I’ve been thinking about my earlier post a little more. You know, I’m no marketing guru or press relations expert, but I can’t help but think that Apple might have opened up a whole can of worms: a possible marketing disaster? I do appreciate that there is a breach of contract in play (by those folks who unlocked their iPhones), but if every contract was enforced in this way, where would we be? Surely customer alienation isn’t the right option?
I guess that Apple are simply covering themselves if AT&T decided to seek compensation for the lost revenue. Working out how much that compensation might be is anybody’s guess – are Apple able to identify and quantify all the unlocked iPhones that are in use? Probably not. Instead, they rely on the fact that folks always want the latest and greatest, so they release a firmware update that is capable of identifying unlocked iPhones at source, then it disables them. I would imagine that makes for one rather upset customer (“upset” probably doesn’t really do the customer’s feelings that much justice, but it’ll do for this blog, thanks!)
Has Apple shot itself in the foot?
Do you think Apple were right to release firmware that essentially disables the iPhone if it’s not on an AT&T network?
How else could Apple have dealt with this sitution?
Tell me what you think please!
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On another note, I couldn’t help but notice my Google Ads on the iPhone post…the irony of the ads still offering iPhone unlocks!
Related Information
BBC – Apple iPhone warning proves true
Gizmodo’s recommendation
Customers are not ‘brand accessories’
http://nanocr.eu/ (specifcally this and also this)
Technorati Tags: iPhone, iPhone unlocked, hacked iPhone, Apple, AT&T
I like your cartoon.
Has Apple shot itself in the foot? Probably.
Do I care? Not really.
I am not a fan of Apple products. I’ve heard enough from people who tell me what their products can’t do to come to the conclusion that it is expensive style with little substance.
You know, I think you missed your calling; Perhaps you should do a regular cartoon strip featuring fruit… Fruitoons.
[…] Related Posts Has Apple shot itself in the foot? What do you think? […]
No surprise even Apple’s hype making much fun here…. too much of dependancy.
Here is a video taken by someone who brought their bricked iphone to a genuis bar …..
http://tinyurl.com/26df3q
Now this is another reason why you should not get an iPhone!
Craig you are in the wrong job! The cartoons are amazing!
Its totally uncool how they choose to do this.
Kinda makes you go off the idea of getting one in the first place.
The contract is steep too.
Not that I would get one anyway, I have a pda, mp3 player and a phone.
I’m keeping with my sony phone, its the dogs nuts.
Does everything I want it to do and much, much more. 🙂
BigKen.
Via an anonymous contributor:
“Apple are completely entitled to cut out breaches in their security. This is because such breaches impacts their business model. The success of innovative companies rests on their ability to develop technologies and then recoup that investment in the market place. This is a cycle activity which already has significant risk associated with it. Without sufficient reward at the end of an innovative development cycle, it is less likely that that development activity will be initiated in the first place. The stifling of innovation is in no-ones interest.
Would people prefer that there was no iPod, iTunes or iPhone? Surely only those with a vested interest in a competitor, or those with no sense of ‘cool’ would argue against them. At the same time there are already legislative bodies in place to ensure that business is conducted in a fair manner. Dept T&I, European commission, M&MC, etc. The purpose of such bodies is to ensure that if a new market is developed that competition must be encouraged, and be allowed to thrive.
If Apple’s business agreements were sufficiently unfair, then they would be declared illegal. Until that time, sorry folks… if you want an iPhone, you should get the approved contract or be prepared for the consequences. As a further comment, I’d add that there are several other ways in by which consumers can bring their arguments to bear to force a change of plan, such as lack of AT&T service in their areas, the AT&T plans being incompatible with existing commitments to other plans where there are other benefits (e.g. free calls in network).”