Since the discontinuation of the 4GB iPhone, Apple has only had the $399 8GB iPhone available, but today Apple announced the availability of the $499 16GB iPhone, adding a higher capacity model to the line. In addition, Apple has announced a 32GB iPod Touch, priced at $499. It seems that Apple's pricing strategy for the iPhone and the iPod touch is to keep the pricing relatively consistent while upping the capacity; this is not unlike what Apple has done with its line of computers, but surely dashes the hope of those wishing for a price drop of the 8GB iPhone to $299. With the Macworld announced Macbook Air just finally shipping, one wonders why the announcement of the 16GB iPhone and the 32GB iPod Touch was not made at the same time three weeks ago, during Macworld, except for the significance of being three weeks ago, when the full refund time for an Apple product is two weeks from the purchase date. This affects anyone who bought on the basis of the Macworld announcements; while it doesn't drop the price of the product, it moves the maximum capacity up, and that is going to cause some amount of buyer remorse for those who wanted a larger capacity in their product. The capacity increase on the models is just what some buyers have been waiting for, but to get the remaining iPhone holdouts two different things must be done: a more budget-priced iPhone and the inclusion of 3G. Without the price drop of the iPhone to $299 for the 4GB version, I probably would have never purchased the first-generation iPhone without 3G -- $399 is simply too expensive for a phone without it.
The timing of this release also coincides with an upcoming American holiday: Valentine's Day, a day where a dozen roses cost as much as an iPod shuffle. This year, the American consumer is projected to spend an average of $122.98 (Men will outspend women on cards and gifts, $163.37 to $84.72). With Valentine's Day just a week away, people who put in their orders soon can get their new toys in time for the holiday.
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