Apple Announces iPhone 3G S, Launching June 19th

[Sarcasmo]

To all the counter-whiners who say that 3G owners should suck it up on the higher price. The problem many of us have is that we have been iPhone owners since launch day of the original iPhone. When the 3G was launched, there was no higher price for an "early upgrade." We simply paid the subsidized price and were locked into a new 2 year contract.

Right, because it wasn't subsidized when you bought it. And how many improvements have been made since then?

And when you paid the upgrade price for the 3g, you signed a new deal. There was no "extra" upgrade price because you paid an ungodly amount to begin with, so why not get you to part with an additional $200, then lock you in for another $85/month for two more years?

You didn't have to upgrade last year, you just saw a better phone for a lower price and now you're locked in. At&t/Apple win, customers complain about getting screwed and pay anyway.

Do you complain when every new computer or iPod comes out too, demanding a lower price on a new one?

 

[mb2008]

I show I can upgrade 7/15/09.....


One more time for you guys who just can't get it....2G was unsubsidized, even though we locked in to ATT for 2 years. 3G was subsidized, and ATT tore up our old 2 year committment for a new one.

Pricing for 3GS is exactly what I expected, given that the 3G was subsidized. And since the 3GS is no great leap, I can wait the extra month and save the $200. Or, just wait until next year.

 

[brendon2020]

"I talked to AT&T, I was told I could do a secure upgrade and have to wait 3 days to get the phone (pay the 299 plus 18 fee) or wait until 7/12 at which time I can get the 299+18 and just sign a new 2 year deal."

That sounds interesting.
As my old cell phone was broken last week, I had to buy 3G. Less than a week, Apple announced new 3GS! That was what I was afraid and told to ATT!
I want to replace without any cost!😡

im hoping thats true, i'm going to call later and see if they'll do the same for me.

 

[Boxybrown]

any way for those who bought a 3G to haggle it down to subsidized price?

Sorry, there really isnt. We typically recieve memos from apple regarding the deals they have decided on for the new phones and they are the ones that wont let us change the pricing on the phone. For the 3g launch, they are the ones who made the existing 2g owners eligible for upgrade (with att's help obviously) and now they are the ones saying "No early upgrades" I actually just got an email as I was typing this saying that apple doesnt want us doing early upgrades for the new model, which kind of sucks cause I have to deal with the upset people who just bought a 3g over a month ago, and are now stuck with a higher price tag and less sophisticated phone.

In conclusion, even our District and regional managers cant lower the price of the iphone, its the only phone we carry, where the button to change the price is physically removed from our screen.

 

[nyquist11]

This is where I'm at, as well... unfortunate, really. I've tried calling Apple, but I've been on hold for close to an hour now...

I thought about calling my local AT&T store, but those guys are incompetent, and I dare not confuse them. I wouldn't be surprised if they had no idea that a new iPhone was just released.

Called my local apple store... told that I cannot get the phone until June 19...

 

[Sratner]

apple says 699 for 32 gig

I don't know where everyone (including the macrumors post) is getting these upgrade prices. Apple says on their website: For non-qualified customers, including existing AT&T customers who want to upgrade from another phone or replace an iPhone 3G, the price with a new two-year agreement is $499 (8GB), $599 (16GB), or $699 (32GB).

Just go to the apple site:

http://www.apple.com/iphone/buy/

 

[chrmjenkins]

Wow I can't believe absolutely everyone was wrong about the look of the new iPhone!

Does anyone know what sort of internal hardware changes were made (exact specs)? Or are we going to have to wait until launch day?

At the very latest ifixit will bail us out on day 1 of launch there.

 

[kas23]

AT&T I'll give you. Not exactly a great performance by them today.

Even if AT&T suddenly told me I was now eligible for subs pricing, I don't even think I would take it. I am deeply disappointed in AT&T today. For this reason, new iPhone or not, I would NOT sign another 2 year agreement with them today.

 

[FunkyTang]

Sell your 16GB 3G for $400 and use the proceeds to help pay for the $499 32GB 3GS.

 

[BravesFanUGA]

What if the phone was bought about three weeks ago at the 399 price, can some get the $100 dollars back since they are offering 8gb for 299 now?

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

Post...

It's the same size, no new cases. It's got a huge anchor around its neck though... AT&T

No tethering (although other phones with AT&T can) and no MMS (although other phones on AT&T can). Well, actually the MMS is planned for 'Summer'.

The biggest threat to the iPhone isn't RIM or Palm. It's turning out to be AT&T!? My wife is already thinking of ditching her iPhone and going back to Verizon.

