iPod Touch Owners Protest $20 Upgrade
Thu Jan 17, 2008 10:04AM EST
See Comments (39)
The Macworld crowd cheered when Steve Jobs announced that the iPod Touch was getting a set of new apps: Mail, Maps, Weather, Notes, and Stocks. Then, the lead balloon: the upgrade will cost $20. Now there's an online petition calling for Apple to drop the charge, and thousands of Touch owners have signed on.
It's hard to argue with the guy. Back when the Wi-Fi-enabled iPod Touch was first released, I wondered why it came with the iPhone's Safari, YouTube, calendar, contacts, and clock widgets, but skimped on such essentials as mail, maps, weather, and other widgets included in the new update. After all, both the iPhone and the Touch run on the same basic platform, and the Touch has Wi-Fi, so why not? Now Apple seems to have (finally) come to the same conclusion, but charging early adopters $20 to get what they should have gotten in the first place—and what new Touch owners will get for free? Pretty weak.
Related:
Pod touch owners rally to get new apps for free [TUAW]
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7 Posted by eb3332001 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:51PM EDT Report Abuse
The fact is that Apple has betrayed customers once more, and for some perhaps for the last time. They are in the process of trying to bring iPod Touch customers back to their palm and away from jailbreaks before they release the SDK in February and third party apps run rampant. However, by charging for apps that jailbroken iPods can get for free Apple is providing no incentive to return. Everyone in the iPod Touch community has been excited about the SDK release for some time, but with this blow from Apple, there is a chance that most users could continue to turn to Installer (through the jailbreak) for their applications and leave Apple out of the mix entirely. Smart move Jobs!
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8 Posted by bigshiggadigga@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:07PM EDT Report Abuse
The petition just broke 7,300 signers. If you sign the petition, don't forget to make your email address available to the Petition Author and keep the comments clean. Maybe, just maybe Apple will pay attention to consumers who WILL slow spending in the recession!! When a company pulls a gluttonous move on its customers, I usually will avoid them or refrain from repeat business with them... Are you listening Mr. Jobs?
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9 Posted by a.downs80 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:42PM EDT Report Abuse
Apple is listening and they are trying to stifle the calls of opposition. All critical remarks on their discussion forums are deleted and they leave up the posts trying to justify the fees. Very sly of them.
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10 Posted by grande_hustle on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:12PM EDT Report Abuse
Haha, i have never seen people so outraged about 20 dollars. All of you think that just because you bought the touch when it first came out, that you are "loyal customers." You had to have known , in this day and age when technology moves as quick as it does, that the model you bought would at one point or another become out-dated and you'd need to upgrade. Just jail break it. Whats the SDK?
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11 Posted by ryanobo66 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:57PM EDT Report Abuse
As of 1/18 - 2:40pm (est) the petitions are up to 9079
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12 Posted by btrballer8 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:14PM EDT Report Abuse
its not that its first gen their all the same thing except if u bought it earlier then u dont have the new apps there is no second gen. ipod touch
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13 Posted by mike_oxbig_12 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:20PM EDT Report Abuse
I don't think it's right to charge for this upgrade. If you agree let apple know. http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipodtouch.html
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14 Posted by siva909 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:25PM EDT Report Abuse
I guess Microsoft wins there..it did provide free upgrades for the zune...move out of Apple guys..it took 5 generations to bring decent updates..
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15 Posted by hoops1ed on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:20PM EDT Report Abuse
it doesn't matter if I bought the first, second, or third gen. Everyone should get these simple apps for free. If its that easy to place them on the new touch, it should be just as simple to have them available for free download. I like many will not pay for these apps, as all I have to do to check weather mail and so on, is go to my yahoo or google accounts.
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16 Posted by brandon411s on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:12PM EDT Report Abuse
I spend $300 and have to pay 20 more?!?!?! If it comes with the new i pod touches than will we be able to get them too without spending for new i pods?
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17 Posted by bmorton66 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:10PM EDT Report Abuse
Only $20 and your existing product keeps working if you don't pay? Better than what Intuit is doing to their customers. If you have Quicken 2005, on 4-30-08 Intuit will disable the primary functions in the product. You must pay Intuit $40 for Quicken 2008 to avoid your previously purchased functional Quicken being emasculated.
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18 Posted by sdoggydog45 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:10PM EDT Report Abuse
I think its stupid there charging us 20 bucks! I mean...were the people that went out and bought one before others did. darn you Apple...darn you.
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19 Posted by chixmcnugs on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:23PM EDT Report Abuse
if your gonna complain about it then just but the darn iPhone! Why do you even need the touch??? Its a waste of money!
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20 Posted by gtrdrift on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:14PM EDT Report Abuse
i paid i am mad that they did that but u know the quicker i have it the better u know i do think its stupid but u know its nice to finaly get the apps cuz i was mad without them so im kinda greatful for them
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21 Posted by pdamlax08 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:04PM EDT Report Abuse
you can spend hundreds on the iphone yet....20 bux breaks the bank? come on everyone expects everything for free now days.
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22 Posted by akumanimen on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:49PM EDT Report Abuse
This is very unfair of apple. It just 4 months after this product was released, why should it cost early buyers $20 to upgrade and nothing for those who are just getting this product,it's just a way of discouraging people from patronizing in the your products.
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23 Posted by jjl7584 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:35PM EDT Report Abuse
Maybe everyone who bought the 1st Gen product, (including myself) should return it (say that its broken) and get the new one for FREE! If everyone started doing that, I am sure apple would change its mind. We should screw them, instead of them screwing us!
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24 Posted by kody_kairi2ian on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:53PM EDT Report Abuse
early adopters should get the new applications for free, and that's it...
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25 Posted by ltrebl on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:59PM EDT Report Abuse
Thats why you should've gotten the iPhone. $100 more initially could save you a lot in the long run.
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6 Posted by tonyfrg on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:16PM EDT Report Abuse
I downloaded the upgrade yesterday and I am tickled pink. I bought the Ipod as is and this is a cool upgrade that is easily worth the toll (for me). I just wish Apple would open up the platform so developers could write apps. What happended the the old Apple..that is how the Apple II (I am an old Geek) became so popular and enabled the Company to grow.