Apple seen selling iPhone 3GS free with subsidy, $399 without contract

24

Comments

  • Reply 21 of 78
    ikolikol Posts: 369member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by cajun View Post


    I use my 3GS every day. While I'm anxiously awaiting the new upgrade, I don't have any complaints with the 3GS per se; in fact, my daughter is anxiously awaiting it as a hand-me-down.



    I really don't see any reason to force the retirement of the 3GS.



    The 3GS is a great phone - never had any reception problems with it like my iPhone 4 nor delicacy issues.

    All it needs is a cameraflash added- forget FaceTime, a gimmick at most.
  • Reply 22 of 78
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    Hmm... I'd think Apple would want to phase out the 480x360 displays this year in favor of the 960x720 panels, even if the low end gets a TN panel instead of IPS.



    yea that makes sense...but then again any app designed for 480x360 scales perfectly to 960x720...



    the only reason to get rid of the 3GS is because it is seriously outdated.
  • Reply 23 of 78
    negafoxnegafox Posts: 480member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AbsoluteDesignz View Post


    yea that makes sense...but then again any app designed for 480x360 scales perfectly to 960x720...



    the only reason to get rid of the 3GS is because it is seriously outdated.



    The iPhone 4 resolution is actually 640×960 and the prior models were 320x480 (still a 4x increase in pixel density).
  • Reply 24 of 78
    conradjoeconradjoe Posts: 1,887member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by addicted44 View Post


    Apple does't want you to upgrade your iPhone4 to the iPhone5.






    Apple wants everybody and their brother (literally!) to upgrade or switch to the i5.



    More people carry the i4 than any other iPhone. And you think that Apple would prefer that they NOT give Apple more money? Wacky theory.
  • Reply 25 of 78
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iKol View Post


    The 3GS is a great phone - never had any reception problems with it like my iPhone 4 nor delicacy issues.

    All it needs is a cameraflash added- forget FaceTime, a gimmick at most.



    Facetime is pretty awesome for me personally. My problem with it was (lost my i4...living with the original with edge until the 4S is out) that it did not work on 3G. The rumormill was apparently saying that iOS5 will allow this to happen.
  • Reply 26 of 78
    This makes no sense. The iPhone 4 is already being sold for free with a 2 year-contract in many markets. I'm most likely going to be picking one up myself next week.



    The 3GS is dead.
  • Reply 27 of 78
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ConradJoe View Post


    Apple wants everybody and their brother (literally!) to upgrade or switch to the i5.



    More people carry the i4 than any other iPhone. And you think that Apple would prefer that they NOT give Apple more money? Wacky theory.



    Of course they want you to upgrade.



    But the point is that the 4S wouldnt be targeted towards iPhone 4 users, as much as 3GS users.



    The vast majority of iPhone users in the world are on a 2yr+ contract, who will wait for that contract to expire before upgrading. It is these people, upgrading from a 3GS, who will find immense value in the iPhone 5. The vast majority of iPhone 4 users would not upgrade until next year anyways.



    Those who would have upgraded if Apple was releasing an iPhone 5, instead of 4S (whatever that may mean) are on the margins, and probably too small a number to justify a product strategy based on them.
  • Reply 28 of 78
    asdasdasdasd Posts: 5,686member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AbsoluteDesignz View Post


    yea that makes sense...but then again any app designed for 480x360 scales perfectly to 960x720...



    the only reason to get rid of the 3GS is because it is seriously outdated.



    Is it? Consider it a line of non-retina display phones. They may increased the processor power in that line going forward but it can be a model for the cheaper market.



    the 3GS is not noticeably slower than the iPhone 4. Most of you are happy that is still selling on Oct 3rd, why care on Oct 4th?



    So APple have an entry level phone, outselling all android phones ( how often have we heard that on this forum) and you want to get rid?



    If the price is reduced it will sell to cheaper markets - teenagers, older folks etc. PAYG. China. etc.



    This is inevitable as they need a cheaper phone for China.
  • Reply 29 of 78
    asdasdasdasd Posts: 5,686member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by addicted44 View Post


    Of course they want you to upgrade.