AT&T also 'magically' switched her to email billing and she never got the invoice or the statement in the mail. She was pissed. They told her last month that she told them to do it. Then that they have her 'straightened out'. Same thing this month. The agent 'misinformed her' (LIED?) last month about getting her 'straightened out' and she had to go in person to put it back. All this last bit happened on a highway doing over 70MPH. The 'agent' (brainless twit) demanded that she give them her credit card number over the phone and wouldn't hold on while she stopped the car (there was no shoulder to stop on in that stretch) and found her card. Then when the in person demand popped up, she said that if they could change her to email billing without her authorization then they could bloody well change it back WITH her authorization. Nope, the agent wasn't budging... She had to hang up on the idiot. She was so steamed that as soon as we got in town and dumped our luggage, it was off to the AT&T store...

 

[Aaron H.]

Short sighted

What I find most frustrating is the seemingly random application of "full upgrade pricing" dates. I bought my 3G (and original) iPhone on launch day, yet I'm not available to upgrade until 3/13/2010. Why? Many others say they are eligible on July 12, others in December, etc. This makes no sense and should be addressed sooner rather than later.

But more importantly, if I have to wait all the way until March next year to get the upgrade pricing, I will just wait 3 extra months and get the next generation iPhone and skip this one. So, in an effort to get an extra $200 from a loyal customer, they are generating ill will *AND* losing over $600 in the process. How is that?

I currently pay for 3 AT&T phones - my 3G iPhone, my wife's original iPhone, and my son's Samsung something. When I get a new phone my wife gets the 3G and my son gets the original. So, I spend $300 on hardware, wife's plan goes up $10 a month and son gets a $20 data plan. $660 (plus all of the various upgrade fees and add-ons they kill you with) out the window so they can get attempt to get an extra $200.

It really blows my mind they could be so short sighted.

 

[xerenthar]

I show I can upgrade 7/15/09.....

i get what i edited out. i don't get why you can upgrade 7/15 and i can upgrade 12/15. i'd wait another month no problem.

Sorry, there really isnt. We typically recieve memos from apple regarding the deals they have decided on for the new phones and they are the ones that wont let us change the pricing on the phone. For the 3g launch, they are the ones who made the existing 2g owners eligible for upgrade (with att's help obviously) and now they are the ones saying "No early upgrades" I actually just got an email as I was typing this saying that apple doesnt want us doing early upgrades for the new model, which kind of sucks cause I have to deal with the upset people who just bought a 3g over a month ago, and are now stuck with a higher price tag and less sophisticated phone.

In conclusion, even our District and regional managers cant lower the price of the iphone, its the only phone we carry, where the button to change the price is physically removed from our screen.

thanks for being a sport and taking questions. any opinion on the above - why some early adopters of 3G (my contract AT&T is up 7.15.10) have to wait until 12.15.09 and some can upgrade 07.15.09?

 

[likemyorbs]

got my upgrade and activation fee waived! im pretty excited, now im going to call and find out if they can upgrade my shipping so i can have it june 19. since on the site it said "free shipping, get it june 19th". i chose free shipping and then it said arrival date june 24th, so i was like wtf. ill call in and see if they could upgrade it, if not ill see if i can have it changed to pick up at the apple store.

 

[Silv3rF0x]

So I have the first Iphone in fact I got my phone the day it came out. So do you think it is worth me doing the upgrade or should I wait another year?

Just wonder input from you all.😕

 

[ddTaylor]

Did you really expect AT&T to sell you a new 3GS to you at the cheaper price, from the goodness of their own hearts? Next thing you'll be telling me is that AT&T is going to give us free tethering. 🙄
Anyone who didn't expect higher pricing for 3G users is naive. As for me, I'm waiting on the 128GB iPhone.

T-Mobile offers FREE tethering with their data packages if your package is over $60 with the data package add-on. You ahve to ask but many of the phones will act as a modem at no charge through T-Mobile but you need to call and ask. I did that with a 2G iPhone I unlocked and they allowed for NO CHARGE tethering. They gave me a free SIM CARD and even set-up the data connections on the phone as well as made for some iPhone ATT specific features to work on the T-Mobile network. It was NOT a corporate store but an independent T-Mobile only store.

Why would I expect ATT to offer what other companies offer? Because they might want to compete! I do not understand why Boost can offer $50 for unlimited voice/data/messaging AND no cost GPS and AGPS maps - you read right, just $50! How can they offer that while ATT charges more than $150 plus tax for a like plan!

I understand cell service and maintenance is hefty - but with more cell phones than land-lines by an ENORMOUS MARGIN - they can offer a better product at a lower price. Boost does, Virgin Mobile does and Cricket can - although I know nothing about Cricket - only T-Mobile, Boost and Virgin.

ATT offers NOTHING that Boost does not offer - and they charge more than 2x their current rates! Boost even LEASES the cell time from ALL major GSM and IDEN towers and they STILL turn a profit and offer great support from all the opinions I had read.

