Iphone 4

[Dave]

Originally Posted by pauldun170

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/mobile/....html?hpt=Sbin

How much more proof you you need? Yeesh

[Trip]

Poor Steve isn't going to like being in Microsoft's position in the cell phone industry. Now he has to deal with all the crap he didn't get as a boutique company in the computer industry for so long.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Trip

Poor Steve isn't going to like being in Microsoft's position in the cell phone industry. Now he has to deal with all the crap he didn't get as a boutique company in the computer industry for so long.

Bout time

[jtemple]

http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/...video-2010072/

[KSGregman]

"The reason for this reaction by Best Buy is the Apple connection. Best Buy management are fearful that Apple could cut them off if the video was ever linked back to them."

This....

[anthonyk]

Originally Posted by KSGregman

"The reason for this reaction by Best Buy is the Apple connection. Best Buy management are fearful that Apple could cut them off if the video was ever linked back to them."

This....

That's one guy's opinion, and a bunch of crap (in my opinion). Any company with a tight connection to another is going to avoid things that might make that relationship go south. I knew I could count on you to make Apple the bad guy here, though.

Should the guy have been suspended/fired? Dunno, but it doesn't sound like it.

[Particle Man]

Maupin is now suspended, but was asked to quit first. He refused and now the company is trying to fire him.

Did he violate a company policy by making the video? Did he do it on company time?

[Dave]

What. Fuck.

[Homeslice]

AT&T pays $622 for every iPhone 4, says Sony Ericsson

Geek.com Jun. 30, 2010 (5:13 pm) By: Matthew Humphries

Although Apple has never disclosed how much it sells the iPhone for to mobile operators like AT&T, Sony Ericsson has been doing some calculations and believes it has worked out the price.

Hiroaki Kobayashi, marketing director of Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications has done some calculations based on number of phones shipped, number of sales, and Apple’s profit margins which are thought to be around 23%.

When you buy an iPhone 4 it will cost around $199. But Sony Ericsson believe it costs an operator like AT&T $622 to buy it from Apple. If you add in the prediction of iPhone costing $187.51 to manufacture, Apple is generating $434.49 in revenue on every iPhone sold. Not all of that will be profit as it covers costs such as R&D, marketing, distribution, and ongoing customer support.

While Apple may be generating lots of revenue, AT&T is $422 down on every sale, meaning it really needs you to stay on contract and spend a little more each month making calls and transferring data to start seeing a profit.

Sony Ericsson also pointed out the other areas Apple makes its money. We all know Apple takes a 30% cut from apps sold in the App Store, but it also makes a significant profit from the sales of accessories. That’s apparently because Apple does nothing more than sell its name to go on the accessories sold in Apple Stores. Third-party manufacturers produce the goods to a standard, then both companies make a profit from their sale. For Apple, it’s easy money.

Matthew’s Opinion

It’s interesting to look at the historical figures in the image above. The estimated wholesale cost in October last year for iPhone was $638, while the latest estimate puts that price lower by $16. Is iPhone 4 cheaper to produce than iPhone 3GS, or is it a case of larger orders pushing the price down?

What’s clear is that at the rate iPhone sells, Apple makes its costs back on the development of a smartphone very quickly. That combined with App Store sales and accessories show you why the company is so cash rich at the moment.

[goof2]

Originally Posted by Homeslice

AT&T pays $622 for every iPhone 4, says Sony Ericsson

I'm not surprised. AT&T started out charging a ton for the original iPhone but they were able to institute significant price drops. From what I read at the time they did this because their profit from service for iPhone owners was much better than what they made from service for other phones. AT&T decided to sell the equipment at a loss subsidized by some of the profit from service.

Sony should be familiar with this business model since it is supposed to be the same concept they employed with the PS3 system (sold at a loss) vs. games and accessories (where Sony makes money).