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For six years, the Internet Nexus served as my technology blog, but I've since started
blogging at the SuperSite Blog instead. If you're looking for the blog, please head there. --Paul
Monday, September 10, 2007
Jumping the iShark
The New York Times touches on the topic du jour:Let me get this straight: Steve Jobs insists that songs on iTunes cost 99 cents and television episodes cost $1.99 because consumers crave simple pricing.
Except, of course, when it comes to Apple’s own products.
There were wrinkles created by all the dynamic pricing. Customers who paid $599 when the iPhone came out two months ago saw their status drop from early adopter to, well, sucker, after Mr. Jobs cut the price of the device by a third. After Mr. Jobs was crucified for playing it too cute on the so-called “Jesus phone,” he issued a non-apology apology and a $100 store credit to help those early buyers salvage some dignity.
A pricing error? Absolutely. And when you think about it, the media companies Mr. Jobs is fighting with want the opportunity to make the same mistake.
Apple saying it would not carry television shows from the coming NBC season because the network wanted double the $1.99 price and NBC saying that was not true.
“Apple is not telling the truth. We never asked to double the wholesale price of our shows," said Cory Shields, a spokesman for NBC Universal. “Our negotiations were centered on our request for flexibility in wholesale pricing, including the ability to package shows together in ways that could make our content even more attractive for consumers.” This is interesting on a number of levels.
First, the hypocrisy thing is pretty obvious.
Second, that NBC has made its shows available on Amazon Unbox for less than they sold on iTunes is telling.
Finally, the "sucker" comment closely resembles the "stooge" line I used the other day. I guess we're on the same page when it comes to the gotta-have-it gadget crowd and the Monday morning quarterbacking scenario where people have actually argued that they've gotten $200 of value out of the past two months of iPhone use. Egads.Labels: Apple, Digital media, iPhone, iPod, iTunes
[ Posted at 1:33 PM | Permalink ]
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