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General discussion

New iTouch Pricing?

Jun 24, 2009 8:17AM PDT

Since the release of the iPhone 3Gs the price of all the previous iPhones has dropped, so why hasn't the price of the iTouch changed?

Discussion is locked

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because the iPhone is subsidized
Jun 24, 2009 12:38PM PDT

And you're not paying AT&T a minimum of $70/month (plus taxes) for two years. That's the lowest calling plan PLUS the $30/month data plan that you're required to have and does not include text messaging. Pricing without a contract is $599 for 16GB and $699 for 32GB.

However, you will probably see lower pricing with the next iPod Touch update. If the past is any indication, this will be announced in early September, shortly after Labor Day.

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subsidized...
Jun 26, 2009 8:52AM PDT

iphone is subsidized, but the difference between retail price and manufacturing cost of the iphone is around $400... most sites put the manufacturing cost of the iphone at around $200. sure apple has to make a profit but the itouch should cost much less than the iphone to manufacture.

3GS manufacturing price -
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090624-710917.html

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sorry, I don't subscribe to the WSJ
Jun 26, 2009 3:48PM PDT

So, I can't read the article. All I can say it is what it is. This question came up last year. Did Apple lower the Touch's prices at the same time as the iPhone 3G launch? No. Will they do it this time? Well, iPhone 3Gs has already launched. Officially, no lower prices for the Touch. Could also be because Apple does not want to cannibalize iPhone sales in favor of the Touch. At this point, I wouldn't want to buy an iPod Touch anyway. There will more than likely be a new one in September. Expect lower pricing then. I was hoping last year for a 64GB version...maybe this year? Or maybe at CES in January?

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sorry about that
Jun 26, 2009 4:41PM PDT

here's another link:
http://mashable.com/2009/06/24/iphone-3gs-cost/

the past is a good indicator of the future. but i'm not inclined to think its because they don't want to cannibalize sales. i'm more inclined to believe that apple is simply doing business. the touch and iphone cater a different markets shares given the cost of entry/use and the obvious tech difference of one being a phone. although the line does fade to gray in the interface category and app store. i think we can definitely expect a 64GB. lower pricing, i hope so.

it might be worth mentioning that I for all intents and purposes i would never buy an apple product, until the itouch came along. and until creative/sony/etc can make something similar, archos comes down on their prices, or always innovating finally ships their tablet, itouch is king.