Buyer's Guide Update: Apple iPhone, Black Friday Sales
Several readers have noticed that our Buyer's Guide has recently changed the iPhone recommendation to "Don't Buy - Updates Soon" despite no recent rumors about a new iPhone update.
The Buyer's Guide generates some of its recommendations automatically based on historic product life cycles. For a product like the iPhone, however, which has only been on the market for a short period of time, these product cycles can be less predictive.
The relatively short product cycles for the iPhone reflect the fact that Apple has made regular adjustments to the iPhone's price and storage capacity. Only 2 months after its initial release in 2007, Apple dropped the price of the 8GB iPhone down $200. Then in February, Apple boosted the maximum storage capacity of the iPhone from 8GB to 16GB.
These regular short updates are why the Buyer's Guide recommendation has changed, but Apple has said they are not going to be updating any more products in 2008. So, any new updates wouldn't realistically be seen until early 2009. And Apple has said that they will continue to improve and aggressively price the iPhone in the future.
Regardless, readers should probably wait until Friday before buying any new Apple hardware since Apple and other retailers will be offering Black Friday After Thanksgiving sales. BestBuy, PowerMax and Amazon are already advertising their Black Friday sales, and we believe that both Apple and MacMall will also be offering their traditional discounts on Friday. Last year's discounts were as high as $300 off high end MacBook Pros.
The Buyer's Guide generates some of its recommendations automatically based on historic product life cycles. For a product like the iPhone, however, which has only been on the market for a short period of time, these product cycles can be less predictive.
The relatively short product cycles for the iPhone reflect the fact that Apple has made regular adjustments to the iPhone's price and storage capacity. Only 2 months after its initial release in 2007, Apple dropped the price of the 8GB iPhone down $200. Then in February, Apple boosted the maximum storage capacity of the iPhone from 8GB to 16GB.
These regular short updates are why the Buyer's Guide recommendation has changed, but Apple has said they are not going to be updating any more products in 2008. So, any new updates wouldn't realistically be seen until early 2009. And Apple has said that they will continue to improve and aggressively price the iPhone in the future.
Regardless, readers should probably wait until Friday before buying any new Apple hardware since Apple and other retailers will be offering Black Friday After Thanksgiving sales. BestBuy, PowerMax and Amazon are already advertising their Black Friday sales, and we believe that both Apple and MacMall will also be offering their traditional discounts on Friday. Last year's discounts were as high as $300 off high end MacBook Pros.
Top Rated Comments
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42 months ago
I really hope that the iPhone gets a storage boost to 32GB at or around Macworld 2009.
42 months ago
The iPhone was not discounted in any way last year on Black Friday, was it?
42 months ago
The iPhone was not discounted in any way last year on Black Friday, was it?
I don't think it was, as they dropped the price of the iPhone sometime in October or September, IIRC, then gave those who bought it early some sort of rebate (I wasn't really into the iPhone then, so my memory is a bit foggy on that).
What I think could happen is that Apple could start to offer the iPhone 3G without the subsidy (read: contract free) for a cheaper price than what they initially announced. That would make a really good Black Friday sale.
BL.
42 months ago
Does anyone think that the new unibody MBP's will be discounted on Friday?:confused:
42 months ago
Slow news day at macrumors eh?
Exactly what I was thinking!
I doubt we will see any price reductions on the iPhone in the near future.
42 months ago
Does anyone think that the new unibody MBP's will be discounted on Friday?:confused:
No. Apple discounts its consumer products.
42 months ago
Does anyone think that the new unibody MBP's will be discounted on Friday?:confused:
No. Apple discounts its consumer products.
I don't think Apple usually discounts their Pro line products, but it looks like Best Buy will be. Read this article posted by AppleInsider: Best Buy cuts prices on Apple's Mac line for 4-day sale.
42 months ago
anyone knows if and when there will be discounts in europe (netherlands)?
And will Apple also give it on top of the student discounts?
And will Apple also give it on top of the student discounts?
42 months ago
anyone knows if and when there will be discounts in europe (netherlands)?
And will Apple also give it on top of the student discounts?
The Black Friday discounts don't apply if you use the student discount... at least that's how it's always been here in the US.
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