We imagine it went something like this: "Oh, and one more thing... a new iPhone for everyone." That's the result of the Apple
town hall meeting which just let out. Let's see, a new 8GB iPhone for every Apple employee, both full-time and temporary. That's 17,787 plus another 2,399 (according to Wikipedia) or so for a grand total of $12,091,414 retail. A bit less since only those temps who have been with the company for a year qualify. Still, nice one Steve. Sure, we've
seen you do it before, but man, that's a lot of dough. We're just wondering who's going to cover the
2 year service costs?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
truaztlan @ Jun 28th 2007 4:03PM
Nice. Who is really paying for the Iphone. Us unlucky fools who have to shell out $600.
iceman23 @ Jun 28th 2007 4:20PM
they give these things away for free, and my own company (AT&T) refuses to give us our flipping employee discounts on the rate plan IF we get an iPhone?!?! I so wish I worked for Steve Jobs instead of Randall Stephenson.
the rickster @ Jun 28th 2007 4:39PM
never spend much time answering blogs, but, had to give an opinion about truaztlan's comment......
what an idiot.
Dustin @ Jun 28th 2007 4:48PM
I would like to point out that the original article says "Part time employees who have been there over a year", but the Engadget blurb says "Temps". There is a difference, might want to clarify that
Daniel @ Jun 28th 2007 4:54PM
@ truaztlan
Apple makes pretty much a few hundred million over time in profits. I doubt a measly $12 million in iphones will affect the company in anyway, especially since 20,000 iphones is quite small compared to the hundres of thousands they plan to sell tomorrow on the first day. Im sure with this move the morale of the company is definitely high to which the employees will have no arguments with staying overnight selling those phones tomorrow. If only my firm was that gracious :-/ .....
Mario Mejia @ Jun 28th 2007 5:28PM
not to mention that each iphone probably only cost around 300-400 to make.
James @ Jul 1st 2007 2:49PM
If I remember correctly from a site I read, the total cost of the iphone - materials, labor, shipping, etc - is ~$240 for the 4G and ~$280/$290 for the 8G.
SBC Blows @ Jun 28th 2007 6:19PM
As a former employee of Cingular I am just thinking ... will the network buckle with just the Apple employees using the phone or will it take 3 more people to push it over the edge?
.com @ Jun 28th 2007 6:29PM
i bot options contracts, shorting apple stock last week in anticipation of a total bomb. word on the streets is that the iPhone is a first gen. nightmare walking. sounds like the free phones were part of an attempt to fill the ATT quotas. i'll be waiting on the sidelines, bomb ass Windows-based phone inhand, surrounded by all the people, with half-a-brain, who will be waiting to see just how bad the keyboard and related operational functionality really are. gl turtleneck. i need a pocket pc for business or a device with similar functionality. this thing looks like a slick kids toy but...have at it.
momoney @ Jul 3rd 2007 11:18AM
you idiot, why didn't you use a married put...you instead shorted the stock (incurring margin costs) and bought a call (probably at the current strike).
Keymaster @ Jun 28th 2007 6:29PM
Too bad Brent only works for the retail store and not corporate.
frank @ Jun 28th 2007 11:37PM
Are Apple store employees considered "regular" Apple employees? Just curious.
.com @ Jun 29th 2007 11:16AM
waiting- waiting. its so hard to be right when the validation is 10 hrs off.
Fierce Bob @ Jul 1st 2007 8:48PM
So .com, how are you feeling about those options contracts? I notice you haven't logged in to post about your "validation". Meanwhile, reviews are mostly very positive, and sales look like they are through the roof. Think you might have made a tiny boo boo?
nathan @ Jun 29th 2007 12:39PM
This is actually very good news, as there could be a decent flood on eBay of the Apple employees that don't want one (Yes, don't want a free iPhone, or at least would rather have a few hundred instead).
yangsta @ Jun 29th 2007 5:01PM
I'm sure they won't notice the $200 to $300 (iphone at cost?) coming straight out of their bonuses anyways...
steven @ Jul 1st 2007 10:48AM
the history of mankind is full of such petty gestures
ps truaztlan is right Mario Mejia and yangsta ae good points too (only one telephone cannot actually cost over 100 whichever way you look at it)