October 27th, 2007
Apple Imposes New iPhone Purchase Limits to Slow Unlockers
By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
Got cash? Good for you, but you can’t use it to buy an iPhone. And you can’t buy more than two of them either, as Apple has instituted new purchase limits on iPhones.
Prior to Thursday, you could buy up to 5 iPhones at once, and you could use cash. But, according to Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris, “Customer response to the iPhone has been off the charts, and limiting iPhone sales to two per customer helps us ensure that there are enough iPhones for people who are shopping for themselves or buying a gift. We’re requiring a credit or debit card for payment to discourage unauthorized resellers.”
Looking at this with a suspicious eye, what are they really trying to do? Yeah, I wouldn’t expect most people to want more than two, but we all know, based on what happened on eBay after the release of the iPhone, that buyers aren’t going to flock there to pay premium prices — or are they?
We Say: As we know from my prior post, Apple believes up around 250,000 phones were sold to those looking to unlock the phones. Resellers who might want to unlock them — and sell them for a premium — they would want to buy multiple phones, yes. So that is most likely what Apple, who we know badly wants to keep this device under AT&T lock-and-key, is trying to stop.
John says:
The last time I checked, all currency in the US is Legal Tender for all debts public and private. This simply violates the law. Every business MUST take cash. Not that I would buy anything from Apple anyway….
October 27th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
William says:
For John from the US Treasury.
Legal Tender: A Definition
31 USC ยง 5103. Legal Tender
United States coins and currency (including Federal reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues. Foreign gold or silver coins are not legal tender for debts.
However, there is no Federal statute which mandates that private businesses must accept cash as a form of payment. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether or not to accept cash unless there is a State law which says otherwise.
October 28th, 2007 at 10:22 am
John says:
Wouldn’t “…are legal tender for all debts…” mean for any debt you owe to anyone, or is this referring to any debt you owe to the government? Chalk my non-understanding of this to not being an attorney.
I was also under the impression that pennies were NOT legal tender to prevent people from paying bills with a truckload of pennies.
October 29th, 2007 at 6:17 am
Mikey says:
As far as I can tell, there is no requirement to purchase -anything- from Apple. I know that’s not what Steve would like, but hey, thats the way it is. Until Satan, sorry Steve becomes the supreme world leader that he thinks he is, there is no requirement that anyone actually buy any of this “must have” crap that Apple pushes out. Oh and I HATE DRM. Take that, Steve.
October 29th, 2007 at 7:22 am
Mikey says:
One other thing, there’s a new Digg article out now about how much money ATT has been kicking back to Apple from those lucky customers.
Apple has been getting $18/each user each month on each ATT activated IPhone.
Over a 2 year basic service agreement, that comes up to a serious sum of money, all of it from the (un)lucky customer.
October 29th, 2007 at 7:53 am
Mikey says:
I stand corrected:
It’s a NY Times article quoted in Slashdot…
And yes, Apple has a vested interest in profit$, no matter how obscene those profits are.
Now it appears Apple is trying to help ATT retain (or keep) new IPhone customers.
By mandating sales tactics.
October 29th, 2007 at 11:33 am