There have been reports, and now photographic evidence of training materials, that Wal-Mart will be getting the exclusive rights to the newly announced price drop in the 8 gigabyte iPhone. This is big news for a lot of people.
The first would be the people that already own an iPhone (or at least the ones that paid over $400 for theirs.) This is similar to the Razor craze a few years back. They were impossible to get and if you had one everyone was in love with you until they got to play with it. The iPhone created that buzz as well. And while it only lasted a year, there are plans to have the release date before the holidays. (I do not see that happening.)
Another person it effects are the lower class who wish they could afford those fancy cellular devices. At only $99 for the phone people will be lined up to buy one of these. The thing is, and this is purely in the favor of the cell phone carriers, is that the monthly plan for these phones will cost them more than the phone itself. How many people do you think at&t will sucker into that one?
And the last thing that I feel it does is solidify (or put another nail in the coffin as the announcers of NBA Jam might say) in Wal-Mart’s reign of “we get what we want and you can’t touch us.” They get new CD release after new CD release of exclusivity. They got Garth Brooks. They nabbed AC/DC. They have Kenny Chesney. What is next? Apple?
I have to admit. I am an Apple guy. I have the iPhone. I have a Mac Book Pro. I have the bumper sticker. I tend to just go to the Apple Store to walk around and look cool. There is something to say about being a Mac Man. We buy Mac products like a cult following. Steve Jobs says that we have to have this new toy, we have to have that new toy. But part of that is the price point. We buy these products no matter what they are priced. And that is a good thing because the people that call themselves ‘Mac People’ tend to have a little bit more disposable income. It is like a Corvette owner. They wave to anyone else they see in a Corvette because its a bond. I wave at other Apple users, I won’t lie.
But if this phone gets put at that price point and put into Wal-Mart stores exclusively, it will tarnish a great name and an even better product. If I have any words of advice for soon to be retired Steve Jobs, don’t sell yourself out to Wal-Mart. You are better than that. People will buy your phones at $400 or $99. You do not have to stoop to the level of Wal-Mart to accomplish that.
OK, well, I have to get off here, I have to get to Wal-Mart before they close.
Ricky, I can totally relate! I too am a “Mac Man” and will, from time to time, walk around the Apple store just to feel good about myself!
I will also agree that this is a poor decision on Steve Job’s end because he is totally selling himself short. Apple is all about quality and has never been about quantity. I hope that doesn’t start to change.
*crosses fingers*