I am baffled with all the whining. When it is locked. When do we get an unlocked iPhone? When it is unlocked. Why so costly?
No one is forcing you to buy an iPhone. You will not die, not having an iPhone. You can live a full life without an iPhone.
What you can be, is that you will die of envy -- wanting something that you always have something to complain about. Or, is that the goal of your life? Complain.
$599? $699?!? I paid $349 for a 1G iPhone refurbed and have been using it unlocked for 18 months on T-Mobile. There is no way I would pay that much just to move to 3G (since I can't actually GET 3G). Weren't the iSuppli BOM costs like $279 for the iPhone 3G? That's a 100% margin when you consider development!
I'll wait for the iPhone 3.0 OS and the iPhone 3.0 (4G? 3.5G?) before I make any moves. I like my iPhone 1G. It's still just a phone.
If you happen to live in the U.S. (like myself), I don't see how buying the unlocked version makes any sense. Why would you choose to fork over $699 vs $399 for a 16GB? Like the article states, the alternative to go to here in the U.S. are extremely limited. I could see this being somewhat enticing if the iPhone included both GSM and CDMA technology, and therefore would open you to all carriers, but alas, its doesn't. The only way I could see the unlocked iPhone being of any value is if you are a frequent world traveler hopping around every 6 months to a year, and are enlisting and dropping GSM carriers a lot. The unlocked price vs. the contract price with AT&T plus everything you get with it makes that the better deal by far.
So, iPod Touch is going for 229 US, and Unlocked iPhone is going for 599 US...
In fact, that is not true. The $599 and $699 iPhone 3Gs are still locked to AT&T, in that they contain technological measures which will cause them to reject any SIM card that comes from any carrier other than AT&T.
It's just that you can now leave the store with the phone, but without any contractual obligation to sign up for 2 years of AT&T service at the same time.
Instead, you might choose to sign up for service later on from home. Or maybe you might give it away as a gift and leave it up to the recipient to decide whether or not to sign up for service. Either way, you're still getting your service from AT&T. Heck, for all Apple cares, you might decide to never activate it, and instead use it as an attractive paperweight or centrepiece for your coffee table.
Also, if you do activate it on AT&T, you won't need to commit to a 2-year contractual term, but rather can sign up for month-to-month service, and have the option of giving AT&T 30 days advance notice of your decision to terminate your service at any time without incurring an ETF penalty.
I suppose you might choose to go down the unauthorized jailbreak&unlock route, and sign up for service with somebody other than AT&T, but in that case you're still violating Apple's software EULA (no reverse-engineering, no modifications of Apple's copyrighted software) and voiding your warranty.
$599? $699?!? I paid $349 for a 1G iPhone refurbed and have been using it unlocked for 18 months on T-Mobile. There is no way I would pay that much just to move to 3G (since I can't actually GET 3G). Weren't the iSuppli BOM costs like $279 for the iPhone 3G? That's a 100% margin when you consider development!
I'll wait for the iPhone 3.0 OS and the iPhone 3.0 (4G? 3.5G?) before I make any moves. I like my iPhone 1G. It's still just a phone.
So, iPod Touch is going for 229 US, and Unlocked iPhone is going for 599 US... does the cell phone technology that's in these devices really cost 370 dollars? If so, why? Licensing or what? I'm sure there is some "good" reason, and its part of the Wireless carriers (even though I'd like to blame Apple, I think the carriers have their hands in deeper on this one), or is the price PURELY to try to encourage people to sign up with ATT?
Something smells very fishy.
No, the cell phone technology in iPhone 3G does not cost an extra 370 dollars. But there's nothing fishy.
Some basic economics: In a capitalistic economy, the price of a product is set by the seller at what the seller thinks a buyer is willing to pay. Supply and demand. Since AT&T believes customers are willing to pay $200 with 2-year contract, Apple believes AT&T and other carriers are willing to pay about $500 for it. They are now testing how much customers are willing to pay for iPhone 3G without a contract but since, in this Apple-carrier partnership, the preference is that customers sign up for a contract, they are really testing the upper limit, not the lower limit.
For now, many customers have been willing to pay $200 with 2-year contract, and many customers have been willing to pay $230 for iPod touch (with no phone but no 2-year contract). There maybe more optimal points on the price vs. sales curve but Apple is willing to forgo revenue or profit to reach other goals. But what this does show is that, to date, bottom line, some 17m people believe having a phone in a converged device is worth the contract minus $30, while 13m believe that it is not.
