Users unwilling to pay Apple's iPhone price

If you like this article you can read more computer/high tech related news daily here: http://www.xomba.com/xombyte/buggsbunny Apple's decision to announce premium pricing for the iPhone will likely play a significant role in the adoption of the consumer device, but if the Cupertino-based company keeps its current pricing scheme -- which starts at $499 -- it may face significant challenges in attracting large numbers of customers. A new study released Thursday found that consumers are not willing to pay either $599 for the 8GB or $499 for the 4GB model; however, if pricing is cut significantly, the device may attract new customers to AT&T. Market research firm Compete found that about 25 percent respondents were likely to buy an iPhone, but that only one percent would pay $500. The report also indicates the pricing will likely change, either at launch -- as Apple has done with product introductions in the past -- or soon after to target the mass market.

The company found, however, that a much larger number of consumers are willing to pay between $200 and $300, according to a report published by PC World. The online market research firm Compete surveyed 379 people in the U.S., most of whom had heard of the iPhone and have shopped for an iPod.

Among the 26 percent of respondents who said they're likely to buy an iPhone, more than 40 percent said they'd pay $200 to $299.

The survey indicated that AT&T's compromises to achieve an exclusive deal with Apple may pay off. Nearly 60 percent of those in the survey who said they were likely to buy Apple's iPhone also said they'd switch their mobile operator in order to get it, the report said.

Not for corporate use, despite price drop

Although it has been compared to other corporate data devices, Apple's iPhone will likely face significant challenges in the enterprise market, but should garner greater adoption as the company begins to lower pricing.

Bear Stearns analyst Andy Neff said that products such as Research In Motion's Blackberry cater to the enterprise and that the iPhone is not well positioned for this market.

"Even though there's talk about this as an alternative to RIM, it's not a corporate product," Neff said in a conference call to discuss the results of the study. Apple's iPhone heralds a paradigm shift in consumers purchases toward smartphones and signals the the emergence of niches within the category, he said.

The report notes that Apple has been known to announce a product with one price, but sell it for less on launch. Apple TV, for example, was expected to cost $399 but sells for $299, the analyst said. Even if the phone is not discounted at launch, Neff believes that lower pricing will be Apple's goal in the months after its US launch in June.

"The phone may start out around $500 because early adopters will pay that," Neff told PC World. "But pricing will likely drop by $100 to $200 to target the mass market." If you liked this article you can read more computer/high tech related news daily here: http://www.xomba.com/xombyte/buggsbunny

Apple's iPhone: A Whole New Type of Marketing.

Apple's iPhone will be offered to consumers in June of 2007 with the whopping price tag ranging from $500 to $600. The iPhone represents a new level in personal technology that brings touch screen abilities, cellular phone usage, and personal computer capabilities into individual's hands. Because this technology will be in the hands of millions this also makes it an effective marketing medium.

Think of the average business professional who uses his iPhone to call clients, schedule meetings, browse the internet, keep PowerPoint presentations, send text messages, watch movies, play video games, listen to music, etc. The iPhone will become to his/her their mobile computer that will be an important piece to his/her life. Wouldn't it make sense for marketing companies to use the iPhone to get their messages across as well?

Since the iPhone has so many different types of uses and may possibly collect data on its customers it is possible to target certain demographics using a multitude of messages. This marketing mix could include phone calls, text messages, internet advertising, direct mail (information taken from point of purchase), advertising on the software of the program itself, messages in movies, etc. It is now possible to cover many different types of mediums allowing iPhone users to exclusively be the recipients of these messages.

A very important aspect of the iPhone marketing program will be the collected data from the users. For example, a particular high-tech type of consumer will purchase the phones. When they bring the phone to the store counter they will reveal information about themselves, when they fill in their personal information on the iPhone they will reveal something about themselves, and during their normal activities on the iPhone they will reveal something about themselves. This collected information will give a marketing company superb advertising power that is sure to be a major portion of their revenue.


