone! We're glad you're our customers and helped us get out of the gates with record number! Now f*ck you! We're devaluing your purchase 65% in one hour! Bizzatch, that's what you get for being an early adopter!"



    Lesson learned Apple, thanks for being a great teacher.



    /rant off
  • Reply 19 of 408
    leptonlepton Posts: 111member
    I'm a first day buyer, and I'm a little freaked, but you know what, I'll get over it. A $100 drop would not have surprised me, a $200 drop so soon definitely did. I wouldn't mind getting a year of .mac or a bunch of free ringtones to make up for it, heh! But listen, you know what is going to happen? In early Jan we will see a $500, 16GB 3G iPhone on sale worldwide, and resale value on my old phone just went way, way down. But I'm getting that 3G phone!



    You know, I WANT Apple to kick ass. The current product lineup is stellar, absolutely stellar. Where did they even stick the batteries in those new pods? And they are pretty much the only ones out there that are on the right track, both with product design and with the way they sell content. They deserve rewards. Go get 'em Apple!
  • Reply 20 of 408
    octaneoctane Posts: 157member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Denton View Post


    early adopters had the pleasure of using the device in the first two+ months. Isn't all of your salivating co-workers and friends worth the $200 price-tag?



    Not for TWO months. Maybe 10 months, 1 year, 2 years, hell something substantial!



    If you cound't tell, I'm REALLY pissed about this.



    I can honestly say I've never bought ANYTHING that was devalued this much this fast in 25 years.
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