ClumsyMonkey.net

Dr. Hobo wrote:

Axtech wrote:How is giving your product away for free good advertising?

"Have an iPod! And don't forget to tell your friends to buy one!"

brad and sarah made very vaild points
plus apple isnt giving them away
the company thats doing this (gratis) is giving them away.
they are in the "customer acquisition" business.. in other words, theyre an advertising firm of sorts that has to do whats necessary to make people get AOL or join columbia house, etc etc.
and as brad said apple is looking at their total unit sales
given that apple makes a good bit of cash on i-tunes, this gives them a chance to increase their i-tunes sales
furthermore, the apple computers have more potential customers because people may think "hey apple sure made a good ipod.. i wonder what the computers are like.. maybe i'll buy one" .. the more units apple sells the more they make the more potential they can make with i-tunes and the computers.