When I was told that I would have to find a rhetorical object that represents and relates to me the most, it took me a few hours to make what I considered to be a fairly difficult decision. I spent most of the afternoon looking at every object around me as well as thinking about any object I thought would fit. After a few hours, I found myself getting off task and playing on my phone the whole time. Eventually I came to the conclusion that the object that I believe fits my identity best is Apple’s exceedingly popular iPhone.
John Casey from Sacramento, California created Apple’s famous iPhone with a significant amount of help from Apple’s current chief executive officer (CEO) Steve Jobs. Apple’s introduction of the iPhone was an introduction to the entire world of a new type of cell phone. Before the introduction of the iPhone, Apple produced the incredibly popular iPod that skyrocketed in popularity. Eventually after the iPod was out on the market for quite some time and continued to be successful, the idea of combining the iPod and a cell phone began. John Casey argued that large majorities of people carry a cell phone and an iPod with them most of the time. The idea of combining the two objects then began to grow.
An iPhone combines three different devices into one object. An iPhone offers an iPod, a cell phone, and also Internet access allows the iPhone to act like miniature computer. The phone offers the capability of all three objects in one object. The introduction of the iPhone led to the expansion of smart phones and the development of new technology, including the iPad. The first version of the iPhone was released on June 29, 2007 with two different models the 4GB and the 8GB. With the price set a $599.00 for the 8GB and $499.00 for the 4GB there became an issue with the billing. On August 11, 2007, an iPhone purchaser, Justine Ezarik, received a three-hundred page phone bill sent in a box. She later went on to created a video that was posted on YouTube highlighting the actual size of the bill, not the amount due. Apple and AT&T came back with a “price protection” rebate on September 5, 2007. This stated that those who have purchase an iPhone in the fourteen day period before the September 5 announcement were eligible for a two hundred dollar rebate. The company’s also discontinued the 4GB model and the 8GB model price was cut by a third. With the customer’s complaints, CEO Steve Jobs wrote in a letter to iPhone customers that everyone who purchased an iPhone at a higher price “and who is not receiving a rebate or other consideration” would receive a one-hundred dollar credit toward the purchase of any product sold in Apple’s retail or online stores.
