Woa there, horsey! Or maybe it has something to do with ruling that Gatorguy mentioned. If not, this sounds a lot like a Sarbanes-Oxley sorta thing they might have to do to protect their asses. Something similar happened when iOS 2.0 came out ? they charged a nominal fee to upgrade.
And seriously, is a dollar something to get worked up over?? Especially when someone is going to drop around 2 grand to honor the terms of their phone contract?? Geeez, calm down ppl.
The primary complaint in that case was the fact that the people were charged full sales tax on a phone that was "free." The full sales tax issue wouldn't go away if the price was changed from free to 99 cents so I am not sure the new 99 cent thing is related to that case.
the full sales tax issue would stay the same sure. But the issue was that it said 'free' not 'you only pay sales tax'
I work at AT&T, This is being done to help prevent fraud as the .99 cents cannot be billed to your bill. It must be charged to a credit or bank issued debt card. Fraudsters are using stolen identities to steal these handsets ....been an issue since they went free
the full sales tax issue would stay the same sure. But the issue was that it said 'free' not 'you only pay sales tax'
Ah.. I see the issue more clearly now. Thanks for pointing it out. The word "free" can create quite a headache! Sounds like all their free phones might soon become 99 cents.
Those greedy bastards. Don't they know, $0.99 is like a two-week salary in a North Korean labor camp? How how will the residents of Gulag 19 afford an iPhone? Looks like they'll have to settle for a free Android phone...the horror.
In regard to buying from a carrier. The 3GS is actually the first time that an iPhone has cost anything in Australia.
You can get a 4s or 4 for free but you pay $429 for a 3GS. Granted it is on prepaid not plan but still since the 3G was released no iPhone has cost anything
In regard to buying from a carrier. The 3GS is actually the first time that an iPhone has cost anything in Australia.
You can get a 4s or 4 for free but you pay $429 for a 3GS. Granted it is on prepaid not plan but still since the 3G was released no iPhone has cost anything
What a load of crap - yes it has. The opposite of what you state is true. When the original iPhone came out for instance many people were paying $16 per month for it over a 2 year contract. This was on top of the plan price of $50 per month or what have you. Just because this fee is added to your bill rather than being paid "upfront", doesn't mean it isn't there.
That is still the case to this day (please check the phone plans before commenting). On the higher dollar plans, the phone will be "free", on the mid to lower tier plans the phones are NOT "free".
And, of course, if one wishes to pre-pay, they could have bought an iPhone 3gs, an iPhone 3g an iPhone 4 or an iPhone 4s outright ... there is nothing special about the 3gs pricing in Australia as you have suggested ...
In the United States and several other countries, the iPhone 3GS is now free. The iPhone 4 costs the old price of the iPhone 3GS. The iPhone 4S, then, costs the old price of the iPhone 4.
Sadly, you'll have to wait for the iPhone 4S to be released in Portugal to see the iPhone 3GS drop down to being free on contract.
It would be nice if Apple dropped prices in every store in every country simultaneously (even if the products that caused said price drops hadn't been released yet), but they don't.
You are wrong..in most countries telcos do not offer subsidized phones - you have to pay full price.
This is most likely the truth, or at least some part of it. Ask literally any LP (loss prevention) guy that works retail and they'll tell you how big of a problem this sort of thing is.
Wow. If this is the most disgusting thing you have ever seen, you have lived a pretty sheltered life. I am not sure to feel happy or sad for you.
As at least one other person pointed out, AT&T is obviously doing it to cover themselves for some reason, not to make ninety nine cents. It would be nice for AT&T to voice the reason, but it probably has reasons for doing that. I remember when Apple charged iPod Touch users some nominal fee to upgrade peoples' OS, and people went nuts even though Apple was doing it to comply with some accounting rules.
I suspect the MacRumors' poster is correct. People are signing up for free iPhones, AT&T or Apple is shipping them, and some people are taking them without paying the contract fee, which in turn AT&T has to pay Apple for the phone. AT&T is making people provide a credit card account to pay the fee, and actually charging the fee verifies the account is legitimate.
PS:
Don't get me wrong, from my experience AT&T is a disgusting money grabbing company that sells you out whenever it can.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
This is the most disgusting thing I've ever seen.
How stupid could they possibly be? Are they really that desperate for money?
I'd say that is you can complain about 99 cents as if the world is ending your life must be pretty well protected. Unlike most of us, a one time 99 cent cost is pretty forgetable unless you just have to be angry about something.
Comments
Woa there, horsey! Or maybe it has something to do with ruling that Gatorguy mentioned. If not, this sounds a lot like a Sarbanes-Oxley sorta thing they might have to do to protect their asses. Something similar happened when iOS 2.0 came out ? they charged a nominal fee to upgrade.