About the Author
Murad Ali is a three time book author, a Ph.D. candidate, and a human resource manager. For more articles please visit http://www.thenewbusinessworld.blogspot.com

4 iPhone features you will love!

iPhone iPod feature

The iPhone is not only a mobile phone. No no. When you buy an iPhone you will also get an iPod! This iPod function is very nice because of the big screen. You can play music as well as video.

iPhone visual voicemail feature

The iPhone also has a very nice voicemail function. It's a so called visual voicemail. With the visual voicemail you can go directly to any message. You don't have to listen to the other messages first. I think this is a very nice iPhone feature. Now you don't have to waste any time by listening to other messages...

iPhone internet feature

The iPhone features a HTML email client and the best mobile browser, Safari. You can easily synchronize bookmarks from your Mac or PC.

iPhone Google maps feature

With Google maps and the maps application from the iPhone you can view maps and satellite images. You can also go directly to traffic information. A nice feature nowadays...

There are a lot more iPhone features but the four I mentioned are a few reasons why I will by the iPhone. I also like the touch function. No more buttons to press...

Another thing I like are it's looks. It has a nice 3.5 screen. I only think that the iPhone is rather big. I don't think it will fit in pocket anymore.. But with such a nice looking phone I'm not embarrassed to show it to the world!

Check out more iPhone features on my iPhone features blog.



About the Author
Karel Geenen writes on his iPhone weblog about the iPhone features.

Great Expectations up Apple Iphone

Finally, Apple are entering the mobile communications market.
Hard Cupertino company are working at it, with a never-ending torrent of television and internet advertising.
For those who make attention to my site, i give a quick features of the new apple Iphone today.
Take you a look at image. The IPhone comes with an sleek black finish, with beveled edges.
IPhone includes three devices in one: mobile phone, a widescreen iPod, and a breakthrough Internet communications device.
Designed for enjoing video, photos and music the phone, do not has a classic keypad but an slide keypad, While the large external widescreen with touch screen technology, took up all the space of front body.
Iphone boast an unique operating system never seen on mobile device.
Apple has chosen GSM technology for the iPhone. GSM provides the best global solution for our customers today and into the future with 3G and beyond. iPhone uses quad-band GSM. It also supports Cingular's EDGE network, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR, which links to Apple's new, remarkably compact Bluetooth headset.
It also includes an desktop-class email, maps, web browsing, and searching - into one small and lightweight handheld device.
Quad-band GSM plus EDGE
3.5" touch screen at 160ppi (320 × 480)
Just 11.6mm thick, which is thinner than the Q or BlackJack.
Bluetooth 2.0
WiFi (802.11b/g)
2 megapixel camera
OS X Operatin system
8GB of storage
voicemail
up to 16 hours of playback.
The new Iphone models from 4GB($499) and 8GB($599), go on sale in store and online starting on june with 2-year service agreement.
Check out the images.

Nicola Deiana works in software development since 2000s, with emphasis on software requirements and development methodology. He is the author of the3dtechnologies.com, a popular site for lovers of the technology.

iphone

The iPhone is a wireless handheld device announced by Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs during his keynote speech at the Macworld conference on 9 January 2007.[1] The device is a 2.75G quad band GSM and EDGE cell phone. iPhone supports push e-mail, mobile telephone, text messaging, Safari web browsing and other wireless information services. In addition, the touchscreen device also includes functionality found in the iPod series of media players and runs a specially modified version of the Mac OS X operating system. It will come equipped with Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/)) and Bluetooth 2.0, as well as a 2.0-megapixel camera. It will be symmetrical both horizontally and vertically, for user 'tilting' to view videos.
The iPhone is designed for multi-tasking, so users can read a web page while downloading email in the background over Wi-Fi or EDGE
Specifications

• Smudge free Lens Coating
• Icon-based GUI interface
• Integrated Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), EDGE, and Bluetooth
• 2.0 megapixel camera
• Runs OS X - Safari web browser - A widget engine
• Widescreen iPod music, video and photo functionality - iPod portion features CoverFlow interface and 3-D effects
• Multi-touch screen interface (the "Home" button is the iPhone's only physical button) - Large on-screen QWERTY keyboard - Fingertip scrolling, pan, and zoom (by splaying two fingers) functions
• Built-in rechargeable battery with up to 5 hours of talk/video/browsing or up to 16 hours of audio playback