Dear Annoyed iPhone Early Adopters,

Ok, ok, I hear you – you were in line on day one and you plunked down $600+ of your hard-earned cash to buy an iPhone and then yesterday, a mere two months later, before you’re even done basking in the glow of the coolness of your new toy, it’s magically (deliciously) $200 cheaper. Ouch, it stings. Woe is you. Etc.

That being said, somewhere along the way I think your love of Apple and their sleek, functional products has gone to your head. You started to think that they’re your friend, that they have your best interests in mind, that all those products exists to put you at the center of the universe and make your life easier and better. You deserve better than this for all your years of dedicated fanboydom. And while all these things are true (in part), the bottom line is that Apple is a company and their ultimate goal is TO MAKE MONEY and TO PLEASE THEIR SHAREHOLDERS (by making them money.)

There’s never that perfect moment where you will buy a piece of technology or gadgetry and be set – something better will come out and the price of your precious will drop. Welcome to commerce. Things devalue. New cars depreciate 33% when you drive them off the lot. How’s that for instant? The timeline for this particular price drop was just a tad shorter than Apple’s typical marketing strategy. 

There seems to be a consensus (not necessarily large, but certainly loud) that if you are a loyal customer and an early adopter, you should be rewarded for that. You should get perks. Now, obviously companies should do their part not to alienate their customers, but honestly – Apple exists to take your money and they will take as much of it as you will give them. We prove over and over again that we’re willing to pay more for our products, and they will continue to push that boundary as long as we let them.

Consider it early an adopter tax,
Joshua