hihihihi

wow.

yeah, though i'm not ANGRY about the price drop per se, this all would be much easier to take not having to see this kind of stuff coming outta the apple camp (i/e these ads, jobs' "tough shit" comment, etc)

Thanks a lot Apple. Way to rub salt into an open wound.

it seems very un-apple...almost like they're on the defensive in some way. odd.

Yeah, I have to say... that's kinda what you get for wanting to be the hippest kid on the block.

Now that they've knocked a couple hundred off, they're actually worth considering now.

all tech will get smaller, faster, better and cheaper. it's just a matter of how long you're willing to wait.

Is it possible that the ad placement was done by a third party as a hoax? If you look at Google ads for Apple, the usually use www.apple.com/store as the URL, NOT store.apple.com.

I'm still waiting for the 16/32GB iPhones, or iPhone 2.0. Whichever comes first.

^^^

I agree. I saw an add for the Apple store as well and it was www.apple.com/store. This is either a hoax or a photoshop.

Anyone can purchase Google ads. This surly is not from Apple.

^^

NM. Not a photoshop. I searched for "apple iphone price drop" and that add came up.

Well, that's what we call "early adopter tax" at school.

That's about par for their attitude, IMHO. I live in Santa Monica and went into the A-store last night to see if any of the new merch or pricing was on display. I spoke to three Helpers or Geniuses or WETF they call themselves. Snotty, arrogant, unhelpful, each with one hell of a holier-than-thou attitude. No thanks, Steve...you can keep it! I'm just waiting for the TYTN II to show up...then we'll see who's gloating.

I smell Google flacks, since the new Google phone has "leaked" to the tech sites today. I don't get that ad (something for Java). But I'll bet if you trace it you'll end up at a Google marketing address - or better NO address, since it's actually on a Google server.

I was going to say it might be a terrorist strike by Palm. But while I love my Visor, and would wait to see the next gen Treo/OS before buying either phone, I also know that my beloved Palm just ain't that cunning...

After two more price cuts like that, I'll think about getting one.

Bwahaha! Finally, a reward from Apple for us patient gadget geeks that doesn't require buying refurbished (yep, I'm the guy buying the stuff you think doesn't work). I love it!

@wildness: You are right it is a 3rd party company:Nokia

@thomasora: It's what we call the Idiot Tax.

This is really just a viral marketing campaign for Nokias new Mosh mobile social network.

Is it real? I don't see it on Google, via the link or by typing in variations. Mr. Chen- did you see this yourself or was it sent to you?

Because if Apple really did this, I am irritated enough to write a letter Apple.

Where is everyone getting this "gloating" accusation from? Is it because he seems like he would gloat? If you read the interview his answer was "that's technology". It is. I bet your computer isn't worth 50% what it cost you when you bought it. Do you really think he said "tough shit" to his client base? I know you people WANT to hate him, but sheesh.

Well those guys who spent nights in front of the store did get a tshirt right?

@DeadWriter: Apple didn't do it, it was Nokia.

I just got the ad on google...it links to the Apple store. LOL.

anyone could have put that up, so it may not have been apple.

thats ok. The $200 for 2 months was totally worth it. I had girls tickling my butt for 2 months. Thanks iPhone!

I fail to see why people are so surprised that the price on a piece of electronics is dropping. If you bought an iPhone early, you felt the product was worth the price, or you wouldn't have bought it. To think the price wouldn't be lowered anytime soon seems pretty naive to me.

Okay, Nokia fist came out with an ad that said "Sorry early adopters iphone drops $200, salvage yours at Mosh. Mosh.Nokia.com"

Then Apple retured with"Congrats late adopters, iphone drops $200 now you get all the iphone for 2/3 the price. store.apple.com"

The URL in the ad contains an affiliate link. That's not from Apple.

But thanks, Giz, for validating your article beforehand. Hope the loss of journalistic integrity was worth the page views.

Apple didn't take out that ad. Google has pulled the ad, but before it was pulled the AdSense ID didn't match anything that Apple has used in the past.

As soon as Apple got a whiff of this one, I figure they must have sent a quick nastygram to Google's Ad department.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ! In all honesty they can offer the damn thing for free and I still don't want it.

Well on the apple site they have the 8 GB one for 399 USD, didn't the 4 GB version sell for 699 USD when it came out ??

Breaking news: Steve Jobs has an 'open letter to iphone users' on the apple website. Early adopters will get a $100 credit at the Apple Store for future purchases. That should ease the pain a bit.

It was probably an someone in the affiliate program.

[www.apple.com]

If you want to get back at them, click on the link in the ad.

well, that sleazy shit bag did the right thing, lowered the price, and even is giving all the whiney bitches out there $100 free dollars to use at the apple store.

[www.apple.com]

i knew the iPhone would drop in price, but damn. that was too fast.

@nintendodude: Yeah, that market force thing really SUCKS, eh?

Imagine - lowering the price. The nerve on that guy.

Early adopters always pay. My flatscreen TV dropped about 50% in a year. That hurts, too, but deal with it.

The fact that Steve Jobs now gives a $100 rebate on the Apple Store is pretty unparallelled, and yet you still call him names.

How bloody daft.

The early adopters have no right to be pissed about this. When it came out people were more than happy to wait in crazy lines and possibly even have to change their service provider just to have the honor of paying 600 bucks for a phone. They were the envy of all their friends because they possessed the Jesus phone.

For others it wasn't worth the money or hassle. Now that it is cheaper more people are considering it. Are the early adopters pissed because they spent more or are they pissed because more people will have them now? Either way it was worth 600 bucks back then or you would not have been an early adopter. Don't whine!

@icposse: wow I just read it. His Steveness. Such a classy cali ex hippie. :)

To everyone who is bitchin': QUIT YER WHINING. you had the damn iPhone for 2 fecking months already. that's the price you pay for being on the cutting edge (minus 100 for the Apple rebate, of course)

As an early adopter (I did not rush out to get one or wait in line), I was a little upset by the price drop. I'll get over it. It is just part of the risk when you feel compelled to buy something when it first comes out.

I think Apple made a critical mistake when they priced the iPhone and did not realize it until they selected a price point for the touch iPod. It is likely that they determined that they could not sell the iPod for any more than $299. With the new iPod priced at $299, who in the right mind would pay $300 more to get phone functionality that most cell phone providers give away (not to mention changing providers)?

@ghmlco: when did pointlessly bashing blog authors become all the rage?

seriously though ... who took the jam out of your doughnut?

It doesn't matter if the ad was from Apple or not.

Why is it forbidden to talk crap to your fanboys for a change? Apple is like that with everyone else. It should be no surprise in who you're dealing with.

jesus, Apple isn't the only company capable of buying AdWords for their products...

I sure got a laugh outta this one.

At least when I was a Tivo early adopter, they allowed us to transfer our lifetime subs (when they were around the $199 price point) to newer Tivos as they released. I think the rebate is a quick backpedal by Apple.

Time to use that price protection on your credit card!

Even Apple knows that early adoption of Apple products is foolhardy.