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AT&T Seeing "Tremendous Demand" for Free iPhone 3GS

AaronEdwards said:
The consumer who gets a "free" 3GS with a full plan, is to put it bluntly, stupid.

The total cost would be at least $1320. That's 93% of the total cost for an iPhone 4 (and that's not including the resale value that's a lot higher for the iPhone 4.)

The $99 that consumer would be saving, that's less than two months of the plan.

Stupid. It's as simple as that.
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Yes, everyone who doesn't think like you is stupid.

The average consumer doesn't care about resale value. Especially with this 3GS, which I assume is big with family plans.

What people do with their own money is their own damn business. Get off your high horse, and calm down.
 
Illumination said:
Yes, everyone who doesn't think like you is stupid.

The average consumer doesn't care about resale value. Especially with this 3GS, which I assume is big with family plans.

What people do with their own money is their own damn business. Get off your high horse, and calm down.
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First, I never wrote that anyone not agreeing with me is stupid. Secondly, my argument was about full plans, not family plans.

Did you actually read what I wrote?

Here's the executive summary: getting the 3GS with a full plan instead of a 4 is stupid.
 
outphase said:
Some people don't care. They are enamored by the "free"-ness of it. I'm actually curious as to the number of Android devices which were just free or almost free. I have heard of some people getting them because they're "like an iPhone but cheaper."
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We now know where your mind is.

Lusting for a new Android phone.

Congratulations :)
 
AaronEdwards said:
The consumer who gets a "free" 3GS with a full plan, is to put it bluntly, stupid.

The total cost would be at least $1320. That's 93% of the total cost for an iPhone 4 (and that's not including the resale value that's a lot higher for the iPhone 4.)

The $99 that consumer would be saving, that's less than two months of the plan.

Stupid. It's as simple as that.
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I don't understand your reasoning. Wether you pay $99 for a phone or get it free you're still paying the same amount for that two year contract. I just don't see how someone's decision on what phone they get is stupid. How can you insult people like this if you don't even know their reasons for choosing the free phone? Some would say that you're stupid for paying $200 or $300 for a phone and still pay the same amount each month as the guy that took the free one.
 
i agree that free is free to people, but free is when you walk out the door and the first bill is where all the fees and first time charges add up. these people that are buying the iPhone probably have the ****** flip phones or sliders from 2 years back. now they can get an iPhone that runs the newest software. i bet they don't care about FaceTime or retina display because i bet its 1000 times better then their old phone was
 
The majority if people posting in this thread appear to be good at math. People who are good at math do things like pay off their high interest credit cards. Tens of millions of consumers in the U.S. don't pay off their credit cards, but still keep buying stuff. Therefore Apple will make a mint selling millions of "Free" 3Gs iPhones to the numerically illiterate. There is no shortage.
 
Am I surpised by this results no not really.

There is only 2 markets for smart phones. The high end (200+ and sub $50) The middle ground is no mans land.

3GS is a low end crap smart phone plan and simple. It is prices accordily and it will sell. The iPhone 4 is priced in no mans land and is not going to sell well and the 4s is going to great.
 
RafaelT said:
Not caring about the latest and greatest tech does not make someone stupid. There are many people making their way into the smartphone market for the first time, they won't use a ton of features or apps and don't need the fastest phone available. A 3GS at no upfront cost is perfect for that person.

Please actually read the last few pages where that $99 cost was discussed. You are incorrect.
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kyjaotkb said:
If you're not a speed-junkie, then the 3GS is still absolutely fine for about all apps (except for Infinity Blade 2 but... I think it's OK).
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This is a poverty mentality. Many poor people don't think about VALUE they just think about PRICE. And in the long run they end up spending more money and having to replace things more because the things they are buying are cheap crap. Now the 3Gs is not cheap crap. But the iPhone 4 is an IMMENSELY better value and would future proof them MUCH more. It is that simple.

And FYI I was raised in poverty so yes I know what it's like. I'm just saying. I can guarantee you the people buying these 3Gs iPhones are not doing it based on a clear understanding of the options and values or being informed. They are making the decision on price. If it were the former they would get an iPhone 4.
 