And seriously, is a dollar something to get worked up over?? Especially when someone is going to drop around 2 grand to honor the terms of their phone contract?? Geeez, calm down ppl.
We are the .99 and this will not be tolerated.
The primary complaint in that case was the fact that the people were charged full sales tax on a phone that was "free." The full sales tax issue wouldn't go away if the price was changed from free to 99 cents so I am not sure the new 99 cent thing is related to that case.
the full sales tax issue would stay the same sure. But the issue was that it said 'free' not 'you only pay sales tax'
I work at AT&T, This is being done to help prevent fraud as the .99 cents cannot be billed to your bill. It must be charged to a credit or bank issued debt card. Fraudsters are using stolen identities to steal these handsets ....been an issue since they went free
http://www.macrumors.com/2011/11/18/...price-to-0-99/
the full sales tax issue would stay the same sure. But the issue was that it said 'free' not 'you only pay sales tax'
Ah.. I see the issue more clearly now. Thanks for pointing it out. The word "free" can create quite a headache! Sounds like all their free phones might soon become 99 cents.
You can get a 4s or 4 for free but you pay $429 for a 3GS. Granted it is on prepaid not plan but still since the 3G was released no iPhone has cost anything
In regard to buying from a carrier. The 3GS is actually the first time that an iPhone has cost anything in Australia.
You can get a 4s or 4 for free but you pay $429 for a 3GS. Granted it is on prepaid not plan but still since the 3G was released no iPhone has cost anything
What a load of crap - yes it has. The opposite of what you state is true. When the original iPhone came out for instance many people were paying $16 per month for it over a 2 year contract. This was on top of the plan price of $50 per month or what have you. Just because this fee is added to your bill rather than being paid "upfront", doesn't mean it isn't there.
That is still the case to this day (please check the phone plans before commenting). On the higher dollar plans, the phone will be "free", on the mid to lower tier plans the phones are NOT "free".
And, of course, if one wishes to pre-pay, they could have bought an iPhone 3gs, an iPhone 3g an iPhone 4 or an iPhone 4s outright ... there is nothing special about the 3gs pricing in Australia as you have suggested ...
Hello! And the Portuguese equivalent thereof!
In the United States and several other countries, the iPhone 3GS is now free. The iPhone 4 costs the old price of the iPhone 3GS. The iPhone 4S, then, costs the old price of the iPhone 4.
Sadly, you'll have to wait for the iPhone 4S to be released in Portugal to see the iPhone 3GS drop down to being free on contract.
It would be nice if Apple dropped prices in every store in every country simultaneously (even if the products that caused said price drops hadn't been released yet), but they don't.
You are wrong..in most countries telcos do not offer subsidized phones - you have to pay full price.
This is a story?
I'm pissed off. Costing the same price as a bag of Chili-Cheese Fritos. How does Apple expect us to feed our families?
ROFL
really!
This is a story?
Really.
Explanation from a Mac Rumors reader:
http://www.macrumors.com/2011/11/18/...price-to-0-99/
This is most likely the truth, or at least some part of it. Ask literally any LP (loss prevention) guy that works retail and they'll tell you how big of a problem this sort of thing is.
Ridiculous is that you took me literally. There's really not much more to say than that.
Would you be appeased if I amended 'thing' to 'display of blatant money-grubbing'?
I searched for any hint of irony and found none, but whatever you say.
Explanation from a Mac Rumors reader:
http://www.macrumors.com/2011/11/18/...price-to-0-99/
You mean I can't pay that .99 in cash?
As at least one other person pointed out, AT&T is obviously doing it to cover themselves for some reason, not to make ninety nine cents. It would be nice for AT&T to voice the reason, but it probably has reasons for doing that. I remember when Apple charged iPod Touch users some nominal fee to upgrade peoples' OS, and people went nuts even though Apple was doing it to comply with some accounting rules.
I suspect the MacRumors' poster is correct. People are signing up for free iPhones, AT&T or Apple is shipping them, and some people are taking them without paying the contract fee, which in turn AT&T has to pay Apple for the phone. AT&T is making people provide a credit card account to pay the fee, and actually charging the fee verifies the account is legitimate.
PS:
Don't get me wrong, from my experience AT&T is a disgusting money grabbing company that sells you out whenever it can.
This is the most disgusting thing I've ever seen.
How stupid could they possibly be? Are they really that desperate for money?
Zero dollars from Apple. $0.99 from AT&T.
I'm pissed off. Costing the same price as a bag of Chili-Cheese Fritos. How does Apple expect us to feed our families?
Small difference! The bag of Chili-Cheese Fritos doesn't come with a 2 year contract.
we are the .99 and this will not be tolerated.
lol
+1