I just put in my information at apple.com and was told as a valued customer I could pay $299 dollars for the 3G(S) phone. Or I could wait until the end of December for a regular upgrade. What a horrible way to show appreciation for valued customers! I think this will come back to bite both Apple/ATT. Sure there are folks that will pay the 200 for the early upgrade, but not as many. I see the share price in apple going down in the next week or so once the apple followers realize it will cost to upgrade early.
The only reason they could be doing this is to not have all the apple loyalist buy the new phone and slow the system down at ATT, since the 3G(S) is stated to be 2X faster. As mentioned with the tethering capability, ATT has this with other smartphones, but cannot accomedate a mass rush of IPhone users who will definitely use the tether capability. Instead they slow those loyal to the apple brand so as not to overload the system.
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Can we get a sticky for every forum explaining to all the people that have never upgraded a cell phone in their lives that this is the way it works? That it takes two years for the carriers to get back their front end subsidy? That Verizon does it with all their phones, that AT&T does it with all the rest of their phones?
This "OMG, AT&T is doing something completely typical for a cell phone carrier, they must be the worst criminals in history" shit is really starting to get old. Are iPhones all being bought by children with excessive allowances?
You have already posted this!
Why do you have to start another thread?
what a fool. Obviously you've never purchased a mobile phone before.