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Parky · Jan 18, 2004, 06:21 PM

Does anyone else think that Apple have really got the iSight / iChat AV pricing wrong.

You buy an iSight for $149 and then have to pay another $29.95 to get iChat AV if you don't have 10.3

I have friends who bought iSight and they are very upset that they now can't use a piece of hardware they bought without spending more money.

They really should include iChatAV with every iSight purchase.

Ian

new newton · Jan 18, 2004, 06:36 PM

It's not as though this is unknown or that it should be a surprise to anyone.

Kenneth · Jan 18, 2004, 06:48 PM

I heard this compliant a while ago.

If Apple bundled iChat AV inside every iSight box, then some people might not upgrade to Panther.

I have iSight and Panther here.

Parky · 06:45 AM

Well read Mac experts might have know about it, but I suspect that like my friends many other new Mac users did not.

They buy a camera sold by Apple and it comes with iChatAV, there is very little if any information about having to buy a copy of iChat Av in the future to make the camera work. They feel very let down that they have spent �112 on iSight and it is now no use to them unless they spend more money. They asked the store if the software was included and they said yes, they did not give the full story though. I of course was aware of the beta software and knew that I would be buying Panther. They and many others did not.

What would the response to the following be :-

Buy an iPod but don't get iTunes.

The only way to get iTunes is to buy Panther or pay $29.95 for it.

It's just the same, iSight is useless without iChat AV and yet you have to pay more for it.

Not a great way to sell iSight's

It may force people to buy Panther, but it's a bit underhand and mean.

peterthorn · Jan 19, 2004, 11:19 AM

You can argue that you can also use the iSight with other programs, but I agree that it would be fair to bundle iChat AV with it - I don't think it would prevent that many people from upgrading to panther.

Peter

biscool · Jan 19, 2004, 11:27 PM

You can argue that you can also use the iSight with other programs, but I agree that it would be fair to bundle iChat AV with it - I don't think it would prevent that many people from upgrading to panther.

I disagree. Instead of spending US$30 on iChat A/V, you could spend US$100 more and get all of panther's features. Someone on the fence about updating now or later would buy panther now instead of spending US$30 for ichat and then another US$130 for panther down the road...

DaedalusDX · Jan 20, 2004, 07:53 AM

I think it should have been bundled with iChat AV... after all, hardware is only a small part of the solution.

Someone with 10.2.8 who went out to buy an iSight would not be able to use it right out of the box perfectly as would be expected out of an Apple product (the iPod comes to mind... iTunes comes free).

new newton · Jan 20, 2004, 08:03 AM

Anyone who buys a product without reading the system requirements has little room to complain. It's right there on the box!

-Q- · Jan 20, 2004, 10:45 AM

It's not about what's on the box. This is more of a principle thing. Why sell a hardware device that, prior to the introduction of iMovie 4, was solely designed to work with iChat. How mad would you be if you bought a printer but had to pay an extra $30 for the drivers?

While Apple isn't being deceptive about it, I don't think it's a very nice policy at all.

chrisutley · Jan 20, 2004, 04:01 PM

Originally posted by -Q-:
While Apple isn't being deceptive about it, I don't think it's a very nice policy at all.

It's a lousy policy for sure. I think the reasons why have already been laid out here.

Eug Wanker · Jan 20, 2004, 04:52 PM

I agree, the iSight should come bundled with iChatAV.