Apple to Allow iPhone Subsidies?

[Squid7085]

On the uk News sites today they are, reporting the new phone will be a Free update to existing customers of the iphone, as long as you trade in the original one and sign a new 18 month contract.

And for new customers, free on the higher priced plans, and just £100 on the lower plans, and pay as you for £269!

That would piss off a lot of the people that sold theirs for the 3G version.

 

[zync]

Can I digress a bit and ask the US users what the 3g coverage is over there? Because I'm getting the impression that its virtually non-existent.

If you're in rural America it's non-existent. If not you're golden.

I live in Tampa, FL and the whole metro area and then some is covered. Basically I have 3G service for about a 40-50mi radius around my house. Any other city I've travelled to had 3G. It's pretty widespread as far as I've gone.

 

[diabolic]

To me, a subsidy here in the U.S. makes perfect sense. Apple and AT&T sell the 3G iPhone for the retail price, then when you activate it with AT&T you get an immediate credit of $200. It might make someone think twice about unlocking their phone vs. just going with AT&T and getting $200 back.

 

[macerroneous]

Nice post from April 3

Even if I did say so myself:

pricing blunder

Here's where Steve erred. Due to a bit of "overconfidence" Steve underestimated the ease with which the phone could be unlocked. The fact that the phone was locked to a specific carrier was the only thing that makes the phone valuable to the carrier. Once the phone was unlocked, the carriers lost interest in Steve's terms. Once unlocked, phones are taken to out-of-network countries losing Apple revenue as well as bargaining power with new carriers. If the phone is easily unlocked, the only thing to tie the phone to a carrier is a REBATE in exchange for a contract.

THEREFORE- expect to see the 3G iphone exorbitantly priced but with a substantial rebate in exchange for service agreement. That's how Apple should have done the $200 price drop. Don't all you marketing experts agree?

 

[megfilmworks]

Even if I did say so myself:

pricing blunder

Here's where Steve erred. Due to a bit of "overconfidence" Steve underestimated the ease with which the phone could be unlocked. The fact that the phone was locked to a specific carrier was the only thing that makes the phone valuable to the carrier. Once the phone was unlocked, the carriers lost interest in Steve's terms. Once unlocked, phones are taken to out-of-network countries losing Apple revenue as well as bargaining power with new carriers. If the phone is easily unlocked, the only thing to tie the phone to a carrier is a REBATE in exchange for a contract.

THEREFORE- expect to see the 3G iphone exorbitantly priced but with a substantial rebate in exchange for service agreement. That's how Apple should have done the $200 price drop. Don't all you marketing experts agree?

The only marketing expert that matters on this subject is SJ.

 

[DiamondMac]

That would piss off a lot of the people that sold theirs for the 3G version.

True but judging by some of the prices that people are selling their iPhones for on Craigslist, EBay, etc.....some may be MAKING money by selling them

I still am amazed at how high some people are selling their original iPhones

 

[zync]

I love your optimism. Hope you're right, mate.

I hope I'm right, too.

The only problem is that I thought it was at 12:00 eastern. It's 1:00. Keynote won't be done until 1:45-2:00. I mean, I may still take a late lunch, but I'll probably just go after work and hope for the best. The traffic will be a little more of a pain then, but I know some routes through some neighborhoods. Kids better beware on iPhone v2 day!

Here's hoping!

 

[thaitillidie]

Brilliant!

Even if I did say so myself:

pricing blunder

Here's where Steve erred. Due to a bit of "overconfidence" Steve underestimated the ease with which the phone could be unlocked. The fact that the phone was locked to a specific carrier was the only thing that makes the phone valuable to the carrier. Once the phone was unlocked, the carriers lost interest in Steve's terms. Once unlocked, phones are taken to out-of-network countries losing Apple revenue as well as bargaining power with new carriers. If the phone is easily unlocked, the only thing to tie the phone to a carrier is a REBATE in exchange for a contract.

THEREFORE- expect to see the 3G iphone exorbitantly priced but with a substantial rebate in exchange for service agreement. That's how Apple should have done the $200 price drop. Don't all you marketing experts agree?

So let's see now --- the new 32GB 3G iphone offered at $799.99 (Apple's notorious for tacking on that extra $.99) across the board but you get a $200 subsidy if you activate it with AT&T. I could live with that and, quite frankly, dude, that would just rock!!!

This whole hacking/jailbreaking fiasco was completely uncalled for. Idiots engaged in nefarious activities shouldn't reap any benefits from said activities, but they sure as hell milked Apple for everything they were worth with this one!! There are probably more jailbroken iPhones roaming the planet than "legitimate" ones!!

Oh man that would be such a classic slap in the face to these criminals (yes I said it -- CRIMINALS) who were planning to do just the same thing with this new model!

I can just hear the Apple bigwigs now: "So you wanna hack our equipment, huh? Cool. Go right ahead. Help yourself. But we've already got your 800 bucks you freakin' idiot!!"

No. Forget that. Let's make 'em really pay to play: brand spankin' new 32GB 3G iPhone --- $899.99 cash only!

 

[thaitillidie]

The night before...

Monday. June 9 2008. 2:04am.

Man oh man, I'm torn...

This either feels like the night before Christmas when I was 12 years old the first year xbox was released or....the night before I knew I'd be getting a root canal the next day at the same age!

Either something very good is about to happen or something bad...very very bad.

 

[severe]

So let's see now --- the new 32GB 3G iphone offered at $799.99 (Apple's notorious for tacking on that extra $.99) across the board but you get a $200 subsidy if you activate it with AT&T. I could live with that and, quite frankly, dude, that would just rock!!!

This whole hacking/jailbreaking fiasco was completely uncalled for. Idiots engaged in nefarious activities shouldn't reap any benefits from said activities, but they sure as hell milked Apple for everything they were worth with this one!! There are probably more jailbroken iPhones roaming the planet than "legitimate" ones!!

Oh man that would be such a classic slap in the face to these criminals (yes I said it -- CRIMINALS) who were planning to do just the same thing with this new model!

I can just hear the Apple bigwigs now: "So you wanna hack our equipment, huh? Cool. Go right ahead. Help yourself. But we've already got your 800 bucks you freakin' idiot!!"

No. Forget that. Let's make 'em really pay to play: brand spankin' new 32GB 3G iPhone --- $899.99 cash only!

You've always had to buy it to hack it, no?

As a matter of fact, most of what you've mentioned above is nonsense. I don't even know where to begin. Are you new to computers, business, or just technology?

At any rate, go to bed.