[IP] No iPhone Without Credit Card

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

You begrudge Steve his $500 additional profit on ATT. djf

Begin forwarded message:

From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren@vortex.com>
Date: October 29, 2007 11:42:14 AM EDT
To: dave@farber.net
Cc: lauren@vortex.com
Subject: No iPhone Without Credit Card


Dave,

In what I think may be an unprecedented move for such a device,
Apple is now reportedly refusing to sell iPhones for cash.  If for
whatever reason you're a person who doesn't have a credit card (or
debit card -- and I assume they mean a debit card tied to a bank
account, not an over-the-counter money card) -- they don't want you
as a customer.
( http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=3785374&page=1 ).

Apples claims that this is to control "unauthorized" resales, but of
course they won't be successful at that goal this way.

Perhaps of more interest, I'm not entirely sure that such a policy
is actually legal from a purchase nondiscrimination standpoint in
this case.  The entire area of requiring credit cards for goods
or services seems rather nebulous.

U.S. currency still supposedly is good for "all debts public and  
private."

I'm sure Apple lawyers know their stuff, but perhaps some IP readers
specializing in this area of economics could chime in with some  
thoughts.

Thanks.

--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein
lauren@vortex.com or lauren@pfir.org
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
http://www.pfir.org/lauren
Co-Founder, PFIR
   - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
Founder, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com




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