Apple offers One to One trial, QuickTIme and keyboard updates

Posted:
in Mac Software edited January 2014
Customers who purchase an iPhone from one of Apple's retail stores are being rewarded with a complimentary 30-day trial of the company's One to One personal training service. Separately, Apple has released minor QuickTime and Keyboard software updates.



Free One to One trial



Apple is now providing every retail store iPhone purchaser with a free 30-day version of its One to One in-store training service. Normally priced at $99 for a one-year subscription, the service offers subscribers a 50-minute training session each week, which they can reserve via the Concierge system.



Customers who purchase an iPhone from the company-owned stores will receive a 30-day One to One card that comes enclosed in a special folder bearing the headline, "The Apple Store, Included with every iPhone."



The One to One offer is also accompanied by a companion webpage that promotes all of the help available for the Apple handset: free in-store workshops, One to One training and the Genius Bar.



The cover of Apple's One to One trial folder | Source ifoAppleStore



QuickTIme and keyboard updates



Meanwhile, Apple on Tuesday afternoon released two small software updates for QuickTime and its new aluminum iMac keyboard.



Compatibility Update for QuickTime 7.2 [18.1MB] delivers increased compatibility with iLife, Apple said, while Keyboard Software Update 1.2 [35.3MB] lets users take advantage of their aluminum Apple Keyboard's special features.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 19
    Jeez. Sounds like the iPhone is more of a dud than I thought... dropping the price $200, this freebie... makes me wonder WTF is going on with Apple's product planning...
  • Reply 2 of 19
    I'm wondering how long it will take the early adopters to start whining that they didn't get 30 days of One to One service with their iPhone...
  • Reply 3 of 19
    I think you need to look forward not back. I said when Apple dropped the price $200 that there was a problem in sales. I got into a heated debate with Melgross over it.



    Nonetheless, the aggressive moves should help with sales. The one to one training is great. I've done that and it really has been great in my experience. It should show off Apple stores and help users get the most out of their phones.



    Apple really need to start sales outside the US. That should help. The price drop makes me wonder if there is a problem in finalizing contracts with carriers in Europe or if market studies have suggested that a non 3g phone will sell poorly.
  • Reply 4 of 19
    Old adage: "Buy the steak, not the sizzle."
  • Reply 5 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    Jeez. Sounds like the iPhone is more of a dud than I thought... dropping the price $200, this freebie... makes me wonder WTF is going on with Apple's product planning...



    Since when is 1 million units in 74 days considered a dud?



    It took the iPod almost two years to sell a million.
  • Reply 6 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solsun View Post


    Since when is 1 million units in 74 days considered a dud?



    When you're trying to get to 1% market-share in a mature market in a short period of time.



    Expectations are very high. OK isn't good enough.
  • Reply 7 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by backtomac View Post


    When you're trying to get to 1% market-share in a mature market in a short period of time.



    Expectations are very high. OK isn't good enough.



    WHAT?????



    Are you being silly or do you just want to sound silly?



    They did 1 million in 74 days, when they planned on 90 days with people saying they couldn't do it..... and you say that isn't enough?



    What was enough? 70 days? 60 days? 35 days?



    Most bashers said they wouldn't make the million in 90 days at that price.

    They want to lower the price, so they wait until they prove a million was in the bag, then they lower the price so that people can not ding them on the demand being less than hoped or that they HAD to lower the price.



    This is cool.

    It's great.

    They can exceed the million at full price what the bashers said they couldn't do.

    Then they cut the price and stick it right up Nokias..... (I won't go there)



    They did it, they hit a home run.

    Now they are pricing for Christmas.

    And AT$T has to LOVE this move, making their competitors shying away because the phone was to pricey... well they look pretty dumb now.

    You watch, with a weak dollar and these prices, Apple's going to blow out earnings.

    (And remember, iPhone earnings are spread out over 2 years)

    If you do the math, the iPhone earnings now will be high enough to make some impact on the share price.



    Stop crying like a bunch of babies.

    This is not just OK, it's called a blowout.
  • Reply 8 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wbrasington View Post


    WHAT?????



    Are you being silly or do you just want to sound silly?



    They did 1 million in 74 days, when they planned on 90 days with people saying they couldn't do it..... and you say that isn't enough?



    What was enough? 70 days? 60 days? 35 days?



    Most bashers said they wouldn't make the million in 90 days at that price.

    They want to lower the price, so they wait until they prove a million was in the bag, then they lower the price so that people can not ding them on the demand being less than hoped or that they HAD to lower the price.



    This is cool.

    It's great.

    They can exceed the million at full price what the bashers said they couldn't do.

    Then they cut the price and stick it right up Nokias..... (I won't go there)



    They did it, they hit a home run.

