Study: Consumers Aren't Willing to Pay $500 for iPhone
123324
Consumers aren't willing to pay what Apple Inc. may ask for the iPhone but if the price drops they'll switch their mobile service to AT&amp;T Inc. in order to get it, according to results of a survey released Thursday.
205308
Citing research from ChangeWave Research, Jonny Evans (Macworld) reports that âthe iPhone now leads the pack in terms of customer satisfaction among its US customer base. An unprecedented 82 per cent of iPhone owners reported being Very Satisfied with their purchase, up five points since the previous survey in July and by far the highest rating of any mobile manufacturer.â Evans notes that âthe research found 16 per cent of respondents who plan to purchase a phone in the next six months saying theyâll buy an iPhone - placing Apple up at the top among all manufacturers.â
110702
Can't get an iPhone? Here's how some hot cell phones from other manufacturers measure up.
623036
(InfoWorld) - A company that insures laptops and smartphones may save the day for iPhone owners worried about their pricey handsets getting stolen or damaged. The just-introduced device costs $499 or $599, depending on storage, and has a slippery, rounded design with a glass touchscreen that covers most of its face. Yet AT&T, the exclusive mobile operator for the phone, won't sell insurance for it. And although Apple offers the AppleCare extended warranty for almost all its hardware products, the plan is not yet available for the iPhone. (Apple says it will start offering AppleCare for the phone some time this month.) Some participants on the cell phone site HowardForums said they were disappointed those types of coverage weren't available. Now, a third party is thinking about stepping in. A flood of potential customers have contacted Safeware about getting their iPhones insured, said Matt Wagner, executive vice president and general counsel of the Columbus, Ohio, company. Safeware has been in business insuring PCs since 1982 and started covering smartphones a few years ago, Wagner said. Before the iPhone went on sale in the United States last Friday, Apple's secrecy made it hard to evaluate, he said. "Now that it is released, we're kind of scrambling to find out if it's something we want to get into or not," Wagner said. Availability of parts and repair facilities are among the issues the insurer is examining. Safeware's portable electronics policy covers accidental damage, theft, vandalism, power surges, and natural disasters in the United States and Canada, according to the company's Web site. Coverage includes both the device and preinstalled software, and on a standard policy there is no deductible. Typical prices were not immediately available. AT&T prices its policies, provided by insurance company Asurion, at $4.99 per month. But the iPhone is so expensive that insurance for it would be too pricey for AT&T to market to consumers, the carrier said. For the same reason, AT&T won't sell insurance for Palm's Treo, Research in Motion's BlackBerry, and some other high-end handsets. Rival Verizon Wireless, by contrast, will insure any phone it sells. Also working through Asurion, it charges $4.99 per month with a $50 deductible. The iPhone does come with a one-year Apple warranty against "defects in materials and workmanship under normal use," according to Apple's Web site. AppleCare, when available, will extend that coverage for as long as two additional years. Apple hasn't said how much it will cost. Customers will have to sign up for AppleCare while the initial warranty is still in effect. To help customers stay connected while the iPhone is being fixed, Apple can provide an AppleCare Service Phone that can be sent from Apple or picked up at the Apple Store. But the loaner doesn't come free: There's a flat $29 "service fee," plus additional charges if the user doesn't return it on time after they get their own phone back. And as a warranty, AppleCare won't get you a new iPhone if yours is damaged by accident or stolen. Many people wouldn't need to take out a separate policy for an iPhone, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Most homeowner's or renter's policies would cover theft or damage to the phone, even if it were stolen from their car, said Mike Barry, a spokesman for the group. However, Safeware's Wagner said those policies typically don't cover a portable electronic device outside of the owner's home or car. Ironically, while AT&T won't insure the iPhone because it's too expensive, the Institute thinks the iPhone wouldn't be worth a separate policy because it isn't valuable enough. "It really wouldn't make much economic sense to have a policy taken out separately for the iPhone," he said.
310810
U.S. consumers don't want to pay for low-power, high-performance chip.
137262
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS  CUPERTINO, Calif. - AT&T Inc. and Apple Inc. on Tuesday said wireless service for the iPhone will range from $59.99 per month to $99.99 per month.
337091
Apple angered early purchasers of its iPhone with its $200 price drop but now has detailed how those early adopters can claim a $100 credit.
540308
For many who bought Apple's new iPhone, members of the early-adopter clan, money is not the issue. Though some are angered by Apple's sudden price drop, some who snapped up the first iPhones say their gratification is being among the first owners of something cool and possibly revolutionary.
515086
Apple Inc.'s  iPhone may be too expensive for most Americans, but the much-hyped device is expected to help AT&T Inc.  win quality customers and drive shoppers into its stores.
296603
The price of Apple Inc.'s iPhone and the cost of switching to AT&amp;T Inc.'s wireless service may suppress demand for the device, according to a survey by the research firm IDC.
145762
By Ganey, Jayme S  Apple iPhone, $499  Up your tech cred with this cutting-edge, multitasking device. The iPhone, featuring a sleek touch screen, does triple duty as a mobile phone, wide-screen iPod and Web browser.
629513
Given the iPhone hype, it's easy to forget other phones can play music and browse the Web. Here are three iPhone competitors that offer a lot of features for less money.
502134
Apple Inc.  said on Tuesday  its hotly anticipated iPhone could cost as much as $3,000 with  a required two-year service contract, and a handful of eager  buyers started lining up to spend their money.
508555
Apple Inc. said on Tuesday its hotly  anticipated iPhone could cost up to $3,000 with a required  two-year service contract, but that didn&#39;t stop a handful of  admirers from starting to wait to buy the device.
701776
Like more than a few iPhone users, Paul Forrester couldn&#8217;t believe his ears last Wednesday when Steve Jobs ended an Apple press event by announcing a $200 price cut to the iPhone. The price cut came a little more than two months after Forrester and other iPhone early adopters started plunking down as much as $599 for the newly released mobile device.
557070
Affordable for the holidays, or cheaper to boost sales? Analysts were divided on the true meaning of Apple's $200 price drop for the 8GB iPhone, but a number of consumers were more focused on having just paid 50 percent more than today's new price for their fancy gadget.
55256
With under six hours to go, some people in line for the iPhone in New York are seeing if they could make a few bucks off the product hype by selling their places in line. As far as I can tell, there have not yet been any takers. From Crave, CNET's gadgets blog.