Apple to milk/re-charge buyers of iPod Touch for hardware that already exists on their device

[Craig]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 10:08am

http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=3988&tag=nl.e589

thoughts?

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 10:50am

Not a bit surprised.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 11:27am

This is the same **** as that $20 "software upgrade". Except this time they can't pull that "Sarbanes-Oxley" BS. The capability is ALREADY IN THE HARDWARE!

Shameful.

[Craig]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 11:31am

Personally, I don't care about the cost - nor will I even use bluetooth on my ipod touch - but I do think the principle, business model and precedent it sets it wrong. Even if the cost was $1, to be allowed to use something you've already paid for is a bit underhanded. Interestingly enough - my blackberry curve just got updated software with a ton of new features and unlocked things the device couldn't do before and it didn't cost me a dime.

And although never on the original spec sheet, it was known the chipset was there to anyone ready anything about the device online. I guess it's the issue of ownership. Apple wants to say (so to speak) that they "own" the bluetooth chipset in the device people bought.

Just because I didn't know it was there doesn't mean I still don't own the hardware.

Imagine if you bought a car and one day you were told that there was a computer chip on the gas line which would increase your gas mileage by 30% but you had to pay to get a code to activate it.

Or what if Apple decided in Gen4 to give expanded memory or battery power but not put it inthe specs - only to turn around a few months later and charge you to increase your battery life or memory? Just a bid shady. Smart business for them - but ultimately a bit shady

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 11:40am

I don't think it is smart business for them at all. With each passing year, Apple's practices are getting shadier and shadier, and in this economy, it could easily backfire on them. Especially if another company with a similar device can take advantage of the situation and offer a more versatile high-quality device at a lower cost.

I am so glad I gave up my ipods a few years ago. Definitely one of the smartest decisions I made.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 11:51am

"With each passing year, Apple's practices are getting shadier and shadier"

Mary!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 12:40pm

Yeah, I know. Clutch the pearls!

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 12:46pm

How ridiculous. I'll definitely won't be paying an extra $10 to active this. I find it preposterous and yes, incredibly shady, that they would do this especially if the hardware is already installed. How absurd.

[turquoisefish]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 5:23pm

You paid for an iPod Touch with no bluetooth and you will still have one if you don't pay so you haven't lost anything

The upgrade to 3.0 does a heck of a lot more than turn on the Bluetooth, 2.x software has no use for Bluetooth so just turning it on wouldn't solve anything.

It is a similar arguement to people who but a computer on Monday and a new one comes out on Wednesday. You still have what you paid for.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 5:43pm

But even Apple will make accommodations when that happens.

[DAME]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 5:49pm

Most of you bitches don't need any of that crap anyway. I am shocked that Iphones have been around all these months without sms or cut and paste.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 6:56pm

I don't even know what SMS is, my iPhone has bluetooth that I keep turned off since I have no use for it, and I think there have been two times since July I wished I could highlight, cut and paste. When that function becomes available with the free software upgrade to the iPhone in July, I'm sure it'll just take a few days for me to wonder how I ever lived without it, but otherwise it's been a perfect gadget for me.

[Craig]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 8:56pm

Well there's where I disagree with you. Technically I bought an Ipod WITH bluetooth - just not enabled.

Your computer analogy is incorrect.

If I bought a computer and someone else bought a newer model (for less) and BOTH had hardware in it that did something yet one was activated and the other wasn't - but was a "pay to play" feature - I would not have what I paid for.

This is perhaps a better analogy.

If I bought a house and after the contract was signed and I had been living in it for a few months - the seller told me "oh - there's a hideen door and behind it there's another room which has pool table - but the room is locked. If you want the key, you need to send me $10.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 10:13pm

I think it would be worth the ten dollars because even if you didn't play pool you would probably get at least twice that for the pool table on Craigslist.

[wicked_beast4]

Posted: 3/19/09 at 10:37pm

God, this complaining is ridiculous. Although yes, the hardware is already on the device, as turquoisefish said, it would be of no use to have activated.

And Craig, your comparison to your Blackberry is just as incorrect as, according to you, turquoisefish's was.

You received an amazing Blackberry update free of charge, while you have to pay for Apple's new installment. The thing is, you are still, and always will, be continuously paying for your Blackberry. They are still making money off of you from your monthly bills, so they are able to provide this update for free. The same is with iPhone users. Your monthly phone bill payment is like your payment for the update. That's why the iPhone's update will be free, while the iTouch's will still cost you. Once you buy your iTouch, besides from the apps and songs you buy, they don't get any more money from you, it's a one time deal. So for them to still make at least some money off of the huge percentages that just own iTouches instead of iPhones, they have to charge you. It's not really that hard to comprehend.

edit: and Namo, SMS is a standard text message, no pictures or multimedia. It actually means "short message service", for there is a maximum of, I think, 160 characters. I think DAME meant MMS, multimedia messaging service. The iPhone has had sms since the beginning.

Updated On: 3/19/09 at 10:37 PM

[Craig]

Posted: 3/20/09 at 9:01am

Wicked

I wasn't complaining per se - read my post. PERSONALLY I don't care. I don't need bluetooth in my itouch.

And I understand all the business decisions behind it. But as you wrote yourself, "So for them to still make at least some money off of the huge percentages that just own iTouches instead of iPhones, they have to charge you. "

They don't HAVE to charge. They are deciding to charge because they want to create a profit center. I don't begrudge it - however I do think that it realms on shady.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 3/20/09 at 10:01am

I won't be activating Bluetooth on mine either. I doubt I would use it even if I didn't have to pay for it.

This 3.0 update worries me - how much am I going to have to pay for features that should have frickin' been there in the first place - background processing, push notification, copy paste?

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/20/09 at 10:19am

Ten bucks total. If you want to take the worry out of it, get a jar and at the end of every day throw all of your pocket change in it. By the time July rolls around you'll be well on your way to having the ten bucks and it won't be such a cause for worry! I saw it on Suze Orman, and it works!

[Craig]

Posted: 3/20/09 at 10:39am

What if you don't use cash, Namo. What if you are completely reliant on using a debit card for all your purchases. Pray tell - WHAT DO YOU DO THEN MAN?!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/20/09 at 10:55am

Suze would point out that many banks, like Of America, offer a "keep the change" style program that rounds UP to the nearest dollar on every purchase you make using your debit card and transfers the difference from your checking to your savings account. Some banks even match the amount up to a maximum annual total.

So use those debit cards and keep an eye on your savings, et voila, you'll be cutting and pasting on your iPod Touch in no time!

[Craig]

Posted: 3/20/09 at 10:59am

You must work at the Genius Bar Namo - you have an answer for everything.

Now - what if you are altruistic and give your change to panhandlers (or former employees of financial institutions)on the street. Are you suggesting that one should not give to the poor, but instead "keep the change" so that they might afford this upgrade?

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/20/09 at 11:06am

Unfortunately my genius is purely amateur status. I never made the pros because I tested positive for gingko.

Many people feel it's better to give money to non-profit social service agencies than directly to panhandlers. However, if a person prefers to do that, obviously they pay with cash and not debit. One could divide the pocket change and give half to panhandlers and put the other half in the change jar. Even if one has only five dollars in the jar by July when the software update becomes available, it takes a bit of the sting out of having to pay for the upgrade. Think of it as a half off sale!!

[Craig]

Posted: 3/20/09 at 11:18am

Wait - Pandhandlers aren't supposed to have debit machines?

be right back - have to make some calls