Rosetta Stone just released its new iPad app. I can't think of a better platform for learning a language than the iPad. Even though the app is free in the iTunes store, you must be an existing Rosetta Stone customer to use it. Minimum required investment to use this product: $179 USD. Ouch!
From where I stand, I see this pricing decision as a major missed opportunity for Rosetta Stone. What if they released this app for $39? Expensive enough to seem legit, but cheap enough to capitalize on brand recognition. I would love to spend $39 for several hours of a Japanese refresher. As someone who has never touched a Rosetta Stone product, I would have purchased it instantly at this price point given that a) Rosetta Stone has a reputation for being very effective b) Rosetta Stone has a reputation for being very expensive.
Furthermore, the $39 iPad app could serve as a gateway drug to other regularly priced Rosetta Stone products on other platforms. They could have even offered a $39 credit to iPad customers toward the full platform.
I would love to know how many new users will sign up for the full $179 service as a result of the iPad offering. My intuition says the $39 entry point would have been far more profitable in the long run.
