• Teen makes $130,000 selling ''white'' iPhone 4.
    65 replies, posted
[quote="Neowin"] [img]http://www.cubeupload.com/files/642f3ess20101117081507.png[/img] A 17-year-old from Queens claims to have done what Apple can't - and made $130,000 along the way. While the black iPhone 4 was released to US customers in June and the rest of the world in the months that followed, the phone's white model won't be in the hands of customers until Spring 2011 after a series of delays. Not content to wait that long, high school senior Fei Lam cut out the middleman and went straight to Apple parts supplier Foxconn, according to The New York Observer. The result was whiteiphone4now.com, a conversion kit that claims to allow customers to convert a black iPhone 4 to a white model. The site launched in July and at the time, it was unclear if the kits were, as TechCrunch observed, ''simply a bunch of parts from the black iPhone painted white''. Now, Lam has spoken out for the first time to confirm the authenticity of his products. "I knew a guy from a few years back that had somewhat of a relationship with folks in Foxconn," he told The Observer by email. He claimed that after initially selling the parts at a loss, attention from tech websites had allowed him to make US$130,000 in profit since August. Lam is currently selling the full conversion kit, which includes back and front panels, a retina display, supporting frame, front glass, digitizer, home button, back glass and LED diffuser and all necessary tools for US$279 plus shipping. As many would expect, Lam has claimed his business venture has attracted unwanted attention from those unhappy with his actions. ''I got an email from a private investigator accusing me of selling stolen goods, which I'm 100 percent sure is not the case. They are some kind of anti-counterfeit/trademark firm, which sounds ridiculous, similar to what Apple is bringing up to remove White iPhone 4 Listings on eBay. I don't know how this legal stuff works,'' he said. It remains to be seen if Apple will take legal action against the teen entrepreneur. Lam said he planned to contact a lawyer, but has no plans to stop selling the white iPhone parts. [/quote] Main Source: [url]http://www.neowin.net/news/teen-makes-130000-selling-white-iphone-4[/url] Content Source: [url]http://www.whiteiphone4now.com/[/url] Backing Source: [url]http://www.observer.com/2010/daily-transom/white-iphone-four-sending-kid-college?utm_medium=partial-text&utm_campaign=home[/url] Backing Source: [url]http://techcrunch.com/2010/07/04/white-iphone-4/[/url]
Wow. I got to do this. Except pink.
What a dick the business world is. Somebody like this comes up with a great idea of bringing a product to the market which people want, and big names try and take them down. Whoever the "private investigator" is should be ashamed of themselves.
Kid shouldn't buckle under legal pressure, they don't have a case.
He obviously is getting help from his parents or something. A 17 year old teen doesn't just do shit like this. Not as professionally like this. His parents must be entrepreneur as well. That being said, it's pretty remarkable that he got the official apple supplier to do this for him. It's funny how you people think i am wrong, because a 17 year old doesn't learn about business in school.
What will he do with all that money? Probably spend it on a WoW character on eBay...
Did this as a 17 year old.. Makes me feel like a dumb faggot for being 20 and doing nothing like this...
[QUOTE=Reach Monster;26116399]Did this as a 17 year old.. Makes me feel like a dumb faggot for being 20 and doing nothing like this...[/QUOTE] Make a <insert color here> iPhone 4 kit.
[QUOTE=sami-pso;26116325]He obviously is getting help from his parents or something. A 17 year old teen doesn't just do shit like this. Not as professionally like this. His parents must be entrepreneur as well. That being said, it's pretty remarkable that he got the official apple supplier to do this for him.[/QUOTE] Lord Alan Sugar started at around 17.
[QUOTE=Panda X;26116414]Make a <insert color here> iPhone 4 kit.[/QUOTE] Rainbow.
[QUOTE=Reach Monster;26116399]Did this as a 17 year old.. Makes me feel like a dumb faggot for being 20 and doing nothing like this...[/QUOTE] He had connections, you most likely don't.
