Steve Jobs live: Apple Selling Ringtones for... ¢99?

News Type: Event — Seeded on Wed Sep 5, 2007 12:53 PM EDT

Article Source: Engadget

technology, music, apple, jobs, computers, itunes, steve-jobs, ipods

They kept everyone outside a little longer than we would have liked, but they're finally admitting. This is the Moscone West -- we're assuming the huge hall Steve launched the iPhone in back in January.

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Kyle Baxter's Column, All of Newsvine
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{"commentId":1001069,"authorDomain":"kyleb"}

Kyle Baxter

Well, that confirms it: There is a large iPhone update coming later this month. I can't wait to see it!

{"commentId":1001069,"threadId":"146847","contentId":"943064","authorDomain":"kyleb"}

1 vote

#1 - Wed Sep 5, 2007 2:01 PM EDT

{"commentId":1001151,"authorDomain":"kirklennon"}

Kirk Lennon

Yeah, I love how the iTunes store icon is way over on the right side. That's three new surprise apps. Also, a $200 price drop? That's some seriously aggressive pricing.

{"commentId":1001151,"threadId":"146847","contentId":"943064","authorDomain":"kirklennon"}

2 votes

#2 - Wed Sep 5, 2007 2:29 PM EDT

{"commentId":1001273,"authorDomain":"kyleb"}

Kyle Baxter

I can't believe the iPhone price drop.

It is a pretty ingenious strategy, really. Sell the iPhone at a premium for a few months, people still buy a ton of them, then drop the price so they look like a steal. Then prepare to manufacture a crap load of them, 'cause they're going to sell like crazy.

{"commentId":1001273,"threadId":"146847","contentId":"943064","authorDomain":"kyleb"}

1 vote

#2.1 - Wed Sep 5, 2007 3:09 PM EDT

{"commentId":1001275,"authorDomain":"sphinx"}

Jack Huang

It's aggressive enough to convince me to buy an iPhone now. :-)

{"commentId":1001275,"threadId":"146847","contentId":"943064","authorDomain":"sphinx"}

1 vote

#2.2 - Wed Sep 5, 2007 3:10 PM EDT

{"commentId":1001281,"authorDomain":"sphinx"}

Jack Huang

Is it just me, or does the new nano look rather unpleasant to use, both in terms of form factor and in terms of insanely tiny pixels (especially in Cover Flow)?

P.S. - Man, I was absolutely not expecting both the iPod Classic and the iPod Touch.

{"commentId":1001281,"threadId":"146847","contentId":"943064","authorDomain":"sphinx"}

2 votes

#3 - Wed Sep 5, 2007 3:11 PM EDT

{"commentId":1001312,"authorDomain":"Brad-Leclerc"}

Brad Leclerc

BAAAAAH ipods. I want a black Macbook Pro damn it! :P

{"commentId":1001312,"threadId":"146847","contentId":"943064","authorDomain":"Brad-Leclerc"}

1 vote

#4 - Wed Sep 5, 2007 3:18 PM EDT

{"commentId":1001328,"authorDomain":"sphinx"}

Jack Huang

Get a Macbook Pro and a Sharpie. :-p

If you want something nicer-looking, use spray paint or automotive paint. :-D

{"commentId":1001328,"threadId":"146847","contentId":"943064","authorDomain":"sphinx"}

1 vote

#4.1 - Wed Sep 5, 2007 3:23 PM EDT

{"commentId":1001383,"authorDomain":"Brad-Leclerc"}

Brad Leclerc

I think I might just settle for a normal macbook pro if there aren't black ones by the time I can afford one lol......oh well!

{"commentId":1001383,"threadId":"146847","contentId":"943064","authorDomain":"Brad-Leclerc"}

#4.2 - Wed Sep 5, 2007 3:46 PM EDT

{"commentId":1001393,"authorDomain":"jaybutler"}

Jay Butler

I want a black Macbook Pro damn it!

