I don't think they will have a 8GB iPhone 4. I think the 16GB will fill the $99 spot. It just seems like one of those things that some people don't care about (amount of storage space), but Apple will "upgrade" it anyway and make a big deal of it.
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Apple to Offer iPhone 3GS Free on Contract?
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Somebody please explain to our friends in the US that not everyone in the world buys an iPhone on contract. Pre-paid or PAYG is very popular in many parts of the world. In the UK the cheapest PAYG iPhone is £428 for the iPhone 3GS. That is way too expensive for most PAYG users. So if they could reduce that to say £200 they would have a big hit IMHO even if it is old technology. Multiply this by several million PAYG users around the world (especially China, India, etc) and it's a nice little earner. Keep the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 for the mid-range and premium market.
3gs free with contract? oh really apple!!
wow this phone is older than my grandma, the only thing that keeps it allive is appstore and jb!
wow this phone is older than my grandma, the only thing that keeps it allive is appstore and jb!
Basically the same deal here in Japan. Both the iPhone 3Gs and the iPhone 4 are both free with a two-year contract.
a free by contract 3GS makes sense, I mean as long as their is demand I don't see why apple would not want to continue to supply it.
If anything, I think that the "cheaper" iPhone 4 or whatever, that we have been seeing cases for and stuff about being a cheap iPhone 4 with less memory. May actually just be a redesign for Apple to save some money on the current iPhone. The design for the next iPhone may have nothing to do with that.
When it comes to apple its never really clear what they will do, but if I found a cheaper manufacturing process, and there was a high demand, and I was about to lower the price of a hot product as well as introduce another, a cheaper and faster production style would make sense.
If anything, I think that the "cheaper" iPhone 4 or whatever, that we have been seeing cases for and stuff about being a cheap iPhone 4 with less memory. May actually just be a redesign for Apple to save some money on the current iPhone. The design for the next iPhone may have nothing to do with that.
When it comes to apple its never really clear what they will do, but if I found a cheaper manufacturing process, and there was a high demand, and I was about to lower the price of a hot product as well as introduce another, a cheaper and faster production style would make sense.
According to that NPD report a couple weeks ago, more people want the 3GS than any single Android or BB model. Price is a very important mobile phone spec for a huge portion of the population. Lower the price and even more of these customers will become interested.
If you want to know marketing, you have to learn to sell to people who aren't like you, but still buy stuff. Lots of stuff.
Why would any sane business stop producing a product that is making them $billions in profitable revenue every quarter?
We're glad that you're not running a large corporation.
Just bought one in April after I dropped my iPhone 4. I like it better than the 4. No reception problems, and my face doesn't activate the touch screen like it did on the 4.
Very happy with purchase.
The 3Gs is still a very capable device and with iOS 5 support it is a great low budget iPhone. The underclocked 800Mhz processor gives nearly the same performance as the iPhone 4 due to the A4 using it's extra power to power the Retina display. The only downside is the lower amount of RAM will be tested with iOS 5 and all its goodness.
I'm not sure why if it lowered the density (to stay compatible with apps) why it would make it difficult for developers? I can't see them changing the DPI and the total number of pixels, if they change the pixels it would be to keep the same density.
And since before the Retina Display, hasn't Apple been telling developers to not design for a specific screen size?
Gary
They sure as heck should be.
It could be similar to how Sony was (is still maybe?) still producing the PS2 long after the PS3 came out, with the PS2 actually pulling in more profits than the newer console.
Because Apple said from the get go "use iOS4 on the iPhone 3G at your own risk...it WILL suffer from performance issues."
Apple has very publicly stated that iOS5 will be supported on the 3GS...therefore it will work just fine with iOS5.
I would love to see a free 3GS. With the amount of cell phone customers who come into AT&T stores asking for "the free phone," it would be a huge revenue booster for AT&T.
Apple wouldn't be offering the phone free, the carrier would. And Apple is not going to give the phone away free, they have nothing to gain, only the carrier does.
wisdom...Lol i think alot of us still dont understand that carriers pay for the phone because they make atleast 1500 off of it...
Apple has everything to gain.
An iPhone for all (or at least for those willing to pony up for a data package).
With a lot of customers coming in asking for "free phones," and since smartphone are the only true free phones now (the others are free after mail in rebate) it makes a ton of sense.
The Samsung Focus sells so well because it's free. The iPhone 3GS would still work because of its brand cache.
It's an iPhone. For free. Think about it.
Exactly, remember more iPhones out there in the world would literally mean more people to download your app too.