So, people are paying $279 to make their phone white? Really?
[QUOTE=GetBent;26116460]So, people are paying $279 to make their phone white? Really?[/QUOTE] Stupid, Average Apple users, etc, etc.
[QUOTE=Van-man;26116469]Stupid, Average Apple users, etc, etc.[/QUOTE] Yep, people that can't wait 5-6 months.
[QUOTE=Van-man;26116469]Stupid, Average Apple users, etc, etc.[/QUOTE] All the people I know in my town that are the biggest idiots have iphones. Their iPhone IS smarter than them. The people here can't spell shit these days.
[QUOTE=Van-man;26116469]Stupid, Average Apple users, etc, etc.[/QUOTE] How on earth can an average primate that likes Apple products take one apart AND assemble it again? btw, Apple iPhone, iPad and iPods are totally fine with me, but their computers are pants on head retarded so I have all right to hate on the whole fuckign stupid shitaass company goaejfoaiejfadffe FUNNIES
[QUOTE=Pocket Rocket;26116512]How on earth can an average primate that likes Apple products take one apart AND assemble it again?[/QUOTE] Hot glue and hammer
What about Black?Racist
[QUOTE=GetBent;26116460]So, people are paying $279 to make their phone white? Really?[/QUOTE] I've had a cousin whine about wanting a white iPhone for the longest time now. I really don't see why people are so obsessed about the white version, unless there's some bit of pearl embedded in there, and even then, it feels ridiculous.
I would hate on iPhones but Angry Birds is just too much fun [editline]f[/editline] I wonder what would happen if they made gold foil conversion kits
[QUOTE=Kai-ryuu;26116665]I would hate on iPhones but Angry Birds is just too much fun[/QUOTE] It's on Android too you know...
Why does the pack include a display? That probably drives up the price a lot.
That is fucking stupid, As stated in the article, he does what apple can't and they flip out and attempt to file a lawsuit
[QUOTE=billyman;26116706]That is fucking stupid, As stated in the article, he does what apple can't and they flip out and attempt to file a lawsuit[/QUOTE] Apple was going to do it but he somehow got access to an Apple storage and got white kits from there. Imagine you're going to sell a good, then someone steals some of those goods and sells them himself. Same shit going on here except he had help from people in high positions so it's not considered theft for some reason.
he's going to get sued by apple no doubt
gotta stay w/ the black all black errything
Depending on the legality of how he obtained the parts, I'm pretty much on Apple's side here. He didn't design the parts, or have any R&D into their manufacture etc. They are Apple manufactured parts which just haven't been put to market yet. If he's just paid some guy for a stash of them then that is illegal. If he has paid a company for goods which they own the rights to sell (something which the article is vague about) then that is fine. But I doubt Apple would have given a manufacturer the rights to sell on parts which they've committed R&D money to. [quote]''I got an email from a private investigator accusing me of selling stolen goods, [B]which I'm 100 percent sure is not the case.[/B] They are some kind of anti-counterfeit/trademark firm, which sounds ridiculous, similar to what Apple is bringing up to remove White iPhone 4 Listings on eBay. [B]I don't know how this legal stuff works,'' he said.[/B][/quote]Sounds like he really knows what hes doing. ITP - Kids with a grudge against Apple's success rate me boxes.
[QUOTE=Chezhead;26116263]Wow. I got to do this. Except pink.[/QUOTE] make it dildo shaped so you can call people from uranus
[QUOTE=Murkat;26117142]make it dildo shaped so you can call people from uranus[/QUOTE] [IMG]http://filesmelt.com/dl/12861221613701.jpg[/IMG]
Boy, I guess $279 is worth more than 3 months of waiting. [QUOTE=faze;26116672]It's on Android too you know...[/QUOTE] Angry Birds is also on webOS! Not that anyone uses webOS anymore. I think I'm the only one. :frown:
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