AT&T Offers Refurbished iPhone 3GS for $9

[hexonxonx]

Who would sign a 2 year contract with a 3GS? It's already 2 years old, and by the time the contract expires, you'll be left with a 4 year old phone!

That really doesn't matter. I still have an original iPhone activated with one year left on it's contract. I also have a 32GB 3GS and an 8GB 3GS both purchased last summer. The 32GB still has one year left on it's contract.

 

[WissMAN]

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Why not just offer the phone as a free phone ? After the contract your still down a bunch.

Exactly. $9.00? Just make it free.

 

[dawnrazor]

For all of Apple's Green credentials and use of eco friendly products etc, the iPhones have a remarkably short life, even for modern e-products.

I wonder how many of the original iPhones are still in service? What about the iPhone 3G? To say a refurbished 3GS is worth so little... Just makes you think is all, maybe I'll skip the iPhone 4S/5 and wait for the next installment...

 

[Googlyhead]

For all of Apple's Green credentials and use of eco friendly products etc, the iPhones have a remarkably short life, even for modern e-products.

I wonder how many of the original iPhones are still in service? What about the iPhone 3G? To say a refurbished 3GS is worth so little... Just makes you think is all, maybe I'll skip the iPhone 4S/5 and wait for the next installment...

I'm not sure that is the case; I was thinking more that if you ignore the 'traditional' long lifespan of apple products, an analysis of the iPhone would show that for a mobile phone, it has a remarkably long working life.

Just think; before, you would get a Nokia or SE on contract;
Probably less than 6 months in, it's more than a little shabby, it was virtually outdated when you got it (as most tended to have some features at the expense of others, and many of it's new ways of slicing bread were supported for almost a week), hard to get cases or accessories (short lifespan of a low markets are model with eccentric implementations), software is never going to be updated again etc etc.
Network offers you a refurb or something at a cost, and updated contract, and...
Your just-a-few-months-old phone gets shoved in the back of a drawer (barely worth listing on eBay)

I used to work in the industry, and it was rare that someone would still have the phone after a year. Even now, I see my coworkers flipping through HTC smartphones, while the rarer original iPhone and (admittedly v. Popular) 3GS carry on.
It's probably due to this lifespan that the iP4 appears to be almost outnumbered by the older models.

 

[SBlue1]

Hm. I thought most data and voice plans for smart phones were pretty much the same.

uhm, no, they are not.

 

[bushido]

the iPhone 4 is now on sale for 1 Euro in Germany with one of the cheapest plans avab

 

[BornAgainMac]

Wow, $9 bucks. I remember having to pay $500 for this phone a few years ago for the 32 GB model because I wanted to terminate my contract with the iPhone 3G phone early (cracked screen).

Someday the iPhone 4 will be that cheap when iPhone 6S is out.

 

[melchiorsen]

US carriers cheating customers big time

In Denmark where I live we have laws preventing carriers to have more than a 6 month contract. After this time you can terminate the contract and leave for another carrier. I find it strange that US being the land of competition and free markets tie people to a two year contract which is quite expensive.

I browsed by the at&t website and tried to figure out the price schemes. Roughly it can be translated into this:
New smartphone: $99, discounted from a unsubsidized price of $450= $-350
900 minutes talk time: $60*24= $1440
unlimited SMS & MMS messaging: $20*24= $480
4GB of data: $45*24= $1080

total: $2650 (sales tax included?)

Comparison with danish carrier bringing your own smartphone
New smartphone unsubsidized: $450
900 minutes talk time (charged by second) + unlimited SMS & MMS messaging + 15GB of data (4-6mbps): $42*24= $1008

total: $1458 (VAT included)

That's a difference of almost $1200. That's a new Macbook Pro every 2 years

Tell me if I'm wrong but it seems to me that US customers are paying way too much for the services provided by the carriers.

 

[jmcrutch]

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Quote: "I find it strange that US being the land of competition and free markets tie people to a two year contract which is quite expensive."

You sort of answered your own question when you wrote that Denmark has a law limiting length of contract. Laws counter free market forces.

 

[melchiorsen]

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Quote: "I find it strange that US being the land of competition and free markets tie people to a two year contract which is quite expensive."

You sort of answered your own question when you wrote that Denmark has a law limiting length of contract. Laws counter free market forces.

You're absolutely right. The free market forces are not in full effect if laws intervene.

I just wonder why free market forces within this industry are keeping contracts so expensive. The US market should be the most competitive in the world yet prices are high.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

I just wonder why free market forces within this industry are keeping contracts so expensive. The US market should be the most competitive in the world yet prices are high.

It's a matter of supply and demand. Everyone is willing to pay, and so we do.

If I had to guess, I would say the average US consumer has more money to spend than those of other countries, thus why they're willing to spend more.

Although, yes, I do find it ridiculous that the carriers are able to constantly screw us over. The answer, of course, is for some entrepreneur to make some new technology that makes that of AT&T and Verizon's worthless, and sell it for less so that they can rise to become the new dominant force in the market.

Edit: On the topic of the 3GS still being sold, I kind of wish it wasn't... I'd like to be able to stop supporting the non-retina displays in my games.

 

[bobob]

Once you've decided to pay for an expensive data plan for the next 24 months, I just don't understand skimping on the phone you're going to be stuck with.

+1

If your data/voice plan is $50/month for 24 months, the real total cost of the $9 3GS is $1209 compared to a new $199 iPhone 5 next month at $1399.

That's a savings of only 7% or $8 a month.

If that much money is critical to your budget, you shouldn't be buying any type of smartphone.

 

[buckers]

I agree with some of the international posters that this is probably only newsworthy to Americans (but seeing as this is an American site, we'll let them off! ).

iPhone 3GS here is free for £35 a month; 2000 minutes, over 5000 texts and 2GB internet.
http://www.three.co.uk/Phones/iPhone#anchor1

 

[iMrNiceGuy0023]

I wonder whatthe iPhnoe 4 will drop to when the next gen is released

 

[itsalexaye]

I had this option when I bought my 3GS in April, but it wasnt available in store, and I wanted a new iPhone. Didnt get the iPhone 4 because I anticipated getting a new iPhone this summer.

 

[andyx3x]

The bottom line is if you don't have $200 to spend on a phone, you don't need to be signing up for the expense of an iPhone contract. You just can't afford it.

 

[Mr. Gates]

Doesn't really set good image for the Apple brand.

Your phone will soon be worth nothing.

I know thats not the case but its how a lot of people will see it.