    But the point is that the 4S wouldnt be targeted towards iPhone 4 users, as much as 3GS users.



    The vast majority of iPhone users in the world are on a 2yr+ contract, who will wait for that contract to expire before upgrading. It is these people, upgrading from a 3GS, who will find immense value in the iPhone 5. The vast majority of iPhone 4 users would not upgrade until next year anyways.



    Those who would have upgraded if Apple was releasing an iPhone 5, instead of 4S (whatever that may mean) are on the margins, and probably too small a number to justify a product strategy based on them.



    Really doubt that last bit. The number of people who own an iPhone 3Gs from two years ago is a tiny percentage of the total iPhone ownership now because the growth in iPhone users has been exponential. If all Apple gets is the upgraders in their ( supposed) 2 year universal contracts, then it wont sell that many.



    It needs to convince iPhone 4 users to break contract, or upgrade early, and new entrants to buy their first iPhone. That will exceed the 3GS users, in a tiny number of countries, who bought as new and have a 3GS for 2 years or more.



    The modern 3GS user, who bought the 8G version, is not going to upgrade to the iPhone 4S, but may get a deal on the iPhone 4.



    The new 3GS is for the lower-mid market.
  • Reply 30 of 78
    off contract prices for phones are just re-god-damn-ridiculous. When you compare them to what you get with tablets. It's just insane.
  • Reply 31 of 78
    asdasdasdasd Posts: 5,686member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tonton View Post


    This makes no sense. The iPhone 4 is already being sold for free with a 2 year-contract in many markets. I'm most likely going to be picking one up myself next week.



    The 3GS is dead.



    God, the arguments on this forum bug me. The contract price is irrelevant.
  • Reply 32 of 78
    asdasdasdasd Posts: 5,686member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by archer75 View Post


    off contract prices for phones are just re-god-damn-ridiculous. When you compare them to what you get with tablets. It's just insane.



    Word.



    The "cheap" cost here is the same as an entry level iPad. And far more than the Fire.
  • Reply 33 of 78
    christophbchristophb Posts: 1,482member
    Would be seriously good for T if they can pull it off with Apple. (IMHO)



    If Apple can keep up with manufacturing, there's still a good profit in it, demand is solid, it's iOS 5 compatible (for what other reason? - perhaps they almost had to because of iOS5 on iPad 1 w/ GSM) - it's all gravy. I think stock holders are happier with larger earnings per share, volume shipped and market share than a small down tick in margin %. Perhaps I'm just projecting.
  • Reply 34 of 78
    shenshen Posts: 434member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Negafox View Post


    Using Safari on my iPhone 3GS under iOS 4 is a painful experience. It frequently crashes or displays most of a webpage in the gray checkerboard look for a while until it finishes loading. Maybe iOS 5 has more optimizations for the 3GS, but personally, I would opt to kill the line and let the 8 GB iPhone 4 become the new low-end model.



    The free Android phones are generally on par with the iPhone 4. Apple ought to kill the line than to compete with an aging phone that performs poorly compared to its direct competition.



    It is funny, every person i actually know face to face style who has ever owned any Android model and also used any iPhone says that no Android is on par with even the 3G, let alone the 3GS. My own testing of Android leads me to believe that it is the mobil phone version of windows 95. All the virus worries, all the instability, some pretty colors, and basically useless.



    Yet regularly people say Android phones are as good or better. I have just never actually met that person...



    Example of what i am saying here, http://jawcl.com/post/10648454899/wh...g-with-android
  • Reply 35 of 78
    conradjoeconradjoe Posts: 1,887member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by shen View Post


    It is funny, every person i actually know face to face style who has ever owned any Android model and also used any iPhone says that no Android is on par with even the 3G, let alone the 3GS.



    Maybe it's time to expand your social circle.
  • Reply 36 of 78
    asdasdasdasd Posts: 5,686member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by shen View Post


    It is funny, every person i actually know face to face style who has ever owned any Android model and also used any iPhone says that no Android is on par with even the 3G, let alone the 3GS. My own testing of Android leads me to believe that it is the mobil phone version of windows 95. All the virus worries, all the instability, some pretty colors, and basically useless.