In a capitalistic economy, customers show their preference by choosing to buy or not to buy.
No, the cell phone technology in iPhone 3G does not cost an extra 370 dollars. But there's nothing fishy.
Some basic economics: In a capitalistic economy, the price of a product is set by the seller at what the seller thinks a buyer is willing to pay. Supply and demand. Since AT&T believes customers are willing to pay $200 with 2-year contract, Apple believes AT&T and other carriers are willing to pay about $500 for it. They are now testing how much customers are willing to pay for iPhone 3G without a contract but since, in this Apple-carrier partnership, the preference is that customers sign up for a contract, they are really testing the upper limit, not the lower limit.
For now, many customers have been willing to pay $200 with 2-year contract, and many customers have been willing to pay $230 for iPod touch (with no phone but no 2-year contract). There maybe more optimal points on the price vs. sales curve but Apple is willing to forgo revenue or profit to reach other goals. But what this does show is that, to date, bottom line, some 17m people believe having a phone in a converged device is worth the contract minus $30, while 13m believe that it is not.
In a capitalistic economy, customers show their preference by choosing to buy or not to buy.
Hence the new Microsoft advertising campaign showcasing how expensive (or overpriced perhaps) Apple products really are.
While I do hope that mobile phone companies move toward a more European model of doing business (as I understand it): The consumer buys whatever phone they want and then chooses the provider they desire, and that providers offer more a la carte services so that the consumer can pay for what they use and not have to pay for what they don't. I rarely use the phone, maybe 50 to 100 minutes a month, but I'm paying for 500 minutes a month - which means I have well over 4500 rollover minutes racked up that I'll never use. But, I have to pay extra for unlimited text, which I use all the time. I'm cool with paying for unlimited data (even if EDGE is creepy-crawly slow - 1st Gen iPhone still) as I use that all the time as well. But enough of my whiny rant. But I think we're stuck with the current model of business for a while, as well as having two different technologies making switching carriers difficult.
I think it's obvious that both Apple and AT&T are trying to clear out stock in preparation for a new model to be introduced this summer, and they're also probably using the opportunity to collect data for marketing purposes as mentioned by others here.
I'd like to make a prediction about the next model here, if I may:
1st Gen was called simply iPhone. The intro model.
2nd Gen (or arguably Gen 1.5) was called iPhone 3G. Added 3G and GPS.
My prediction: The next gen iPhone will have video capabilities, so it'll be called iPhone Video.
But, seriously, why do you care? You dislike Apple, you dislike their products, and you plan to get a PC ASAP, so surely further horribleness from Apple doesn't really matter to you, at this point?
I can't speak for the original poster, but I don't blame Apple for Rogers offering such a lousy deal to iPhone buyers. I put the blame squarely on Rogers.
I'd like to have an iPhone, but I'm going going to sell my soul for 3 years to get a measly 1 Gb of data per month.
Still, I'd like to see Apple put some more pressure on Rogers to offer a better deal. What they're offering is highway robbery.
Since Rogers/Fido are the only networks in Canada on which the iPhone will work, I don't see a need to sell it otherwise.
If they did, it wouldn't be subsidized and based on average usage, the service is less than in the US.
6GB data when the average user consumes less than 200 MBs/month and no charge for instant messages that are addressed to me, as well as I can tether without another charge…seems like a dumb idea to pay $700-$1000 because you have a hatred for Apple.
P.S. Last I heard, the average iPhone user in the US is using less than 150 MBs/month on their AT&T Data Plan. Tethering when it comes will be extra. And as all carriers in the US do their instant text messaging is basically extra, even when somebody sends you one and you don't open it.
We cant buy it at Rogers unless you buy it on a 3 yr...
Since you demonstrated with your past posts that you're simply trolling this board with anti-apple propaganda, i think i keep my torch and pitchfork in the shed for now...
I am baffled with all the whining. When it is locked. When do we get an unlocked iPhone? When it is unlocked. Why so costly?
No one is forcing you to buy an iPhone. You will not die, not having an iPhone. You can live a full life without an iPhone.
What you can be, is that you will die of envy -- wanting something that you always have something to complain about. Or, is that the goal of your life? Complain.
I am baffled too. My iPhone works great with AT&T and I am not upset at all about having a two year contract.
Who would buy an unlocked phone for $499/$599 when it only works with T-Mobile in the US as an alternative, and no 3G speed? Might as well buy a used original iPhone, if you really want to unlock it. Of course some minor features don't work when it is unlocked.
