Will kids “bite the Apple” or will it prove to be media poison?
First Reuters news reported that Apple Inc. plans to launch a cheaper version of the iPhone in the fourth quarter that could be based on the ultra-slim iPod Nano music player, according to a JP Morgan analyst based in Taiwan.
NOW, JP Morgan has retracted. Gee, I’ll bet analyst Kevin Chang’s getting a ruler rap on the wrist about now. Go figure. Either way, as former Apple exec Guy Kawasaki can attest, these things are often Truemors. (he’ll be a keynote at the YPulse Mashup Mon/Tues)
So let’s talk hypothetically, shall we? First of all, wow…that was quick. Seems the iPhone was just launched, (rumor has it Jobs will launch in Europe next week?) yet they’re already eager to create ‘half an apple’ appealing to budget strapped iPhone hungry teens?
Um, how about just a slice? For nonprofit penny-watchers like me?
In my recent post Apple iPhone Hype Seeds Kids Consumerism, I wrote about the status symbol/lousy role modeling of ‘getting the gimmes’ (like the Berenstain Bears book) Ahem…The viral video blitz of the Wii system is clearly right up there too! Now CNW Marketing Research (a firm tracking why consumers buy the vehicles they do) reports that kids covet the iPhone even more than a new car. (c’mon, seriously?)
In its 2007 survey, CNW found cell phones the most popular possession among youth, followed by electronic games at 27%, iPods at 26%, footwear at 24% and computers at 23%, with cars at the 20% mark.
“For $600 to $700 – if you can find one – the iPhone will make the owner the envy of friends, relatives and co-workers,” CNW said.
“If your cell phone is a new iPhone, your popularity rating skyrockets to 70% among youth…”
Wait it gets better! (er…worse!)
“…Carmakers such as youth-oriented Scion can learn a lesson. The fees to support wireless services for an iPhone can eat up an amount equal to about half a monthly payment on a small car.”
Yo, parents…you listening here?
CNW’s general manager concludes:
“In the highly sensitive, fashion-oriented youth market, the most bang for the envy buck is usually something that can be worn, keyboarded or heard.”
Did he really just say, “the envy buck?” sigh…
Here we go again, folks, time to battle for kids’ mindshare!
“You are what you own” strategic materialism is superseded by yet another media pummeling when the cheaper Nano model comes on the scene.
This time, junior’s liable to argue the “value” message, with a dab of peer possession entitlement whine, topped off with ‘it’s cheaper than a car’ justification and a heavy dose of guilt if you happen to own an iPhone yourself. (Envision the whole ‘men behaving badly’ reprise…with offspring)
And if you’re REALLY into wasteful consumption for the sake of kicks, check out the iPhone in a blender YouTube offering, for “Will it Blend” is the #1 internet video being passed around this week…
In our Age of Conversation, I wish someone would start talking sense.
Here are some Shaping Youth links for absolute iPhone freaks:
The best iPhone resource roundup of pro and con buzz comes from one of my Age of Conversation co-authors in India, Arun Rajagopal. Arun has listed an amazing multitude of iPhone links hubbed on his blog, from news to video, features to fakes! I’ve added a handful of my own relating to this story…
Reuters News: Apple plans cheaper, Nano-based phone: JP Morgan
Billboard: New iPods to be iPhone like
YPulse: Former Apple exec Guy Kawasaki interviewed about the iPhone & more
Autoblog: Report: Teens Covet iPhone Over New Car (via YPulse)
Kicking Tires: Cell Phones Impress Teens More Than Cars
Engadget: iPhone hackers update
Princeton Computer Scientist’s blog on the iPhone frenzy (& more techno musings)
Now Arun’s Fun iPhone links:
Video: MadTV spoof on the iPhone and Steve Jobs. Hilariously Funny!
Hacker activates iPhone without AT&T
Only 2 per person. Apple lays down iPhone purchase rules.
The Definitive iPhone User Interface Image ‘Porn’ Gallery
The Apple iPhone Review on Engadget. Claims to be the ultimate review.
Conan’s Hilarious iPhone Commercial.
Video: Fake iPhone from China.
Here’s a video on the first iPhone customer on Earth.
Enjoy this iPhone music video from David Pogue of NYT.
A week in the life of the iPhone.
Why should you wait to buy an iPhone?
How to buy the iPhone without the 2 year contract
What happens to the iPhone when it takes a real beating?
A list of iPhone disappointments
Info on a Trojan that afflicts the iPhone
Tech Geeks respond to a GigaOM.com Open Thread: How would you improve the iPhone?
7-18-07 Update:
From the Wired Campus/Education Technology News from around the web: “Duke University Says iPhones Are Messing Up Its Wireless Network”
“Duke University administrators are big fans of the iPod. But their assessment of the iPhone, Apple’s new attraction, is not as glowing: The cellphones seem to be wreaking havoc with the campus’s wireless network.
Several times over the past week, up to 30 of Duke’s wireless routers have blacked out, usually for about 10 minutes at a time. They were being inundated with as many as 18,000 MAC address requests per second, reports Network World.
Duke officials finger iPhones as the culprits. About 150 of the devices are already registered on the campus network, and it appears many of them may be repeatedly firing off invalid router requests. The likely problem: iPhones that were first connected to the Web through home wireless routers may be furiously trying to reconnect to those local outposts rather than to the campus network…”
read more: http://chronicle.com/wiredcampus/index.php?id=2233
8-4-07 Update:
Interesting ‘mashup’ of case study/advertising innovation, consumeristic zeal & philanthropic ‘paying it forward’ from the marketing crew at Crayon who writes in this email:
“If you’ve been following Jaffe Juice or Across the Sound — my new marketing podcast — you’d know that on Episode #83 I asked for an iPhone in exchange for an episode’s sponsorship. Chip Griffin, CEO of Custom Scoop, responded within an hour.
Then I received a second iPhone, but this time from an up and coming actor in Hollywood, Tim Coyne.
Tim is trying to get an audition on Criminal Minds, CSI, Shark or House (he’s letting “us” decide which one) and he’s hoping his sponsoring will a) help him by motivating him (Fatblogging) and/or b) help him through the wisdom of community so to speak. He’s even twittering his progress: http://www.twitter.com/timcoyne
I’m playing my part by paying it forward and giving the iPhone back to whomever is responsible for most directly helping Tim achieve his goal.
You can help too (or at the very minimum get an iPhone) Find out more via ATS #86 (http://ripple.radiotail.com/102/ATS_86_-_Meet_this_weeks_sponsor_-_Tim_Coyne.mp3) or my blog post: http://www.jaffejuice.com/2007/07/an-iphone-for-a.html
You can also Digg the story here: http://www.digg.com/television/Podcaster_pays_it_forward_by_giving_away_an_iPhone_to_help_upcoming_actor/who
I’m REALLY hoping the community will rally together and embrace this organic case-study-in-progress. We’re always looking for success stories and best practices, so why don’t we just go ahead and create one?”—Best, Joseph Jaffe President and Chief Interruptor, Crayon”
Gosh, not exactly U.N. Food Programme material, but hey, interesting concept…
the thing i like about Criminal Minds is the suspense*,;