Try going to ColorWare. They offer the MacBook Pro in something like 28 colors including black. Pretty cool process. Not sure if it is worth the extra dolloars, but it certainly guarantees a unique computer.

{"commentId":1001393,"threadId":"146847","contentId":"943064","authorDomain":"jaybutler"}

1 vote

#4.3 - Wed Sep 5, 2007 3:50 PM EDT

{"commentId":1001449,"authorDomain":"Brad-Leclerc"}

Brad Leclerc

Yeah, those do look damn shiny.....but pricey!

{"commentId":1001449,"threadId":"146847","contentId":"943064","authorDomain":"Brad-Leclerc"}

#4.4 - Wed Sep 5, 2007 4:10 PM EDT

{"commentId":1001395,"authorDomain":"brianford"}

Brian Ford

I've gotta say.

The more I think about the $200 price drop, the more annoying it is. I still OWE more than $200 on my iPhone, for crying out loud.

I recognize that they have every legal right to do this -- but it seems like a pretty huge PR snafu, to me. I imagine a lot of people still owe more than $200.

And, the thing was selling really well, right? Those who payed $100 more for half the hard drive space must feel particularly angry, right now. Seems to me like a $100 price drop would have been a better bet. Early adopters wouldn't feel so "used" and it would still be a hefty drop, and wouldn't cut so deep into the margins.

At the very least, they could have offered something to those who bought prior to this price drop -- perhaps an application that is only available to iPhones registered prior to today's announcement.

I made it all the way to the end of the announcement feeling good that my iPhone was still not touched by any of the new offerings -- and then BOOM -- find out that the prize for being an early adopter is a slap in the face. I expected prices to drop eventually -- but 3 months?

{"commentId":1001395,"threadId":"146847","contentId":"943064","authorDomain":"brianford"}

5 votes

#5 - Wed Sep 5, 2007 3:51 PM EDT

{"commentId":1002162,"authorDomain":"kirklennon"}

Kirk Lennon

Those who payed $100 more for half the hard drive space must feel particularly angry, right now.

Those (apparently few) people were foolish anyway. I can't imagine why anyone would have ever bought the 4 gig version anyway. I'm not totally sure why it was ever even an option. I put people who bought the 4 gig in the same category as those who bought screen protectors.

{"commentId":1002162,"threadId":"146847","contentId":"943064","authorDomain":"kirklennon"}

#5.1 - Wed Sep 5, 2007 9:29 PM EDT

{"commentId":1002197,"authorDomain":"brianford"}

Brian Ford

I definitely bought a screen protector, and it's been worth every penny. The thing is invisible, and guarantees that (barring a massive trauma to the face of the iPhone) I'll never have to "sigh" due to a hairline scratch on the screen. And, yes -- I do have dings on the areas not covered by that screen protector.

{"commentId":1002197,"threadId":"146847","contentId":"943064","authorDomain":"brianford"}

6 votes

#5.2 - Wed Sep 5, 2007 9:50 PM EDT

{"commentId":1002621,"authorDomain":"kirklennon"}

Kirk Lennon

I definitely bought a screen protector, and it's been worth every penny. The thing is invisible, and guarantees that (barring a massive trauma to the face of the iPhone) I'll never have to "sigh" due to a hairline scratch on the screen. And, yes -- I do have dings on the areas not covered by that screen protector.

Does the screen protector cover the entire face of the iPhone? The back of my iPhone and the chrome around the edges both have extremely minor scratches, but the face is absolutely perfect. I regularly scrape my keys on it just as part of my standard look-at-my-iPhone demo. If I had a "protector" on it, I would almost certainly have scratches on the protector. Short of covering the screen in another piece of glass, there's not really any protector out there that is not more susceptible to scratches than the iPhone itself.

