What is Digg?Sponsored by newegg
Ready. Set. Shop view!
newegg.com - Newegg.com Black Friday Sale starting 11/25 3PM PST. No Lines, No Crowds, Click and Save.
40 Comments
- Awesomebox5000, on 10/02/2009, -2/+33This is how Apple does business. Since Apple's business is booming, you really can't knock it. Don't like it? Don't buy Apple products. Capitalism: GO!
- Lightstab, on 10/02/2009, -1/+27That's the stupidest thing I ever read. Nothing is stopping competing cell companies from making deals with iPhone competitors like the Pre or G1. That's kind of kills your whole argument.
Furthermore, Apple has continuously lowered the price of the phone from $600 to $400 to $200 and now $100, which is why competing companies like PALM have lowered the prices for their phones as well. Apple has actually been very good for competition in the smartphone market. It motivated a lot of companies to get off their asses and start to innovate again.
You think a company like Palm would have ditched their ancient software and started fresh if Apple hadn't come out with the iPhone? You think any of the newer smartphones would have multi-touch or full html browsers or centralized App Stores if it weren't for the iPhone?
Your argument sounds great to freetards and Apple Haters, but when you analyze it, it doesn't make a bit of sense. - pilot3033, on 10/02/2009, -2/+18Because Apple doesn't want to, and that's their business decision. If you don't like that, find a competitor, Apple by no means has a monopoly on the smartphone market.
Unless you're being sarcastic, in which case I will gladly accept the fact that I have egg on my face. - Thorpe, on 10/03/2009, -0/+14Apple > Palm
- upeneff, on 10/02/2009, -0/+12Also, we can point out that Apple has lowered data costs in countries as well. The 6G monthly cap I have in Canada was offered at the price of the 300MB cap that was in place before the iPhone came here.
And Apple's exclusivity in Canada is limited only to the fact that we only have 1 GSM provider, well one provider that has 2 names (Rogers & Fido). But still.
Apple has done more for the smart phone market than any other device. Love or hate the device, you have to wonder if there would be an android phone at this point otherwise. Or if the other devices would be as good as they are. - grnicon, on 10/02/2009, -1/+10"Unethical marketing, in the case of iPhone using exclusive provider contracts, the end result is non-competition leading to price gouging."
Jesus, you're a ***** idiot.
What if AT&T actually *created* the phone? What then? They couldn't market their own phone for their own network? There is nothing unethical or anti-competitive about exclusive contracts. You know nothing about business.
Look how much competition the iPhone has spawned. We have Palm Pre and half a dozen other contenders. It's not Apple or AT&T's fault if all those competitors suck complete ass. - jcannonb, on 10/03/2009, -3/+12Apple > WinMo > Android > Palm
- RepublicofJosh, on 10/02/2009, -1/+7Damn that Corporation that's trying to make a profit!!! HOW DARE THEY!?
- ihaterobots, on 10/03/2009, -0/+6"Im all for free market activity, because I believe in the ability for barrier-free entry and competition. "
wtf are you talking about?
the entire notion of exclusive contracts is a strategic *competitive* move by apple to out-do other companies that share the same space as they do. there is absolutely nothing preventing any of the other manufacturers and carriers from creating identical deals. the problem is, apple happens to have an excellent handset that is in very high demand.
if i'm not mistaken, you are arguing for some kind of intervention to prevent exclusivity deals. I'm assuming this intervention would come from a governing body like the FCC. doesn't that directly contradict your soap-box call for free market competition?? - WibWobble, on 10/03/2009, -2/+8Why does every article have at least 1 retard who copy-pastes a line from the text EVERYONE HAD ALREADY READ.
- seltaeb4, on 10/03/2009, -1/+6Maybe Apple can flex its iPhone muscle and get AT&T to stop sucking.
- Darph.Bobo, on 10/03/2009, -2/+7Just a heads-up DIGG MANAGEMENT! I'm done here and not coming back until you pull the momsteethstory.com ADS! Are you out of your minds? You put this disgusting picture on every damn page, twice on the same page sometimes only makes me want to puke. You have no class, taste or common sense. Does anyone look at these ads before they approve them? What's that, you don't have a way to do that? Mistake number one.
See ya! - amasiancrasian, on 10/03/2009, -1/+5Now my hope is that Apple will use their power to turn AT&T around. It's really too bad that T-Mobile USA uses an odd band (1700/2100) for their 3G network and not the standard 1900/2100 that everyone else in the world uses.
Not that T-Mobile USA is any better or their service is any better, but competition is never a bad thing.
In reality, telecom companies are all pretty bad and I have no allegiance to any of them. It's the competition that keeps their evilness in check.
If T-Mobile used a standard 3G band or Verizon/Sprint used UMTS SIM phones instead of 2.5G CDMA, there would definitely be pressure for AT&T to improve and an alternative provider for Apple. Unfortunately, there is no one other than AT&T competing in the 1900/2100 3G UMTS spectrum within the USA. - MacParrot, on 10/03/2009, -2/+6You guys all missed the point. Palm almost died as a company because they never believed that anything Apple came out with would be good or would sell well. They had to hire a bunch of former Apple iPod/iPhone engineers just to get the Pre out the door.
And people say that Apple is arrogant (and they are) - MacParrot, on 10/03/2009, -1/+3So don't be trendy then. Go buy something else. I used a flip-style phone (I already was on AT&T) until the 32GB model 3GS came out which was the storage level I had been waiting for. Not everyone (even Apple fans) rush and buy something just because Apple makes it.
- latin69, on 10/03/2009, -3/+5'We've learned and struggled for a few years here figuring out how to make a decent phone,'
'PC guys are not going to just figure this out. They're not going to just walk in.'"
