When I learned that Apple reduced the cost of the 8 GB iPhone by $200 after two months (now $399), I was pissed–as was many early adopters of the iPhone. “Can I be paid my $200 for being a beta tester?” wrote one on a MacRumors forum. Others calculated what this “Early Adopter Tax” cost per day: $3. Like many, I expected the price to drop possibly for Christmas, but not $200!
Hundreds of letters poured into Steve Jobs’ inbox and as blogs and sites continued to post anger and disappointment in Apple, Steve realized he made have made a bit of a mistake and lost some trust with their most loyal customers.
So, Steve Jobs published an open letter on apple.com telling everyone that all early buyers of the iPhone before the price drop will receive a $100 credit that can be used at the Apple Store. This was a good decision and a good change of heart.
“… we need to do a better job taking care of our early iPhone customers … Our early customers trusted us, and we must live up to that trust with our actions in moments like these.”
