Where Have All the iPhones Gone? Be Patient
Consumers and techies, alike, have been atwitter over the lack of availability of Apple iPhones worldwide. Everyone knows that a new, 3G-capable iPhone will be debuted soon. But, suddenly and without warning, iPhones vanished from Apple stores and Apple.com in early May. There’s been all kinds of speculation on Web sites and blogs that follow Apple, like MacRumors.com, about the reasons but none have gotten to the core, I believe, behind Apple’s reason (catch the pun?!)
Apple is unquestionably the most consumer-friendly company on the planet. If you have a question, they answer it. If you have an issue or problem, they fix it. If you wish to return something, they take it back with a smile and give you a refund. Unfortunately, a lot of consumers have taken advantage of Apple on that last point. Consequently, Apple is being smart about the introduction of the new iPhone.
CEO Steve Jobs will take a stage on Monday, June 9, at Apple’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference in San Francisco, and he will unveil the new 3G model iPhone. The date is one month from when iPhone availability officially ended … 30 days and past Apple’s return and refund window.
It’s a brilliant and bold move of great integrity by Apple because it makes for a clean introduction of a refined product. Apple is taking away the chance for controversy, as it has experienced in the past, caused by consumers who buy an Apple product and then demand an exchange or refund when a newer model comes along.
We will be watching to see how it plays out. In the meantime, I love my first generation iPhone.
Filed Under: Apple • Competitive Positioning • Reputation management • iPhone
About the Author: David is a veteran communications strategist ... writer ... blogger ... online publisher ... and Emmy Award winning former CBS Network News correspondent. He lives in the Washington, D. C., area, and works worldwide.
