RE: "As such, I think the current lack of availability is deliberately designed to minimize complaints and maximize demand."
What else should Apple do? Should it keep manufacturing a device at a high pace that is about discontinued and replace with an updated version? That would be STUPID. Apple made mistakes like this many years ago. Apple even pre-announced products years ago, and it sales ground to a halt while inventory piled up.
Slowing manufacture of a soon to be released item is good for everyone involved. Apple keeps its soon to be discontinued device inventory low, the customers who buy MUST have the current version, for whatever reason, and manufacture of the new device is slowing ramping up.
BTW, the 3G phone won't reach the entire world all at once. The rollout will have to be inventory constrained until manufacturing catches up with demand. I have co-workers in New York that are buying the CURRENT iPhone to send to family overseas. Those people may not seen the 3G iphone for a long time. Yet, they would rather buy an about to be discontinued iPhone than buy another manufacturer's phone and use the old iPhone until the 3G version arrives.
Also: NOT EVERYONE HAS TO HAVE THE 3G VERSION. SOME PEOPLE CAN LIVE WITH THE CURRENT VERSION!
RE: "As such, I think the
RE: "As such, I think the current lack of availability is deliberately designed to minimize complaints and maximize demand."
What else should Apple do? Should it keep manufacturing a device at a high pace that is about discontinued and replace with an updated version? That would be STUPID. Apple made mistakes like this many years ago. Apple even pre-announced products years ago, and it sales ground to a halt while inventory piled up.
Slowing manufacture of a soon to be released item is good for everyone involved. Apple keeps its soon to be discontinued device inventory low, the customers who buy MUST have the current version, for whatever reason, and manufacture of the new device is slowing ramping up.
BTW, the 3G phone won't reach the entire world all at once. The rollout will have to be inventory constrained until manufacturing catches up with demand. I have co-workers in New York that are buying the CURRENT iPhone to send to family overseas. Those people may not seen the 3G iphone for a long time. Yet, they would rather buy an about to be discontinued iPhone than buy another manufacturer's phone and use the old iPhone until the 3G version arrives.
Also: NOT EVERYONE HAS TO HAVE THE 3G VERSION. SOME PEOPLE CAN LIVE WITH THE CURRENT VERSION!