– Palm CEO Ed Colligan - acardwell3, on 10/02/2009, -7/+8Is it just me or do all the pictures of iPhone OS < 3.0 need to be replaced?
- bromac, on 10/03/2009, -2/+3Not buying Apple products? How could I be trendy then?
In politics and marketing, the status quo is everything. Don't rock the boat, baby. - mrBitch, on 10/03/2009, -0/+1RE: " .. You guys all missed the point. Palm almost died as a company because they never believed that anything Apple came out with would be good or would sell well. They had to hire a bunch of former Apple iPod/iPhone engineers just to get the Pre out the door."
Good point. - SD70MACMAN, on 10/03/2009, -0/+1Price wars on the iPhone? Thats a new concept for us Americans...
- Myztry, on 10/03/2009, -0/+1You would that in regulated markets it would be compulsory to send a copy of any agreements to the regulatory body, and in cases where any of the parties have a virtual monopoly, to the competition body as well.
- mrBitch, on 10/03/2009, -1/+2@ jshhmr, RE: " .. ***** Christ Apple's marketing relies on it's fanboys!! NOBODY that has a brain would actually spend 2x more on a product just because it has a picture of a ***** fruit on it!!! GROW UP!"
It looks like Vodafone is an Apple fanboy. FTA :
" .. Vittorio Colao, chief executive of Vodafone, was as desperate as Mr Alexander to secure the right to sell the iPhone in the UK as he has conceded that not having the phone is a key reason why the company lost 159,000 customers in its latest quarter." - candlewood, on 10/03/2009, -1/+2I don’t have apple but I notice they have good product and good service they provide for long run
- latin69, on 10/04/2009, -1/+1***** off *****!
- and101, on 10/03/2009, -0/+0Why does the guy in the photo not have a thumb nail?
- BenDigital, on 10/03/2009, -1/+1To be honest, this is a bit of a none news story!
- bromac, on 10/03/2009, -2/+1I forgot my /s. My bad.
I don't have an iPhone, and if I were to purchase a smart phone, I'd look at all aspects of the purchase, including any contractual obligations. Most importantly, I'd make sure that the phone had all the features that I require of it and implemented them properly.
And yes, not everyone rushes out and buys something because Apple makes it, but there are a good amount of trend-followers that do. Gotta have the newest, shiniest and expensive phone. Ostentatious? Sure, but that's people for ya. - XEusioN, on 10/03/2009, -2/+1That specific lack of provider competition is what keeps the hardware margins up over here, Apple loves it and AT&T is just happy to reap the monthly service revenue attached to each sale.
The two companies wouldn't have it any other way. - AgmLauncher, on 10/03/2009, -3/+1"Nothing is stopping competing cell companies from making deals with iPhone competitors like the Pre or G1. That's kind of kills your whole argument."
No, that doesn't kill his whole argument at all because the Pre or the G1 are not the iPhone. If someone prefers an iPhone over the G1/Pre, then they should have their choice of service provider.
In fact, the entire concept of SERVICE providers selling the phones in the first place is just backwards. You should be able to go into any electronics retailer to buy the device itself, and then go to a SERVICE provider to get the SERVICE.
Right now service providers use devices as a crutch to avoid providing good service at a reasonable price. It's such a joke. - t0ny, on 10/03/2009, -3/+1Whats wrong with sim cards?
- jshhmr, on 10/03/2009, -4/+1***** Christ Apple's marketing relies on it's fanboys!! NOBODY that has a brain would actually spend 2x more on a product just because it has a picture of a ***** fruit on it!!! GROW UP!!!!
- ohreilly, on 10/03/2009, -6/+2Yawn.
I've been benefiting from the joys of owning sim-free/unlocked phones that I can take to whatever network I think is the best value or coverage for years.
This is merely Apple starting to do what it should have done in the first place - not groundbreaking or newsworthy. - latin69, on 10/02/2009, -8/+3“Apple calls all the shots. Apple is an iconic brand and the iPhone is an iconic device which has transformed the mobile phone market. Apple can do what it likes and the mobile phone operators just have to lump it.”
- bromac, on 10/03/2009, -9/+4Oh come on guys, this is Digg. Saying anything is better than the iPhone, despite their being technologically better, having more practical features or being more intuitive will bring the wrath of the Apple Cult down upon you.
Funny how most Apple users love being different, but will rabidly attack competing products. Remember, competition is good! You'll even get better Apple products for it. - Giac, on 10/02/2009, -12/+5Why not just sell a sim free iPhone worldwide that doesn't cos $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$?
- DISEX, on 10/03/2009, -9/+1Pre > iPhone
- zaffe, on 10/02/2009, -10/+2Nickelback sucks!!
- elcalrissian, on 10/02/2009, -22/+13Free market enterprise causes competition, making consumer costspoints more reasonable to the general population.
Unethical marketing, in the case of iPhone using exclusive provider contracts, the end result is non-competition leading to price gouging.
Apple Fanboy - if your girlfriend would only have sex with you if you let her punch you in the face and watch her have sex with all your friends first, would you still want her? If you say yes you are a self-hating pussy.
Im all for free market activity, because I believe in the ability for barrier-free entry and competition. Companies like Apple and Comcast, with little competition, unethically drive up prices because people will still pay. Health Insurance and Big Oil gets the finger pointed at them for this all the time, but it's happening all over. - DISEX, on 10/03/2009, -10/+1Android>Palm>Apple>WinMo
fixed it. - dublea2, on 10/02/2009, -21/+6***** Apple!
© Digg Inc. 2009
— Content created and posted by Digg users is