Comments on: Hands-on with the new iPhone Software – Video and Gallery!

By: Rene Ritchie

Rene Ritchie — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 19:33:28 +0000

(Does Overthrow posting again mean we may get a post-Keynote podcast soon? )

Others have pointed out Microsoft and Sony not charging for PS3 or Xbox/Zune updates (yes, apparently there are a few Zunes in the wild!) So SOX looks dubious…

Another conjecture is that Apple is passing on costs, but this doesn’t make a lot of sense either unless Google/Yahoo get something for the Widgets, or Skyhook gets a per-unit licensing fee for the wi-fi “locate me” (which is pretty awesome, all things considered — though in tests it found an iPod Touch down to the corner on one side of my office, but only to the block on the other side? And the idea of all the routers/mac addresses being stored in some big DB is quasi-creepy…)

Of course, as a Canuck, I cannot yet update iPhone, so I will watch on in abject jealousy…

By: Overthrow

Overthrow — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:43:43 +0000

I’ve read that Apple’s interpretation of SOX is disputable. I think they charge for it because they can. They could have charged $.99 for it, and they clearly didn’t do that. I think they had a recent update that was $2.00? MacBook or something? Anyway, I’m downloading 1.1.3 now, and I’m pretty excited about it.

By: Rene Ritchie

Rene Ritchie — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 15:20:07 +0000

As many have stated, the $20 seems to be SO based, in that Apple states earnings on iPhone and Apple TV on a subscription model, while iPod (including Touch) are stated regularly.

Therefore, like the 802.11n update, Apple is required to charge for substantial updates, or re-open and restate past earnings.

So, iPhone and Apple TV can get updates free of charge, but anything big for iPod Touch is billable.

Why they chose $20 is a bit of a mystery to me, however.