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Will Apple charge iPad owners for firmware updates?

4

4DThinker

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 15, 2008
2,033
2
Touch owners certainly got screwed. Apple is the only PMP maker in the world that charges for updates. The ipad is no iphone, so it won't get a break because development cost is in the monthly fee.

Do YOU think Apple will charge you for updating firmware on the ipad? Should they?

Discuss.
 
Hasn't Apple stopped charging for iPod Touch updates? And didn't they do it before because of some tax rule that is no longer relevant?

Edit: never mind. I see it's still a few bucks. I thought I read that the fee was going away.
 
To be fair Apple is the only "PMP" maker that does substantial software updates to its old hardware every year, (even if its does cost to do these updates).
 
RaceTripper said:
Hasn't Apple stopped charging for iPod Touch updates? And didn't they do it before because of some tax rule that is no longer relevant?

Edit: never mind. I see it's still a few bucks. I thought I read that the fee was going away.
Click to expand...

Apple mentioned something about setting aside a portion of the purchase price in its books in new products to account for upgrades. The current paid upgrades may be residual because it was enacted before the accounting change. We won't really know until they release a new update.
 
I think that they've said they would start accounting for the profits from touches ver a 24 month period, as they do with iPhones and AppleTVs, so they could give free updates.

I think they will give iPad owners free updates because it's a flagship product that they need to succeed. The touch is sort of second fiddle to the iPhone flagship, so they could get away with those charges in that case, imo.
 
The weakest arm of Apple is its accounting department, so I will say yes.
 
not for 4.0 in my opinion. why would they charge you a month or 2 after release.

also they charge you because they like iphone people better. they dont have anything getting in the way of the ipad like the iphone/touch.
 
I could see point releases Yes and minor release No.

However during the first year all releases are included in the price of the device...
 
Apple did make OS 3.x free for iPod Touch users in mid-February. Then they suddenly reverted back to paid. There was news about it being free all over the Internet. I didn't realize it had gone back until now. Apple had announced changing their subscription accounting, so probably starting with OS 4.0 things will be free.

All the whiners need to cool it. Feel lucky that Apple is giving you additional functionality for only $5. You bought it and paid for it fair and square. They don't owe you crap. Get off your high-horse. $5 isn't much for a brand-new OS. I'd gladly pay $20 for 4.0. I predict lots of big changes with that.
 
It used to be $20 then $10 then $5 so hopefully next it will be free!
 
Listen to the last quarter earnings. Apple has changed their model, so iPhone users, iPod touch users and presumably even iPad users will be paying for all future software updates.
 
I tend to believe it is a revenue stream that Apple would be crazy to ignore.
I see iphones, ipods, and ipads all paying for version updates in the future, just like OSX version updates. Sad reality, but i do.

I think if Apple never wanted ipod touch users to have to pay for updates they would have priced it .99 cents because they had to charge something.

Instead, they made it $4.99 or something which is a value they thought appropriate. It used to be be more, but they seemed to be pricing the market at different levels.
 
bbydon said:
I tend to believe it is a revenue stream that Apple would be crazy to ignore.
I see iphones, ipods, and ipads all paying for version updates in the future, just like OSX version updates. Sad reality, but i do.

I think if Apple never wanted ipod touch users to have to pay for updates they would have priced it .99 cents because they had to charge something.

Instead, they made it $4.99 or something which is a value they thought appropriate. It used to be be more, but they seemed to be pricing the market at different levels.
Click to expand...

I look at things differently. What happens to apps on the app store when a new OS version comes out? Do people HAVE to pay to upgrade their OS to be able to use an app that was updated and now only runs on the newer version? Apple makes 30% on each app sale, so in my eyes, they should allot some of that revenue to the OS upgrades and make it free, but say that customers are paying for them indirectly. Better for app developers, and better for customers.
 
macdim said:
I look at things differently. What happens to apps on the app store when a new OS version comes out? Do people HAVE to pay to upgrade their OS to be able to use an app that was updated and now only runs on the newer version? Apple makes 30% on each app sale, so in my eyes, they should allot some of that revenue to the OS upgrades and make it free, but say that customers are paying for them indirectly. Better for app developers, and better for customers.
Click to expand...

or since no one can get the new apps they have no choice but to fork over 5 bucks
 
I would make sence to charge all users a small about, say $5.00.

I mean there will be a fair amout of moaning, but if OS 4 offered multi-tasking etc, then most would fork out 5 bucks.


How may iphones/touchs have been sold around the world?

Add the number of pending iPad sales, then in September or when ever OS 4.0 is released at $5.00 it would net Apple well over $100 million if only 50% of pepole upgrade.
 
goobot said:
or since no one can get the new apps they have no choice but to fork over 5 bucks
Click to expand...

I'm not saying Apple wouldn't do this, I just mean that it would be better for developers selling apps (and thus Apple --> 30%), and better for consumers if they made it free.

Anyways, I remember hearing about a change in the way they count revenue during their last financial conference call, and they mentioned that iPod Touch OS upgrades would be free since they were moving to an iPhone style accounting system for them. I only assume the iPas would follow.
 
I guess I'm the only one that thought they made Touch users pay for updates because they were afraid it would cannibalize iPhone sales a little bit......afterall, they are essentially the same device minus the phone+texting.
 
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