While there seems to be a lot of carrier based hate going on, is it not possible to simply choose *not* to activate a new iPhone with any carrier? I know for me, with Wifi available everywhere I normally go, buying one outright could be a great deal. I'll just use a VOIP app for my phoning. Surely turning off the cell wireless features would allow me to run a VOIP app in the foreground for quite a long time.
While there seems to be a lot of carrier based hate going on, is it not possible to simply choose *not* to activate a new iPhone with any carrier? I know for me, with Wifi available everywhere I normally go, buying one outright could be a great deal. I'll just use a VOIP app for my phoning. Surely turning off the cell wireless features would allow me to run a VOIP app in the foreground for quite a long time.
What about an ipod touch? It doesn't come with a camera or built-in mic, but it's a hell of a lot cheaper.
Besides, I think you would have to jailbreak an iPhone to use it without activation.
Comments
No one is forcing you to buy an iPhone. You will not die, not having an iPhone. You can live a full life without an iPhone.
What you can be, is that you will die of envy -- wanting something that you always have something to complain about. Or, is that the goal of your life? Complain.
I'll wait for the iPhone 3.0 OS and the iPhone 3.0 (4G? 3.5G?) before I make any moves. I like my iPhone 1G. It's still just a phone.
So, iPod Touch is going for 229 US, and Unlocked iPhone is going for 599 US...
In fact, that is not true. The $599 and $699 iPhone 3Gs are still locked to AT&T, in that they contain technological measures which will cause them to reject any SIM card that comes from any carrier other than AT&T.
It's just that you can now leave the store with the phone, but without any contractual obligation to sign up for 2 years of AT&T service at the same time.
Instead, you might choose to sign up for service later on from home. Or maybe you might give it away as a gift and leave it up to the recipient to decide whether or not to sign up for service. Either way, you're still getting your service from AT&T. Heck, for all Apple cares, you might decide to never activate it, and instead use it as an attractive paperweight or centrepiece for your coffee table.
Also, if you do activate it on AT&T, you won't need to commit to a 2-year contractual term, but rather can sign up for month-to-month service, and have the option of giving AT&T 30 days advance notice of your decision to terminate your service at any time without incurring an ETF penalty.
I suppose you might choose to go down the unauthorized jailbreak&unlock route, and sign up for service with somebody other than AT&T, but in that case you're still violating Apple's software EULA (no reverse-engineering, no modifications of Apple's copyrighted software) and voiding your warranty.
$599? $699?!? I paid $349 for a 1G iPhone refurbed and have been using it unlocked for 18 months on T-Mobile. There is no way I would pay that much just to move to 3G (since I can't actually GET 3G). Weren't the iSuppli BOM costs like $279 for the iPhone 3G? That's a 100% margin when you consider development!
I'll wait for the iPhone 3.0 OS and the iPhone 3.0 (4G? 3.5G?) before I make any moves. I like my iPhone 1G. It's still just a phone.
So, iPod Touch is going for 229 US, and Unlocked iPhone is going for 599 US... does the cell phone technology that's in these devices really cost 370 dollars? If so, why? Licensing or what? I'm sure there is some "good" reason, and its part of the Wireless carriers (even though I'd like to blame Apple, I think the carriers have their hands in deeper on this one), or is the price PURELY to try to encourage people to sign up with ATT?
Something smells very fishy.
No, the cell phone technology in iPhone 3G does not cost an extra 370 dollars. But there's nothing fishy.
Some basic economics: In a capitalistic economy, the price of a product is set by the seller at what the seller thinks a buyer is willing to pay. Supply and demand. Since AT&T believes customers are willing to pay $200 with 2-year contract, Apple believes AT&T and other carriers are willing to pay about $500 for it. They are now testing how much customers are willing to pay for iPhone 3G without a contract but since, in this Apple-carrier partnership, the preference is that customers sign up for a contract, they are really testing the upper limit, not the lower limit.
For now, many customers have been willing to pay $200 with 2-year contract, and many customers have been willing to pay $230 for iPod touch (with no phone but no 2-year contract). There maybe more optimal points on the price vs. sales curve but Apple is willing to forgo revenue or profit to reach other goals. But what this does show is that, to date, bottom line, some 17m people believe having a phone in a converged device is worth the contract minus $30, while 13m believe that it is not.
In a capitalistic economy, customers show their preference by choosing to buy or not to buy.
No, the cell phone technology in iPhone 3G does not cost an extra 370 dollars. But there's nothing fishy.
