Steve Jobs gives all iPhone owners $100 back

El Jobso is "confident" Apple's made the right decision to lower the price of the iPhone yesterday -- and really, we can't fault them for knocking some cash off the top to attract new buyers, why is cheaper gear a bad thing all of a sudden? But even given the outcry, we definitely didn't see this one coming. In another open letter to his people, Jobs states that he's giving all iPhone owners a $100 Apple gift certificate (details to follow in the next week -- it goes without saying this will only apply to people who bought before the price drop). Well, that's mighty kind of you Steve. And definitely unprecedented in the consumer electronics industry that a company would give cash back to early adopters -- those most accustomed to buying a gadget first, asking questions later, and bottling their complaints when said gadget later drops dramatically in price.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[Lesz8986 @ Sep 7th 2007 10:39AM]

To be honest - this makes me like Apple even more. :-)

[Timerider @ Sep 7th 2007 11:52AM]

Thats not fair, i didn't get money when I bought my iMac a month before the new ones were released.

[wargarurumon @ Sep 7th 2007 12:21PM]

can somebody say PR-stunt

and now we all say together, that jobs fellow sure is a nice guy

[Amanda @ Sep 7th 2007 1:37PM]

What about people who just got new iPod nanos?? I would have rather got the better one for $50 less!

[flydoghead @ Sep 7th 2007 2:00PM]

I bought two 8G the day they came out. No regrets at all.
My wife and I have received more enjoyment from these
phones than any other tech toy we can think of.
What is the beef ? Every phone drops in price quickly,
early adopters pay a premium, since when is this news ?

I would do it again tomorrow without the rebate.

[adrian @ Sep 7th 2007 2:14PM]

I think the IPhone cost way too much in the first place. Having said that Apple were under no obligation to refund any money to previous customers after reducing the IPhone price. At the end of the day those customers knew what they were getting themself into when they brought the IPhone at the original price, So credit to Apple for doing so, Other big corporations would of told their customers to step if they complained.

[Dimo @ Sep 7th 2007 2:40PM]

Has everyone forgotten how much a fricken RAZR cost new? $500. And it was just a lame phone. Now you can get them free. If you want the new shiny gadget to impress the ladies pay the price being first.

[peternj @ Sep 8th 2007 9:39PM]

Dimo
The Razor was not given a 33% price cut 2 months after release. The razor had a discount with 2 years service. The Razor was eventually in short order released to other vendors. 3o days "happiness guarantee" compared to Apple's stingy 14 days. AT&T deserve more credit than Apple for allowing people who purchased 30 days prior to return their phones. They didn't have to as Jobs had insisted on 14.

I agree all stuff goes down in price. However Jobs forgot in his holiday give away that 2 months price cut was highly unusual. Indeed industry reporters can not think of another case in the industry. The reason was simple, Jobs pride was on the line. He said there'd be 1 million sold by the end of the month and clearly in NYC anyway this was not going to happen.

Anyway this is the real of it. I know for many Apple fans this is hard to swallow but in the real world Apple behaved really badly. Apple as it expands and becomes a monopoly in music, video and communications will be rightly in the firing line. Apple was and is no better than MS in its winner take all and screw the customer model.

[emrys Joseph @ Sep 7th 2007 8:58PM]

That is Correct the telephone number is Apple East Coast Regional Office. Why would anyone give out a personal number. Also this was obtained from the Apple Manager at the Apple Store who said she was the next in the chain.

By the way they contacted me and I am satisfied with my outcome. And as everyone can see all the news agencies across USA, Canada, Europe have been covering IPHONE and American Express is also involved in it. So the ones who thought they were smart with the name calling have a good life.

Myself and our other members are happy with our outcome. Also there is a interesting topic: I got my refund in the APPlE.Com-SUPPORT-DISCUSSIONS-IPHONE-PHONE. APPLE MANAGER IN WELLINGTON GREEN MALL GAVE FULL REFUNDS TO DAY ONE IPHONE BUYERS.