{"commentId":1002621,"threadId":"146847","contentId":"943064","authorDomain":"kirklennon"}

#5.3 - Thu Sep 6, 2007 1:54 AM EDT

{"commentId":1002624,"authorDomain":"kyleb"}

Kyle Baxter

I don't know if I have been lucky or what, but besides minor, completely-unnoticeable scratches on the chrome bezel, my iPhone has not received any real damage yet, and it goes around with me everywhere completely naked. I make sure most of the time that it has a pocket for itself, but there have been more than a few times when my car keys and coins have ended up in the pocket for a while, and no damage came of it.

{"commentId":1002624,"threadId":"146847","contentId":"943064","authorDomain":"kyleb"}

1 vote

#5.4 - Thu Sep 6, 2007 1:57 AM EDT

{"commentId":1003025,"authorDomain":"sphinx"}

Jack Huang

I plan on getting a set of full-body protection film for my iPhone.

I'd like to provide at least some "just in case" insurance for my $400 investment.

{"commentId":1003025,"threadId":"146847","contentId":"943064","authorDomain":"sphinx"}

#5.5 - Thu Sep 6, 2007 8:28 AM EDT

{"commentId":1003140,"authorDomain":"brianford"}

Brian Ford

Does the screen protector cover the entire face of the iPhone?

Yeah -- it has a circular cutout for the home button, and a little cutout at the top for whatever that thing is. Other than that, the entire front (stopping at the chrome edge) is covered.

{"commentId":1003140,"threadId":"146847","contentId":"943064","authorDomain":"brianford"}

4 votes

#5.6 - Thu Sep 6, 2007 9:18 AM EDT

{"commentId":1003353,"authorDomain":"kirklennon"}

Kirk Lennon

Yeah -- it has a circular cutout for the home button, and a little cutout at the top for whatever that thing is. Other than that, the entire front (stopping at the chrome edge) is covered.

But that's just my point. That part of the iPhone doesn't get scratched regardless of what you do to it. I'm not sure I even own an object physically capable of scratching the glass. I suppose I could ask to borrow someone's engagement ring, if I were determined to scratch it.

{"commentId":1003353,"threadId":"146847","contentId":"943064","authorDomain":"kirklennon"}

#5.7 - Thu Sep 6, 2007 10:36 AM EDT

{"commentId":1003385,"authorDomain":"brianford"}

Brian Ford

Look, if it's physically possible, no matter how unlikely, to scratch something, I will find a way to scratch it. Trust me. If there's a .000000000000000000001 shot at dropping it in just the right way, at the right time of year, against the right type of rock, while a certain cow is giving birth to a kitten beast during a full-moon, I will manage to do it.

And then I will be pissed. A $10 set of screen protectors is a small price to pay, especially considering it does absolutely nothing to affect the aesthetic of the device.

{"commentId":1003385,"threadId":"146847","contentId":"943064","authorDomain":"brianford"}

2 votes

#5.8 - Thu Sep 6, 2007 10:45 AM EDT

{"commentId":1004897,"authorDomain":"kirklennon"}

Kirk Lennon

My disdain for screen protectors comes from repeatedly seeing iPods with horribly scratched protectors, sometimes literally falling off. I mean, what's the point of protecting the screen if you're just going to be looking at it through a scratched-up protector anyway? But if spending a few bucks lets you sleep better at night, by all means, go ahead.

{"commentId":1004897,"threadId":"146847","contentId":"943064","authorDomain":"kirklennon"}

#5.9 - Thu Sep 6, 2007 9:04 PM EDT

{"commentId":1004986,"authorDomain":"brianford"}

Brian Ford

1) My screen protector isn't really scratched up, but I can't speak for others.

2) It costs very little to replace the protector, and a helluva lot to replace an iPhone.

{"commentId":1004986,"threadId":"146847","contentId":"943064","authorDomain":"brianford"}

1 vote

#5.10 - Thu Sep 6, 2007 9:44 PM EDT

{"canLink":false,"threadId":"146847","isPrivate":false}

KYLE BAXTER

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Steve Jobs live: Apple Selling Ringtones for... ¢99?

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