ATT is greedy and they have milked the iPhone and the associated data and message plans to the point that as a customer I will look elsewhere as ATT has terrible service in almost ANY area and the customer support blows - yet Apple - an otherwise great company, decided to lie in bed with a terrible company who refuses to upgrade many towers to 3G when Verizon and even Sprint have more 3G-esq towers throughout the lower-48. Oh well.

D

 

[iphones4evry1]

Existing iPhone 3G owners will have to pay approximately $200 over subsidized pricing to upgrade:

Keep in mind that there are numerous posts on Craigslist every day that say "we buy iPhone3Gs for $200" and they turn around and sell them on eBay for $400. I'm not sure who buys them for $400, but if you look at eBay, people keep buying them. (keep in mind that the unsubsidized iPhone3G was like $600) I will probably buy the new 3G S from Apple and then sell my old phone on eBay.

 

[brd2887]

It's a two year contract. But I'm signing a new one. For all it's worth. They are getting 85 dollars from me a month. They pretty much made an additional year more on. So yeah...great job on them...they won't pony up $200 bucks and I won't give them an additional 900 bucks. Hmm...Att...how about it...200 bucks you make me save now...and I'll give you 900 bucks later..(NET PROFIT OF 700!!!).

GET REAL. ATT FANBOY.

If you're signing a NEW 2 year contract, I see no reason why you shouldn't get the 199/299 pricing. That's the deal as I see it, as long as you pay the ETF on any current plan that you have. If you're a new customer, then you should go have a talk with them and tell them you want the fully subsidized price.

Also, I'm not an ATT fanboy. I would love for the iPhone to not be exclusive, so that other carriers could create competitive pricing and offer better services. I am, however, a fan of common sense, and appreciate it when people use it.

 

[esquared]

Treated horribly

$499, for the new iPhone, or wait 6 months to get it for $299? Nah, I think I'll just go get a Pre for $199, clearly the better deal. Oh, and never have to deal with AT&T again, almost worth it by itself. Fu** you Apple & AT&T.😡

 

[pedrofan]

So, now that the iPhone is getting close in features to every other smart-phone (but still sans front camera for video calls, and with only 3meg camera, when others get up to 12megs,) they are asking $700 for the 32megs version for existing AT&T users!?

Oh, and plus being locked into anoter 2 years contract with AT&T!

Is this a joke?

No another iPhone for me, at this price. I'll be looking at the new HTCs with Android. F... Apple and f... AT&T!

IF THEY GIVE YOU ALL YOU WANT, YOU WILL NOT WANT THE NEXT YEAR'S IPHONE.

 

[Mr. Giver '94]

Well I guess Apple was trying to drive away all of their 3G customers.


There's no way in hell I'm paying $700 for some piece of shiiit...

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

What I find most frustrating is the seemingly random application of "full upgrade pricing" dates. I bought my 3G (and original) iPhone on launch day, yet I'm not available to upgrade until 3/13/2010. Why? Many others say they are eligible on July 12, others in December, etc. This makes no sense and should be addressed sooner rather than later.

But more importantly, if I have to wait all the way until March next year to get the upgrade pricing, I will just wait 3 extra months and get the next generation iPhone and skip this one. So, in an effort to get an extra $200 from a loyal customer, they are generating ill will *AND* losing over $600 in the process. How is that?

I currently pay for 3 AT&T phones - my 3G iPhone, my wife's original iPhone, and my son's Samsung something. When I get a new phone my wife gets the 3G and my son gets the original. So, I spend $300 on hardware, wife's plan goes up $10 a month and son gets a $20 data plan. $660 (plus all of the various upgrade fees and add-ons they kill you with) out the window so they can get attempt to get an extra $200.

It really blows my mind they could be so short sighted.

That's why 'locked phones' should be outlawed! It does no one any favors. AT&T 'extended' my upgrade date when I had my Treo by 4 months! If it wasn't for the investment that I have with AT&T already, I'd buy an unlocked Pre (is there such a thing yet?) or a Blackberry and ditch AT&T. Well, and they have my phone number too!

 

[greenpaz]

Not sure I want to get the 32 GB

But I do have a lot of music. Is there a way to customize what music gets loaded onto the iPhone versus what gets loaded onto my 30GB iPod?

 

[MatthewStorm]

When I just ordered the new iPhone it had me pick out the phone I wanted, log in using my Apple ID and then it told me to go to the SoHo store on the 19th and complete the purchase with an Orange Shirt. The price it gave me was $299 for the 32gb. I bought the 3G last July so not sure if this is a screwup.

 

[tekksan]

Sell your 16GB 3G for $400 and use the proceeds to help pay for the $499 32GB 3GS.

if you can get that much for it in the next few days. I suspect there will be a flood of 3g iphones on ebay soon...