karlkrandall@sbcglobal.net wrote:
> There is zero similarity between Edsels demise and iPhone's stunning
> success.
Actually there is some similarity. The primary reason for the failure of
the Edsel was not what it looked like, but that it was priced too high
compared to competing models from other manufacturers. Hence it didn't
sell as well as Ford had expected.
The iPhone was also priced too high compared to competing phones, and
hence it didn't sell as well as Apple had predicted. Remember, to be
successful in the cell phone business you have to sell mass quantities,
you can't just sell to a small group of users for whom price is not a
consideration. Fortunately, Apple was able and willing to drastically
cut the price to increase sales an act that angered the customers that
paid the higher price but that was absolutely necessary. As AP reported
yesterday, "Apple Inc. sold its millionth iPhone over the weekend, days
after it slashed the price by a third to spur sales."
Maybe if automobile rebates had been used in the 1950's the Edsel could
have been saved. You also need a CEO that's a rock star!
The iPhone is fairly priced at $400, and combined with the recent
ability to unlock it so you can use prepaid (and postpaid) SIM cards on
other networks it's probably going to be very successful now.
Ford sold 63,110 Edsels were sold in the U.S.in it's first year 
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