Some basic economics: In a capitalistic economy, the price of a product is set by the seller at what the seller thinks a buyer is willing to pay. Supply and demand. Since AT&T believes customers are willing to pay $200 with 2-year contract, Apple believes AT&T and other carriers are willing to pay about $500 for it. They are now testing how much customers are willing to pay for iPhone 3G without a contract but since, in this Apple-carrier partnership, the preference is that customers sign up for a contract, they are really testing the upper limit, not the lower limit.
For now, many customers have been willing to pay $200 with 2-year contract, and many customers have been willing to pay $230 for iPod touch (with no phone but no 2-year contract). There maybe more optimal points on the price vs. sales curve but Apple is willing to forgo revenue or profit to reach other goals. But what this does show is that, to date, bottom line, some 17m people believe having a phone in a converged device is worth the contract minus $30, while 13m believe that it is not.
In a capitalistic economy, customers show their preference by choosing to buy or not to buy.
Hence the new Microsoft advertising campaign showcasing how expensive (or overpriced perhaps) Apple products really are.
I think it's obvious that both Apple and AT&T are trying to clear out stock in preparation for a new model to be introduced this summer, and they're also probably using the opportunity to collect data for marketing purposes as mentioned by others here.
I'd like to make a prediction about the next model here, if I may:
1st Gen was called simply iPhone. The intro model.
2nd Gen (or arguably Gen 1.5) was called iPhone 3G. Added 3G and GPS.
My prediction: The next gen iPhone will have video capabilities, so it'll be called iPhone Video.
You heard it here first!
But, seriously, why do you care? You dislike Apple, you dislike their products, and you plan to get a PC ASAP, so surely further horribleness from Apple doesn't really matter to you, at this point?
I can't speak for the original poster, but I don't blame Apple for Rogers offering such a lousy deal to iPhone buyers. I put the blame squarely on Rogers.
I'd like to have an iPhone, but I'm going going to sell my soul for 3 years to get a measly 1 Gb of data per month.
Still, I'd like to see Apple put some more pressure on Rogers to offer a better deal. What they're offering is highway robbery.
Hence the new Microsoft advertising campaign showcasing how expensive (or overpriced perhaps) Apple products really are.
Microsoft is shouting "I'm a PC. I'm cheaper."
Apple can easily respond: "Do you want cheap? Or do you want good value?"
If they did, it wouldn't be subsidized and based on average usage, the service is less than in the US.
6GB data when the average user consumes less than 200 MBs/month and no charge for instant messages that are addressed to me, as well as I can tether without another charge…seems like a dumb idea to pay $700-$1000 because you have a hatred for Apple.
P.S. Last I heard, the average iPhone user in the US is using less than 150 MBs/month on their AT&T Data Plan. Tethering when it comes will be extra. And as all carriers in the US do their instant text messaging is basically extra, even when somebody sends you one and you don't open it.
Once again, Apple screws over Canada.
We need to boycott their products.
We cant buy it at Rogers unless you buy it on a 3 yr...
Since you demonstrated with your past posts that you're simply trolling this board with anti-apple propaganda, i think i keep my torch and pitchfork in the shed for now...
I am baffled with all the whining. When it is locked. When do we get an unlocked iPhone? When it is unlocked. Why so costly?
No one is forcing you to buy an iPhone. You will not die, not having an iPhone. You can live a full life without an iPhone.
What you can be, is that you will die of envy -- wanting something that you always have something to complain about. Or, is that the goal of your life? Complain.
I am baffled too. My iPhone works great with AT&T and I am not upset at all about having a two year contract.
Who would buy an unlocked phone for $499/$599 when it only works with T-Mobile in the US as an alternative, and no 3G speed? Might as well buy a used original iPhone, if you really want to unlock it. Of course some minor features don't work when it is unlocked.
While there seems to be a lot of carrier based hate going on, is it not possible to simply choose *not* to activate a new iPhone with any carrier? I know for me, with Wifi available everywhere I normally go, buying one outright could be a great deal. I'll just use a VOIP app for my phoning. Surely turning off the cell wireless features would allow me to run a VOIP app in the foreground for quite a long time.
What about an ipod touch? It doesn't come with a camera or built-in mic, but it's a hell of a lot cheaper.
Besides, I think you would have to jailbreak an iPhone to use it without activation.
The computer she bought was not the equivalent of the MacBook.
Hence the new Microsoft advertising campaign showcasing how expensive (or overpriced perhaps) Apple products really are.
pathetic, at that price it should be unlocked.