Apple needed to drop iPhone 3GS since it is very unlikely iOS7 will support 3GS. This allows the current 3GSs a year or more until they will no longer be iOS upgradeable. If Apple kept the 3GS, then the day the new iOS came out the 3GS would be orphaned.
I suspect the same logic applies to iPhone 4 a year or so from now. Regarding the very low end non-contract sales, the market is certainly very large, but not clear that Apple can or should compete in this market.
With China beginning to explode and India, prob not far behind there is a several billion person non-consumption opportunity for Apple.
That has got to be the most uninformed opinion I've read in a while - why so much hate? The new Nokia phones are quite impressive and best the iPhone 5 in many respects based on specs alone.
What a troll response...I have had it 2 1/2 years and would like a new one. You still using the original iPhone or something? (some people actually do by the way)
Yup, time to upgrade while I can still get a decent price for it to go toward a new one. I could understand his comment if I was retiring a 4S but a 3GS??? Why not??
I've still got an original iPhone (2G), still working well, and in my opinion, it's the best looking iPhone ever. It's currently my backup phone.
My wife and I both have 3GS's and I think it's a fine phone. However as we have iPad 2 and new iPad's respectively, the slower speed is getting noticeable.
I am going to her her an iPhone 5 in October and perhaps myself one early next year. Oh, and we're dropping AT
I had kind of hoped that Apple would have kept it around at a lower price in developing markets to gain market share.
Sorry, but people here in the developing world don't want an old, slow iPhone. If they don't have any money, they get a feature phone. If they have some cash they they get a modern $100~$300 Android phone. If they're rich, they pay $700+ for an iPhone. No one wants to pay $400 for a three-year-old device.
Apple needed to drop iPhone 3GS since it is very unlikely iOS7 will support 3GS. This allows the current 3GSs a year or more until they will no longer be iOS upgradeable. If Apple kept the 3GS, then the day the new iOS came out the 3GS would be orphaned.
I suspect the same logic applies to iPhone 4 a year or so from now. Regarding the very low end non-contract sales, the market is certainly very large, but not clear that Apple can or should compete in this market.
With China beginning to explode and India, prob not far behind there is a several billion person non-consumption opportunity for Apple.
the real issue is, how low in price can apple reasonably sell the 3GS before cutting into their profit margins? At this point, I doubt it costs much more for them to produce the iphone 4 than it does to make the 3GS, so while they could reduce the price maybe $25 or something, it's doubtful that that would be enough of a drop to make a difference. With that in mind, it just doesn't seem worthwhile to keep the old production lines in operation producing this device.
The unlocked 3GS was $375 on Apple's site. I see the iPhone 4 is now $450. That would be a tough sale in the rest of the world. I wonder if Apple will get more aggressive with off-contract pricing of the 4 later in the year.
The 3GS can’t do everything in iOS 6. But for a 3-year-old model, we have it made compared to all the rapidly-abandoned Android devices that fail to get the current OS in even one year! They lose support before your 2-year contract is even up...
P.S. I think they need full production of display panels at that particular DPI for... some other device....
True...Frankly, I spent the first half of this year using the original iPhone! While I wont argue that it was an awesome experience, it was outright better than an Android a buddy of mine bought 2 years ago. He is waiting with credit card in hand for tomorrow to order the iPhone 5.
Still got mine, at least for another two weeks or so. Then I'm all in on iP5, yeah!!! My 3GS has been getting slower and slower the past year and crashes more often. Giving it to a friend in another country who's in desperate need of a short-term phone. For me iP5 will be MUCH appreciated and loongg overdue upgrade!!! To quote Bart Scott (for any NFL fans on here), "Can't Wait!!!!"
Prefer the design of the 3GS, much more comfortable in the hand. The main thing tempting me away are the cameras. No facetime camera, and a mediocre main camera.
So yeah 3GS still works, but the missing features are a pain.
Sorry, but people here in the developing world don't want an old, slow iPhone. If they don't have any money, they get a feature phone. If they have some cash they they get a modern $100~$300 Android phone. If they're rich, they pay $700+ for an iPhone. No one wants to pay $400 for a three-year-old device.
How much does a feature phone cost in the developing world? If Apple could sell it at say, just above cost, and that cost was in range of a feature phone, then wouldn't it make sense to market the 3GS as an introduction to the Apple experience for millions of potential customers, some of whom may eventually be able to move up the Apple ladder by buying more expensive devices at a later date?
Little known factoid: To change a Windows 8 device from one orientation mode to the other, open the settings tool and change the orientation setting, close the settings tool and you're good to go.
