Consumers Greet the iPhone with High Hopes
The iphone release date is set for June 29, 2007 and consumers are eagerly awaiting the chance to purchase the iPhone. When Apple initially announced the creation of the iPhone, in January of 2007, Apple devotees shuddered at the thought of waiting for the iphone release date set six months in the future. People already familiar with and using Apple products do not seem to balk at the iPhone price, which is substantially higher than average mobile phones. The 4GB iPhone retails for $499 while the 8GB iPhone retails for $599. However, the iPhone is so much more than just a mobile phone. The iPhone has all the usual features of a mobile phone but also includes Apple’s trademark MP3 player, a high-speed internet browser, a 2.0 megapixel camera, and many new features that help buyers justify the iPhone price. For consumers to purchase each feature of the separately, the cost would be much higher than the iPhone price, making the iPhone quite reasonable by comparison. Additionally, prior to the iphone release date, Apple announced a longer battery life for the iPhone and an upgraded touchscreen, ensuring a better optical quality for users. If all the current features still are not enough to ensure the rapid sale of the iPhone, Apple is constantly announcing further upgrades available for the iPhone, including applications that will be available for download on the iPhone, increasing the versatility and possible uses for the iPhone and thus further balancing out the iPhone price. The wide range of uses and features combined with the small size and high quality of the iPhone make the iPhone the most advanced mobile device available to date. Currently, the main concern for consumers waiting to purchase the iPhone is the availability of the iPhone after the iphone release date. Apple has an exclusive contract for distributing the iPhone with AT&T mobile until 2008. Additionally, in order to purchase and use the iPhone, consumers must sign into a two year service contract with AT&T mobile. As the initial exclusive carrier of the iPhone, AT&T mobile has attempted to guarantee a reliable mobile network and a range of service plans to accommodate every user. For many mobile phone users, neither the iPhone price nor the necessity of switching service carriers is a deterrent from having the chance to explore the myriad features offered by Apple’s iPhone.