AT&T Confirms No-Contract iPhone 3G Sales

Reason being #1

To get all the stock sold up as quickly as possible to get prepared for the next iPhone in June

LVdustin said:

Reason being #1

To get all the stock sold up as quickly as possible to get prepared for the next iPhone in June

Click to expand...

well at the moment it's still just a theory, but it does make a lot of sense that i agree it could be called reason number 1

Should be unlocked....then it well worth the price, but as long as its locked to AT&T(or not easily unlockable) 599/699 is to much

why should they care about contracts?

anyone who starts using an iphone is going to be using at&t until the iphone is no longer exclusive to that carrier.

I'm sure that $599+ iPhones would make a huge dent in clearing stock.

wakka092 said:

I'm sure that $599+ iPhones would make a huge dent in clearing stock.

Click to expand...

Im sure! I think I would rather buy a Mac Mini!

LVdustin said:

Reason being #1

To get all the stock sold up as quickly as possible to get prepared for the next iPhone in June

Click to expand...

Did they do this with the original iPhone? Before the 3G release?

legal unlocking. pretty awesome - all these announcements are DEFINITELY going towards a new iPhone

It's kinda dumb to buy you can upgrade to the new one if your under contract plus it's cheaper I would like to activate it at My house though.

zap2 said:

Should be unlocked....then it well worth the price, but as long as its locked to AT&T(or not easily unlockable) 599/699 is to much

Click to expand...

Why is $600 to much? People are paying more than that for them now. When you buy an iPhone on contract, hidden in the monthly price is a loan repayment for the discounted phone. Notice that if you try can cancel the contract early they ask that you pay off the load at that time. You can see how much you paid for your iPhone buy trying to cancal the contract after the first month. What do they charge for that?

So if you want a "free" iPhone just use your credit card. Yes yu will have to pay the CC loan off every mounth but people seen not to care about that.

ChrisA said:

Why is $600 to much? (...).

Click to expand...

exactly. look on eBay - for an unlocked+jailbroken iPhone. you are looking around that price range - and the market for iPhones is very competitive right now, because of all the money that can be made from them.

however, to one who can jailbreak and unlock with ease - spending extra for the convenience of not bricking (even though.. you can't really brick) their new iPhones.

I don't get it...

No-Contract phones are generally $200 more, so they should be $399 and $499 or if $250 more (like some carriers), $449 and $549.

$599 and $699 should be for an unsubsidized iPhone useable on ANY AT&T plan (for real at these prices they should be unlocked).

Making someone pay these prices AND make them use a regular iPhone plan is just a plain rip-off...

You're contradicting Engadget:

http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/19/atandt-confirms-contract-free-599-699-iphone-3gs-for-next-week/

Who would go for this? What's the point? Ok, so you're not "locked in." Right. I get it. Now what? Who do you go to? T-Mobile? Sorry, you can't. These are not unlocked phones. So, you go to AT&T and guess what? You still have to pay them the same price plan.

So what did you accomplish? Nothing except that you paid waaaaay too much for an iPhone. But hey, at least you're not "locked in" a contract. Yey Freedom!

Contractless iPhones have been available since last year for $450. Buy the phone, wait 31 days, cancel the contract.

$199.99 for the iPhone 3g 8GB, around $75 for one month of service, $175 early termination fee. Done.

And still cheaper than this load of cow dung they are passing off.

gkarris said:

I don't get it...

No-Contract phones are generally $200 more, so they should be $399 and $499 or if $250 more (like some carriers), $449 and $549.

$599 and $699 should be for an unsubsidized iPhone useable on ANY AT&T plan (for real at these prices they should be unlocked).

Making someone pay these prices AND make them use a regular iPhone plan is just a plain rip-off...

Click to expand...

well there is nobody to blame but apple for that. they decided to enter into this exclusive deal with att so that there are no officially unlocked phones sold in the US. the only phones that can use any att plan they want are those sold unlocked and unbranded by other retailers. as long as your are buying it from att (no-commitment or 2 year contract) you will be required to use the official att plan.

if apple were to offer an officially unlocked version of the iphone then you would presumably not have to use the special iphone plans.

JP3G said:

You're contradicting Engadget:

http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/19/atandt-confirms-contract-free-599-699-iphone-3gs-for-next-week/

Click to expand...

"Commitment-Free" doesn't mean "Choose Your Own Plan"...

Will this be available in Canada on Rogers?
I have been asking this question for so long!

?

What is stopping people from just opening a new iphone account and cancelling it when they're no longer willing to pay for it? Wouldn't that be the same exact price as a no-contract plan?

xy14 said:

What is stopping people from just opening a new iphone account and cancelling it when they're no longer willing to pay for it? Wouldn't that be the same exact price as a no-contract plan?

Click to expand...

early termination fee

nevermind, i think i get what you are saying

$199 subsidized plus $175 etf + other small charges = about the same?

bobfitz14 said:

well at the moment it's still just a theory, but it does make a lot of sense that i agree it could be called reason number 1

Click to expand...

It is fact...all carriers doing some similar moves around the world. Its not spring enthusiasm, its new iphone. Just get your money ready...if you buying one.

gothamm said:

early termination fee

Click to expand...

Yes, but...

"Effective May 25, 2008, new and renewing AT&T wireless customers who enter into 1- or 2-year service agreements will no longer be required to pay a single, flat Early Termination Fee (ETF). Instead, the $175 ETF will be lowered by $5.00 every month for the term of the contract. This change will provide our customers with even greater choices when it comes to their wireless needs."

now, here is the scenario, I am not eligible for an upgrade until 12/16/2009, but if the hardware changes enough and the new iphone is worth getting, by the time it comes out (if July) I would be down to $115.00 termination fee. Now, I would have to reactivate, so that's $36.00 bringing that cost to $151.00. If the new iphone is subsidized at $299.99 and for people not qualified for an upgrade would have to pay $200 more, why not just cancel, reactivate, and purchase the new phone and save yourself $50?

ChrisA said:

Why is $600 to much? People are paying more than that for them now. When you buy an iPhone on contract, hidden in the monthly price is a loan repayment for the discounted phone. Notice that if you try can cancel the contract early they ask that you pay off the load at that time. You can see how much you paid for your iPhone buy trying to cancal the contract after the first month. What do they charge for that?

So if you want a "free" iPhone just use your credit card. Yes yu will have to pay the CC loan off every mounth but people seen not to care about that.

Click to expand...

And the people who are paying that much for them now are also paying too much for them. The iphone should be $400 for a 16gb AT THE MOST. If it was around $300 it'd be more realistic. I dont understand the hype over the spacey looking big phones anyway honestly. I'll renew my contract when I see an unlocked iphone nano.