iPhone interest is high if price is right

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iPhone interest is high if price is right

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster believes that Apple’s long-rumored iPhone needs to be priced around $300 to gain significant traction. In his latest research report, Munster estimates the average price of music enabled phones currently available in the U.S. to be $317, and notes that now is the time for Apple to release such a product. The analyst also offers survey data from Apple Expo in Paris, which finds that 74% of European Apple customers would be highly likely to buy an iPhone that holds 1,000 songs. “Price is clearly a consideration, however, and many customers indicated that they feel that an iPhone has the same value as Apple’s high capacity iPods,” Munster said. Specifically, the consumers said, on average, they would pay $285 for such a product. Munster expects Apple will announce an iPhone sometime in the next 3-6 months.

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Comments

1

(Keep in mind that I am, and have been, an avid consumer of Apple products. A self-described “Mac addict” on occasion. I only own one iPod, though—the iPod Shuffle.)

It is highly likely that most mobile phone DAPs will play more audio formats than any phone that Apple brings to market. Even Microsoft’s Zune (not a phone, I know—but with Wifi included, there’s always the possibility of Internet phone) will include the ability to play AAC audio. Unless Apple includes the ability to play more audio formats, I think the iPhone won’t sell as well as their iPod.

Posted by Harold J. Johnson on September 22, 2006 at 9:30 AM (PDT)

2

Like all mobile phones the price of admission is too high (artificially high)—unless you are willing to sign an annually based contract (the hook, whereby you are charged what the phone is really worth, but obligated for a certain term). Reoccurring monthly fees and services…ahhhh the good capitalism life.

iPhone if you phone, but only if the iPhone is reasonably priced with both plan and package.

Posted by FahrenheiPod 451 on September 22, 2006 at 12:17 PM (PDT)

3

Bleee. I have little need for a music phone, although it would be nice if it had good iTunes integration and the matching interface.

What we want to see from Apple is a cellphone that WORKS, and WORKS WELL. Stable. Highly responsive interface. No crashes. Like they used to make phones in the 90s, if you remember phones that just worked. It has to integrate perfectly with Mac OS X. I want to be able to use it as a remote for the Mac at home, or maybe even on the go. All in a sturdy yet attractive scratchproof case. Plus 1 or 2 nifty features only Apple could come up with.

I would rather pay more and get a good product with functional features than some bland thingy “with iTunes”.

Posted by Bad Beaver on September 23, 2006 at 4:06 AM (PDT)

4

I would like to have a phone that does LESS.

Every non-phone capability on every phone out there is done half-assed.

Games, camera, music, video, web, whatever. It’s all a joke. And now Apple can come along and change mobile phone history? Well, that would be really good if they could…

Posted by joseph on September 24, 2006 at 2:56 PM (PDT)

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