[peternj @ Sep 8th 2007 9:51PM]

emrys Joseph

Good for you. Apple's hardcore base need to realize that there are norms in the cell phone biz that Apple broke. Jobs assumed he could as usual do as he please and the base would scare off comments, anger and demands for a refund. Apple is a monopoly worse than MS ever was during the browser wars. The behavior of the base is quite creepy. I've never liked the cult and they really are nuts. Try posting a problem with MagSafe's failure to charge a MacBook Pro which is more common than the creeps or Apple let on and the howls of derision are pathetic. Apple is not that great that this will not impact my choice of a graphics desktop.

So well done. I never buy any product unless I use American Express as it's the best way to pressure the likes of Apple.

[emrys Joseph @ Sep 7th 2007 9:00PM]

What's Your Point..................

[chongkwang @ Sep 7th 2007 9:56PM]

All right Steve! youve joined the ranks of American greedy greats like Bush and Enron... decieve for profit.

[pat @ Sep 7th 2007 10:17PM]

IMHO I don't think Steve or Apple owes an apology and/or in-store credit to those angry early adopters. Personally if I was in Steve's shoes I would have told them that it was too bad but that's technology so live with it. Sure people argue that 2 months is kinda quick but it's not illegal to drop the price in that amount of time. What annoys me the most is the Apple fanboys who feel they were "used" and are now "disenchanted" with the Apple. Give me a freakin break. Apple owes them nothing. Finally, why the hell would they buy the over-priced phone with no external battery like other cell phones, the cost and trouble of replacing it equates to highway robbery, low amount of storage (4/8 GB for christ sakes!), 2-year contract to only one GSM carrier, and lack of 3rd party software?! Thank god I convinced my wife not to get one. And don't get me started with the iPod Touch. I think the Archos 605 PMP is a much superior product vs the iPod Touch spec wise.

[Phillip Knezevich @ Sep 8th 2007 5:07AM]

I don't believe this was planned from the start.

The truth is, the Iphone is not worth the price people paid for it. Reviews, word-of-mouth and comparisons to other phones have probably made people feel very antsy about purchasing one for $600.

Now Apple are in a situation where they need to clear out the stock. Not good enough Apple. You've just set a precedent compromising the loyalty of existing customers who took a gamble on the high price against trying to get more interest from the untapped market.

Instead of rewarding those who were first in best dressed, waited hours in long queues, and helped promote your promote by adding, you have humiliated these people and made them feel foolish for being so keen.

[BillyBones @ Sep 8th 2007 9:33AM]

Apple drops iphone price by $200, "early adopters" bitch and Jobs gives them store credit of $100. How exactly is this genius? Do you really think this was the plan all along? Apple responded to customers who felt jipped by an early price drop and tossed them a bone.

Why do people feel the need to stoke any company just because they pay for their products? We are the customers and they should be kissing our ass.

[Jong Hyun Yoon @ Sep 8th 2007 8:16PM]

I think $100+Apple Care is fair way. Think about this $100 Apple Credit. If you buy $100 products at the applestore.
$100 is retail price. that means 70% or 60% of retail price is really price of product and 30 or 40 % is real proffit of apple store. therefore we can think about this formula. $100 Apple credit(real value is $70)-->Customer got $100 credit(real value is $70)--> customer spend $100 at apple store(real value is $70)--> Applestoer recieve $100 credit(real value is $70)-->therefore, Apple only spend $70 for rebate to per customer and can keep $130 from each Customer . Do you think $100 Apple credit is enough?
I don't thinks so. I know most of companies don't do this kind of rebate but think about aperture situation. they gave $200(real value is about $140) apple credit for rebate to each customer before. in this case, outward looks like rebate $200 but Apple spent $140 for rebate. therefor, apple could keep $60 from each customer. if so, think about iphone situation. Apple will give only $100 and real value of $100 credit is $70. So apple can keep $130!!!!!! Do you think it is still Fair?!!! Why apple gave $200 to Aperture customer? and Iphone customer will get Only $100 credit. What is difference between these two situations? I'm not a rich person or eraly adaptor so I think $200 rebate is not small money for me. In my case, this iphone is my final puchasing product from Apple.

