Apple extends iPhone rebates

Stephen Withers
Friday, 07 September 2007 02:01

Your IT - Mobility

While defending the decision to reduce the price of the iPhone by $US200, Apple has decided to offer a rebate to those who bought at the original price and cannot take advantage of price protection schemes. The rebate will take the form of $US100 credit towards any product at the Apple Store (physical or online). That is not quite as good as getting a cash rebate, nor will it cost Apple the full amount per customer.

"Our early customers trusted us, and we must live up to that trust with our actions in moments like these," said Apple CEO Steve Jobs in an open letter. "We want to do the right thing for our valued iPhone customers. We apologize for disappointing some of you, and we are doing our best to live up to your high expectations of Apple."

Details of the scheme will be published on Apple's web site next week.

Jobs' letter did not give any explanation for the price cut other than saying "we have the chance to 'go for it' this holiday season" and that "It benefits both Apple and every iPhone user to get as many new customers as possible in the iPhone 'tent'."

One thing he did emphasise was the march of technology means lower prices and new products are always on the horizon. That's true, but a drastic price cut so soon after a product's introduction is always going to leave a nasty taste in early adopters' mouths.