    Now they are pricing for Christmas.

    And AT$T has to LOVE this move, making their competitors shying away because the phone was to pricey... well they look pretty dumb now.

    You watch, with a weak dollar and these prices, Apple's going to blow out earnings.

    (And remember, iPhone earnings are spread out over 2 years)

    If you do the math, the iPhone earnings now will be high enough to make some impact on the share price.



    Stop crying like a bunch of babies.

    This is not just OK, it's called a blowout.



    Right.



    Time to remove head from sand and see this for what it is. A move to stimulate sales. Pure and simple. If sales where so 'hot', these moves could cause product shortages. I guessing they don't think this will be a problem.



    BTW no one is crying and whining. It called discussing.
  • Reply 9 of 19
    .. but you were still wrong, which you didn't admit. Apple sold iPhone faster than forecast, at a time when many thought the forecast was too aggressive. This doesn't mean they'll sell 10M in 2008, but it certainly makes that number look possible.



    I'm not sure the distinction about the price cut being a move to stimulate sales is meaningful. Of course a price cut will stimulate sales, that was never in doubt. That doesn't mean that they felt sales were lackluster, just that they felt the higher price had been milked for long enough and that people willing to pay that price were drying up.. so they lowered it to a price that would spur sales. Not necessarily because they were selling too few, but because, as long as there is adequate supply, you cannot sell too many.



    You're right that "OK" sales isn't good enough, but I think they're doing more than OK.



    BTW, just bought mine Thursday. Marvelous device. It has its quirks, but after using it, you wonder how you could use anything else. We are seeing the future. Some day all mobile devices will function something like this. As to whether Apple is a significant player in that market of the future... I can only say that my stock holdings and I hope so
  • Reply 10 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by reidconti View Post


    .. but you were still wrong, which you didn't admit. Apple sold iPhone faster than forecast, at a time when many thought the forecast was too aggressive. This doesn't mean they'll sell 10M in 2008, but it certainly makes that number look possible.



    I'm not sure the distinction about the price cut being a move to stimulate sales is meaningful. Of course a price cut will stimulate sales, that was never in doubt. That doesn't mean that they felt sales were lackluster, just that they felt the higher price had been milked for long enough and that people willing to pay that price were drying up.. so they lowered it to a price that would spur sales. Not necessarily because they were selling too few, but because, as long as there is adequate supply, you cannot sell too many.



    You're right that "OK" sales isn't good enough, but I think they're doing more than OK.



    BTW, just bought mine Thursday. Marvelous device. It has its quirks, but after using it, you wonder how you could use anything else. We are seeing the future. Some day all mobile devices will function something like this. As to whether Apple is a significant player in that market of the future... I can only say that my stock holdings and I hope so



    Let's get some things straight. One, I like Macs and I own a Mac. Two, I like the iPhone. I probably will get one soon. OK? Do you accept my Mac cred now?



    If Apple don't sell 10 million iPhones by the end of 2008 then it's not met Apple's sales. These were clearly stated by Jobs himself. In fact many feel that Apple need to sell 10 million phones in 08 to reach the goals he stated. But if they do not reach 10 million by the end of 08 that will be seen as a failure by most observers in the industry as well as investors. And yes I agree that the price cut means that Apple may be concerned about sales going forward. I've said this in several posts.
  • Reply 11 of 19
    hirohiro Posts: 2,663member
    The price drop is a go for the jugular move. Apple thought they would be popular, but the phones are actually more popular than they thought they would be at the higher price. And the indicated demand at a lower price is exponential.



    While I'm not making a prediction, I wouldn't be surprised to see another 5-7 million sold during the holiday season alone at this new price.
  • Reply 12 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by caliminius View Post


    I'm wondering how long it will take the early adopters to start whining that they didn't get 30 days of One to One service with their iPhone...



    That was my exact first thought. Ten bucks, no wait, 30 days one-to-one training, says early adopters get this in the mail without asking.
  • Reply 13 of 19
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by backtomac View Post


    When you're trying to get to 1% market-share in a mature market in a short period of time.



    Expectations are very high. OK isn't good enough.



    Isn't it still the quickest or among the quickest uptake of a new phone model so far? I'm trying to find numbers to compare it against, but they are hiding from me. The best I can see is RAZR had 750,000 their first quarter.
  • Reply 14 of 19
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    Jeez. Sounds like the iPhone is more of a dud than I thought... dropping the price $200, this freebie... makes me wonder WTF is going on with Apple's product planning...



    A couple of things are of note here. First; Apple is well on their way to selling 10 million by the end of 2008. That is a very good sign.