[Yvo @ Sep 8th 2007 9:06PM]

Please please please learn to spell and some proper grammar next time.

I feel like I just read the menu at my local Vietnamese pho restaurant.

[Count Chocula @ Sep 8th 2007 10:10PM]

Now I know what it feels like to be Mrs. Steve Jobs.

Bent over, reemed hard and dry, kicked down to the ground and then offered a box of chocolates a week later when he is horny again.

[Count Chocula @ Sep 8th 2007 10:12PM]

Which is worst?

What Jobs did to all the early iphone supports or what Hitler did during WWII.

[chongkwang @ Sep 9th 2007 12:38AM]

Seems like its only the loyal classic Mac users that are upset about being the target of sleezy price gouging. The Nuevo PC using ipod owners are used to lowclass marketing scams. I am going to get my full iphone price returned to my pocket by not renewing my over-priced .mac account. And with the $100 severance credit, buying a non-apple product.

The unconditional love I had for apple is gone, I feel my loyalty was inappropriately used and the severence pay of $100 store credit for my 20 years of apple promoting is just another marketing trick to hook another sale out of me. They appear to have joined the ranks of Motorola and the mainstream corporate shark mentality killing off the trustworthy company that made Apple special and high quality. Now it is just another untrustworthy computer store out to trick its customers into spending more money instead of letting the quality product sell itself without the games.

Apple Classic vs. the tricks of M.S. Apple
1998 imac $1299........7/07 iphone $599
2007 imac $1199........9/07 iphone $399

We need to open 2 new companies: Apple classic (see left column above) for Mac-users who want to continue to pay a premium for a consistent, quality product and customer treatment. and M.S. Apple for the PC ipod users who have adapted to, and sheepishly accepted the deceptive bait and switch tactics of mainstream low quality tech companies. By premeditating the blatant misuse of customer loyalty, it looks like apple is choosing to follow the latter path. Break-ups are hard to do, but Im finding it easier everyday to not tell a PC user at the airport how to reduce his suffering by getting a Mac.

[jeff @ Sep 9th 2007 9:11PM]

As nice a gesture as the 100 dollar gift certificate is, I can't help but feel that a lot of early adopters simply bought-in that to get an iphone first, you needed to shell out 600 dollars. Everyone knew that the price drop was coming, just not that it would be this soon or this steep, so credit to Apple for trying to do what is right by their consumers, even if this only sweetens the deal when they buy a new ipod or macbook. I wonder though if this was at all planned or really a reaction to an outcry of blog posts as suggested here: http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2007/09/07/the-influence-of-the-blogosphere-on-apple/

[jlivengo @ Sep 10th 2007 4:50PM]

Are you kidding? People will still find something to bitch about, bring out the cry babies. Too little too late? Apple Sucks? What else you got geek world?

[APPLE RETARD @ Sep 12th 2007 10:06AM]

WHO MADE NUMEROUS IPHONE APPS IN THE NET SO YOU PEOPLE CAN ENJOY IT???? IT'S US WHO BOUGHT IPHONE EARLIER ON!!!! WHO DEFENDED APPLE WHEN OTHER PEOPLE BAD-MOUTH ABOUT MAC??? IT'S US, THE LOYAL FAN!!!

STEVE, YOU ARE TOTALLY RIGHT ABOUT "TECHNOLOGY ROAD IS BUMPY", IT'S US MADE APPLE TODAY, DUDE!!!

I DEMAND FULL $200 CASH BACK!!!!

[Ben H. @ Sep 13th 2007 6:58PM]

I'm glad I'll get $200 back for buying 2 iPhones and selling them on eBay! Yay!