Apple plays with fire, courts iPhone gift card lawsuits

[dmksaved]

Apple plays with fire, courts iPhone gift card lawsuits
Posted by Chris Soghoian
Apple set the blogosphere on fire Monday when word leaked of the company's latest effort to limit iPhone unlocking. Recent media reports reveal that that the company has instituted a two-device-per-visit limit for iPhone purchases and has banned the use of cash for such transactions. However, the latest news indicates that Apple is now also banning the use of Apple Gift Cards for iPhone sales. Wired News confirmed the rumor on Monday afternoon. A representative from the Burlingame, Calif., Apple store told Wired News that "official" policy is now that gift cards will not be accepted for the sale of iPhones.

Before we get into the nitty gritty of this incident, lets step back and explore exactly how Apple describes the gift cards on its Web site:


Apple Gift Cards

(Credit: Apple)
"An Apple Gift Card lets you take the guesswork out of gift-giving. Your friends and family can choose exactly what they want from any retail Apple Store, from the online Apple Store, or by calling 1-800-MY-APPLE in the United States."

Also...

http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-980...g=2547-1_3-0-5

[Lucas7]

totally speechless now.....

[dmksaved]

this is ridiculous ! if i buy a gift card i should be able to buy what i want with it.. not that im getting an iphone because i a have one . but think of all those people that have gift cards for the holiday season and want to use it for an iphone . PEOPLE WHO ARE SELLING IPHONES ONLINE SHOULD NOT MAKE THOSE PEOPLE WHO WANT O BUY THE IPHONE WITH GIFT CARDS SUFFER FOR THIS .

[Lucas7]

I mean really...isn't this a law....even if it is California specific? A gift Card is money. They HAVE the money already. ridiculous

[MileHiPhone]

Originally Posted by dmksaved

this is ridiculous ! if i buy a gift card i should be able to buy what i want with it.. not that im getting an iphone because i a have one . but think of all those people that have gift cards for the holiday season and want to use it for an iphone . PEOPLE WHO ARE SELLING IPHONES ONLINE SHOULD NOT MAKE THOSE PEOPLE WHO WANT O BUY THE IPHONE WITH GIFT CARDS SUFFER FOR THIS .

Wow, that's a really huge causal leap to blame the resellers. This is purely an Apple decision on how to fight a problem they created in the first place by deciding to make the iPhone a locked device.

[dmksaved]

Does apple really want to send away buyers here ! becasue this is what it looks like they are doing . there gift card sales will go down . who cares if someone buys the iphone and sells it. apple sold an iphone and made money . the buyer can do what he wants with it . if a buyer sells it he has the right to

[minivini]

I hope Apple's PR team has a good stock of "home grown". They have to be putting in serious overtime dealing with all the bad press they've been handed lately!

Actually, maybe they've all quit. There hasn't really been any new stuff coming out of them since the "iPhone Saved My A$$" commercial campaign...

Next thing we'll find out is that Apple owns it's own slave labor camp in China. Oops, I didn't mean to let that slip...

;-)

[ColsTiger]

Yeah, this PR disaster is sending the stock through the roof. Apple doesn't care about people that want to use the iphone with any other company but at&t. They're just trying their best to honor their agreement with their partner. Get over it.

[Lucas7]

this is just.....did I happen to mention ridiculous?

[iAttorney]

what is so surprising? I have bee tons of places that so no to checks or my AMEX. What is good for the goose is good for the gander right? What if Apple was an online only store? Then cash would still be a no-no. When you purchase the phone it is a glorified 911 device unless you have a credt card to activate it ( l think att did away with the pay as you go bug). As has been said, Apple is trying to take steps to honor their agreement and, omg, make money. Even if that money is coming through in plastic. Its not like they are asking for yen