    Yet regularly people say Android phones are as good or better. I have just never actually met that person...



    People on these here forums will have a different opinion on the 3GS - which I have and think still better than most Android phones I have used - if they are defending it against Android, or if there is a rumour that it might be kept on to cater to the undeserving poor. Its Apple fans wanting to keep a clique I think.



    If the 3GS is a popular model now, it will be even more popular when it is reduced in price. To put it simply Apple will sell more of the 3GS + iP4 + iP4S then they would've of the iP4 + iP4S alone.



    Frankly they need an even cheaper model. But they do need a cheap model (Off contract prices)* for the rest of the world and the PAYG market, and it makes sense to use a phone they can build comfortably and well. Also I like it's form factor.



    As for margins, it is selling at $399 according to the article. The parts must be cheap. This is a high margin phone. Same price as an iPad retail, parts are cheaper.





    * will put that everywhere from now on, I think, when I mention price.
  • Reply 37 of 78
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by asdasd View Post


    Is it? Consider it a line of non-retina display phones. They may increased the processor power in that line going forward but it can be a model for the cheaper market.



    the 3GS is not noticeably slower than the iPhone 4. Most of you are happy that is still selling on Oct 3rd, why care on Oct 4th?



    So APple have an entry level phone, outselling all android phones ( how often have we heard that on this forum) and you want to get rid?



    If the price is reduced it will sell to cheaper markets - teenagers, older folks etc. PAYG. China. etc.



    This is inevitable as they need a cheaper phone for China.



    like I said, the only reason to get rid of it is because it is outdated. Granted at it's price it is less outdated than the lower end Android models.
  • Reply 38 of 78
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by shen View Post


    It is funny, every person i actually know face to face style who has ever owned any Android model and also used any iPhone says that no Android is on par with even the 3G, let alone the 3GS. My own testing of Android leads me to believe that it is the mobil phone version of windows 95. All the virus worries, all the instability, some pretty colors, and basically useless.



    Yet regularly people say Android phones are as good or better. I have just never actually met that person...



    Example of what i am saying here, http://jawcl.com/post/10648454899/wh...g-with-android





    lol @ Android not being on par with a 3G...the friend of mines who "upgraded" from the Nexus One (mine) to her own iPhone 4 still misses aspects of Android that she just cannot get/do on iOS...





    and guess what? that's OKAY. She is still happy with her iPhone 4. They can coexist...it doesn't always have to be either or.



    Android doesn't have to be all bad and iOS doesn't have to be all good.



    Simply because you are a fan of Apple through and through doesn't make them the makers of all the good products in the world....And that's OKAY.



    The sun will rise, the sun will set...the universe will go on as it should...and that's OKAY.



    Every post you have re: Android doesn't have to be a negative "I heard she heard" story. I bet you could find 100 articles on why Android rocks (without even comparing it to iOS)...or 200 why it sucks...but that's OKAY.



    It proves nothing. Simply that your tastes are not mines or others tastes when it comes to MOBILE operating systems.



    You don't have to hate Android, Shen...hell, you don't have to hate Google...or Adobe, or Microsoft, or any company/product that competes with Apple.



    You can not enjoy them all you want (BB OS scars my soul and stock Android is hideous but it's customizability saves it) but you don't have to hate what others enjoy.



    And that's okay.









    hey I'm still waiting for you here: http://forums.appleinsider.com/showp...&postcount=193



    I don't want to consider you a liar or anything....
  • Reply 39 of 78
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AbsoluteDesignz View Post


    lol @ Android not being on par with a 3G...the friend of mines who "upgraded" from the Nexus One (mine) to her own iPhone 4 still misses aspects of Android that she just cannot get/do on iOS...



    I have never seen you mention aspects of Android-based phones that can't compare with an iPhone.
  • Reply 40 of 78
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by asdasd View Post


    God, the arguments on this forum bug me. The contract price is irrelevant.



    Excuse me, the contract price is in the freaking headline of the article!
Sign In or Register to comment.