Will future iPhones be subsidized?

[wonderbread57]

I have heard some assumptions made that after this, the iPhone will not be subsidized by AT&T and we will be paying the full price up front. Is there anything to this assumption?

If att is eating part of the cost in order to lock users in to a 2yr now, I don't see why they wouldn't do it for the next iPhone. Sure, they wouldn't want to give users who already bought a subsidized iPhone another break but they would be happy to leave the deal open for new subscribers and maybe offer an extension deal of some sort to current customers.

 

[scaredpoet]

I have heard some assumptions made that after this, the iPhone will not be subsidized by AT&T and we will be paying the full price up front. Is there anything to this assumption?

After what exactly? After this particular generation of iPhone? We have no way of knowing that for sure, because I don't think the agreement for the next iPhone has been hammered out yet.

After this week/month/year? Probably not true either. In that case, the pricing would be billed as "for a limited time only" or "price good 'till..."

 

[wonderbread57]

after this (generation of iPhone)

 

[dancavallaro]

Why wouldn't they subsidize the next one? As far as I know, every carrier subsidizes every phone when you sign a new contract. The first iPhone was the anomaly, not this one. If you're asking whether or not iPhone 3G owners will be eligible for the subsidized price when the next gen iPhone comes out, then nobody knows, but it is likely that we will have to pay the early upgrade price.

 

[jrcsh6]

Why wouldn't they subsidize the next one? As far as I know, every carrier subsidizes every phone when you sign a new contract. The first iPhone was the anomaly, not this one. If you're asking whether or not iPhone 3G owners will be eligible for the subsidized price when the next gen iPhone comes out, then nobody knows, but it is likely that we will have to pay the early upgrade price.

EXACTLY why i didn't go for 3g. i'm actually iphone-less right now. hopefully getting a 16gb "classic" thursday! i'm gonna use my "subsidy" for the next, NEW iphone that isn't just a polished up version like this one that just came out is IMO.

 

[gkarris]

I just came from a trip "back to the future" and 5 years from now, all phones, including the iPhone, will be subsidized....

Steve Ballmer may change his mind, though....

 

[mkitchen]

I think after the success of this launch... they won't be changing up the format too much.