And now Timmy & Co. will get to see just how much of a flop this thing really is 🤣
Think about it... If people in the most developed nation on the planet (i.e. with the most disposable income) don't want this thing, what makes you think people in other, less developed countries will?
People in the "most developed nation on the planet" did
NOT want:
- Phablet-sized phones while Apple spun 3.5" and 4" as perfect. Now 'they' don't want small phones ideal for "one handed use" and not requiring "pants with bigger pockets" and "man purses." They'll even ridicule the concept of smaller phones when it comes up around here.
- NFC (pay with phone) while iPhone did not support it.
- Lightning port replaced by USB-C (I'm still finding lint and still not one story about "wobbly" or "broken tongues"). There must have been 200 threads full of the certain global devastation to come from that change. Apparently global devastation is not what it used to be.
- EU-driven changes but then frothing in every new emulator thread, which probably owes at least something to Apple realizing that they have to loosen up before other GOVs decide to enforce EU-like changes.
- Etc.
Besides, "the most developed market on the planet" has only about 5% of the planet's population. That leaves 95% of people who may be more open to "differing" products/policies/app stores/etc. For example, Apple still sells a whole lot of iPhones with a physical sim slot... just not in the market referenced.
Especially given the current economic environment, with all the disasters happening right now. We've got wars, climate events, and many people can't even eat...
There's
always disasters. There's
always wars. Climate has been a thing for many years now and will be a thing for next century+ until we globally change our ways or exterminate ourselves. Any product that must wait for ideal economic environments around the planet + world peace + climate perfection is a product that can probably
never launch.
Another question: What will they price it at?
Will it stay at USD$3,500? -- Now do the conversion to other currencies and look at just how ridiculous this pricing strategy will be.
Try the same with iPhone vs. other choices available to them. Mac. iPads. Apple
chooses to be expensive. It won't be so long until a next iPhone is rumored to be $3,500... maybe 5 years from now? I have to think an iPhone Fold will be close to that as soon as it hits. And then that "market" that detests folding phones will suddenly love them... just like phablet sizes were "abominations..." now being in all of those poster's pockets (or apparently man purses).
Apple wants big fat margin above all else. That "market" seems to fall all over itself to pay any price Apple asks for the established mix... and then even jump on bulletin board sites to rationalize it for others and/or rip into those who dare point out the "robbery."
For
this product, I suspect version 2 several years from now may- in fact- be a little cheaper... not by offering all it does now, but by tangibly cutting some of what it offers now, which is pretty much the only path to cheaper within the walled garden. I see no path to the dramatic price targets those whining about it seek... just as I see no path to a $300-$400 (outright) iPhone, a $100 iPad or a $300-$400 MB. Historically, when Apple significantly cuts features & benefits to feed price whine, the whiners flip to griping about how it is not as good as the more expensive version (see the occasional cheaper iPhone they try as one very good example). I expect the same here.
Personally, I am no pessimist on Vpro... so glad they are rolling it out to more countries and thus continuing to invest in it and evolve it. I see a LOT of potential in it and would rather they keep trying to grow it vs. listening to loud whiners online and quit on it.