I wonder if the 4 and the 4S are going to be limied to the 8gig set up or will they up it to 16 (which would kinda piss me off). One of the benefits of having a newer model is that they had better configurations. I remember my old 4gig iPhone, sigh, those were the days to be at the cutting edge. No one wants to see your phone now, unless it is a Galaxy III, which is cool because they see it and want to hand it back. The iPhone has become ubiquitous and yet very personal, everyone is the same and yet totally unique. I sneer at the people who have Apple originated lock and home screens, but I scowl at people who have Android phones, I don't care what kind. I'm a fanboy and that ain't no lie.
Comments
I suspect the same logic applies to iPhone 4 a year or so from now. Regarding the very low end non-contract sales, the market is certainly very large, but not clear that Apple can or should compete in this market.
With China beginning to explode and India, prob not far behind there is a several billion person non-consumption opportunity for Apple.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FruityCyclops
That has got to be the most uninformed opinion I've read in a while - why so much hate? The new Nokia phones are quite impressive and best the iPhone 5 in many respects based on specs alone.
Uh, which specs do they "best" the iPhone 5 on?
Quote:
Originally Posted by icoco3
What a troll response...I have had it 2 1/2 years and would like a new one. You still using the original iPhone or something? (some people actually do by the way)
Yup, time to upgrade while I can still get a decent price for it to go toward a new one. I could understand his comment if I was retiring a 4S but a 3GS??? Why not??
I've still got an original iPhone (2G), still working well, and in my opinion, it's the best looking iPhone ever. It's currently my backup phone.
I am going to her her an iPhone 5 in October and perhaps myself one early next year. Oh, and we're dropping AT
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blastdoor
I had kind of hoped that Apple would have kept it around at a lower price in developing markets to gain market share.
Sorry, but people here in the developing world don't want an old, slow iPhone. If they don't have any money, they get a feature phone. If they have some cash they they get a modern $100~$300 Android phone. If they're rich, they pay $700+ for an iPhone. No one wants to pay $400 for a three-year-old device.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gprovida
Apple needed to drop iPhone 3GS since it is very unlikely iOS7 will support 3GS. This allows the current 3GSs a year or more until they will no longer be iOS upgradeable. If Apple kept the 3GS, then the day the new iOS came out the 3GS would be orphaned.
I suspect the same logic applies to iPhone 4 a year or so from now. Regarding the very low end non-contract sales, the market is certainly very large, but not clear that Apple can or should compete in this market.
With China beginning to explode and India, prob not far behind there is a several billion person non-consumption opportunity for Apple.
the real issue is, how low in price can apple reasonably sell the 3GS before cutting into their profit margins? At this point, I doubt it costs much more for them to produce the iphone 4 than it does to make the 3GS, so while they could reduce the price maybe $25 or something, it's doubtful that that would be enough of a drop to make a difference. With that in mind, it just doesn't seem worthwhile to keep the old production lines in operation producing this device.
Phil
$450 for iPhone 4 8GB - not a great move.
I guess we all just get iPod touch then...
Originally Posted by shanmugam
$450 for iPhone 4 8GB - not a great move.
I guess we all just get iPod touch then...
Unless, of course, you wanted a phone, in which case that's a bad idea.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nagromme
The 3GS can’t do everything in iOS 6. But for a 3-year-old model, we have it made compared to all the rapidly-abandoned Android devices that fail to get the current OS in even one year! They lose support before your 2-year contract is even up...
P.S. I think they need full production of display panels at that particular DPI for... some other device....
True...Frankly, I spent the first half of this year using the original iPhone! While I wont argue that it was an awesome experience, it was outright better than an Android a buddy of mine bought 2 years ago. He is waiting with credit card in hand for tomorrow to order the iPhone 5.
How much does a feature phone cost in China?
How much does a feature phone cost in the "developing world"?
Still got mine, at least for another two weeks or so. Then I'm all in on iP5, yeah!!! My 3GS has been getting slower and slower the past year and crashes more often. Giving it to a friend in another country who's in desperate need of a short-term phone. For me iP5 will be MUCH appreciated and loongg overdue upgrade!!! To quote Bart Scott (for any NFL fans on here), "Can't Wait!!!!"
So yeah 3GS still works, but the missing features are a pain.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TokyoJimu
Sorry, but people here in the developing world don't want an old, slow iPhone. If they don't have any money, they get a feature phone. If they have some cash they they get a modern $100~$300 Android phone. If they're rich, they pay $700+ for an iPhone. No one wants to pay $400 for a three-year-old device.
How much does a feature phone cost in the developing world? If Apple could sell it at say, just above cost, and that cost was in range of a feature phone, then wouldn't it make sense to market the 3GS as an introduction to the Apple experience for millions of potential customers, some of whom may eventually be able to move up the Apple ladder by buying more expensive devices at a later date?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Macky the Macky
Little known factoid: To change a Windows 8 device from one orientation mode to the other, open the settings tool and change the orientation setting, close the settings tool and you're good to go.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joelh
That's so funny, I hope it is true.
Its true.
http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/31/3281960/windows-rt-office-2013-rt-specs-details-hands-on
go to 2.20 in the video