    Second; no rational person can deny that the iPhone was overpriced at its original price point relative to the feature set it has for a smart phone. The repricing just puts the iPhone in a much more competitive situation relative to the competition. Plus the repricing does two other things, one it opens up the smart phone market to people simply not willing to pay the original price stimulating sales. Plus it opens up the iPhone line up for the introduction of more advanced devices in the near future.



    The whole idea of shaping a product line up is what many people seem to be missing with this price cut. It leaves room for a low end phone and at the same time allows for the introduction of phones with advanced capabilities. Sure they have stimulated sales with the price cut but I only believe that is part of the equation. Apple needs a product line up, they can't get buy on just one phone model.



    So yeah it hurts a bit for early adopters but people need to see the big picture. That is that Apple needs a cell phone line up, just as they have multiple desktop and laptop machines. So I see much more than a sales boosting technique here, it is very much a product line up shaping exercise.



    Dave
  • Reply 15 of 19
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gator View Post


    Old adage: "Buy the steak, not the sizzle."



    For Apple, service is part of the steak.
  • Reply 16 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post


    Isn't it still the quickest or among the quickest uptake of a new phone model so far? I'm trying to find numbers to compare it against, but they are hiding from me. The best I can see is RAZR had 750,000 their first quarter.



    I haven't researched this after the first few weeks but it could be that Apple is seeing a large dropoff.



    1 Million phones sounds great but if 500k of those was in the first two weeks that means something.



    I also think Apple has to allow their phone to be supported by all major moble networks. Just staying with ATT isn't going to cut it in the long run they need to get Verizon behind them.



    People are not going to pay 175.00 disconnect fees to Verizon or TMoble, then the price of the iPHone, then accessories and tax. Not to mention the cost cost of the service to full take advantage of the iPhone.



    Family Plans are huge now and the average family can not afford nor do they have the need to spend that kind of money.



    If you have a family of three the average cost of even the cheapest voice/data plan for the iphone I beleive would cost almost 190.00 a month. Thats after dropping 1200.00 for three phones. It's still over the line in a world of free or greatly discounted phones.
  • Reply 17 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    Jeez. Sounds like the iPhone is more of a dud than I thought... dropping the price $200, this freebie... makes me wonder WTF is going on with Apple's product planning...





    Whats going on is they actually have to compete in the world with the iPhone. Apple does really well when they create their own playing field, sells their own hardware with their own OS and applications. They create their own arena and play only within it.



    With the iPhone they are entering a market that has free or greatly discounted phones that serve the needs of 99% of the people out there. Cell phones in general have gone from more of a want to a need, smart phones however for the exception of business are still more of a want.



    Most business people are going to buy tested products that support a wider variety of third party apps. The iPhone may be cool but cool doesn't matter much for the people that buy smart phones these aren't 15 year old girls looking for a pink razr and want it no matter what.
  • Reply 18 of 19
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by extremeskater View Post


    I haven't researched this after the first few weeks but it could be that Apple is seeing a large dropoff.



    1 Million phones sounds great but if 500k of those was in the first two weeks that means something.



    I also think Apple has to allow their phone to be supported by all major moble networks. Just staying with ATT isn't going to cut it in the long run they need to get Verizon behind them.



    People are not going to pay 175.00 disconnect fees to Verizon or TMoble, then the price of the iPHone, then accessories and tax. Not to mention the cost cost of the service to full take advantage of the iPhone.



    Family Plans are huge now and the average family can not afford nor do they have the need to spend that kind of money.



    If you have a family of three the average cost of even the cheapest voice/data plan for the iphone I beleive would cost almost 190.00 a month. Thats after dropping 1200.00 for three phones. It's still over the line in a world of free or greatly discounted phones.



    Not really. I'm sure Apple expected large sales in the very beginning. That's the way it always is. That doesn't mean that there is a dropoff. Sales could very likely be holding steady after that, or could have even gone up a bit.





    Considering that the market so far, is only here in the US, and only with one carrier, what can you possibly be expecting?



    And there are other phones that cost a lot, even after discounts from the cell companies.



    If you want it, you want it.



    And there's no guarantee that everyone in the household WILL want one. My daughter doesn't. Like many of her friends in the 16 or so age bracket, they prize clamshell phones that are small, and fit easily into a pocket.
  • Reply 19 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post


    If you want it, you want it.



    I think thats the key issue right there and anyone thats on the fence will be taked out of getting one from ATT because they certainly do better if they sell other phones with family plan contracts.



    People that really want one or the majority will get them from Apple.



    Comes back to muy point that smart phones for the general public simple are not a need they are still very much a want, even if you consider the ratio of regular cell phones to smart phones you just don't see that many with them at least by comparison
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