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rocknblogger said:
I don't understand your reasoning. Wether you pay $99 for a phone or get it free you're still paying the same amount for that two year contract. I just don't see how someone's decision on what phone they get is stupid. How can you insult people like this if you don't even know their reasons for choosing the free phone? Some would say that you're stupid for paying $200 or $300 for a phone and still pay the same amount each month as the guy that took the free one.
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The free phone isn't free unless I can get one for free and not have to pay anything if I then decide never to use it.

As I've pointed out, you're only paying 7.5% more for the 4 than the 3GS over the entire contract. (And that's with the cheapest full plan, a choice of plan that really limits your smart phone usage. A more expensive plan, and the extra percentage you're paying gets lower and lower.) (Then add the resale value after two years...)

Can you give any good reasons why someone would pay $1320 for a 3GS instead of $1420 for a 4?

I can't. So, there's only stupidity left.

If I pay $200 or $300 for the phone (or $99 for the 4), and get an enough better product than that's not stupid. If I would pay $200 or $300 for the exact same phone or for a phone which isn't good enough to justify the extra cost, then that would be stupid.

Do you think the 4 is as much better than the 3GS that it would justify paying 7.5% more for it on the cheapest contract?

I do.
 
To be honest, if I was still an iPhone user, I would have stuck with my 3GS. The only thing I enjoyed more on my iPhone 4 was the retina display. The 3GS was a great phone. People who are entering the smartphone market starting with the free iPhone are going to be very pleased. The happier they are with the 3GS the more chance they will upgrade to the newer iPhone at a later time.
 
It's like if I buy a burger at Macdonalds instead of the entire meal. Sure, for just a little more, I get substantially more food and a drink, but I am not that hungry, or not really interested in fries and drink. So I may ask well save the money, even if it isn't much.

Or to draw another parallel, why ever buy the entry MBA model when for a "little more", you can get better ram, more storage space and a faster processor?

Same here. I understand the temptation of getting a much better phone with just a little more topup, but I would draw the line at saying that it is an outright better deal.
 
Rodimus Prime said:
Am I surpised by this results no not really.

There is only 2 markets for smart phones. The high end (200+ and sub $50) The middle ground is no mans land.

3GS is a low end crap smart phone plan and simple. It is prices accordily and it will sell. The iPhone 4 is priced in no mans land and is not going to sell well and the 4s is going to great.
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You're wrong on everything.

3GS is perfect for those who want the "free phone."

iPhone 4 is perfectly priced next to the other mid-range smartphones.

Obviously, the 4S speaks for itself (literally).
 
Rodimus Prime said:
Am I surpised by this results no not really.

There is only 2 markets for smart phones. The high end (200+ and sub $50) The middle ground is no mans land.

3GS is a low end crap smart phone plan and simple. It is prices accordily and it will sell. The iPhone 4 is priced in no mans land and is not going to sell well and the 4s is going to great.
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I disagree. I'm thinking that it's likely that the iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS will all be top selling phones.
 
AaronEdwards said:
The free phone isn't free unless I can get one for free and not have to pay anything if I then decide never to use it.

Can you give any good reasons why someone would pay $1320 for a 3GS instead of $1420 for a 4?

I do.
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First of all people fully understand that the phone is free because they are signing a contract. I don't think anyone walks into AT&T thinking they're walking out with a free phone and no contract.

And in answer to the last question. Yes they may not have money to pay a single cent more. Or if I was buying for my fourteen year old I'm spending the least amount possible. I only care about having the ability to call them and vice versa. I don't care about any other features the phone may have. The fact it's an iPhone is a bonus.
 
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Our kid's lines are $10 a month (plus $15 for a minimal data plan) on our family plan. They have our old hand-me-down iPhones, so they are costing $300 a year. If we didn't have the hand-me-down's to give them, a free 3GS would be perfect. Consider that whatever phone they are getting, it's going to be at least $240 over the contract if they don't have a smartphone, but since the smartphone is very useful, the $600 over a 2-year contract is a good value for phone and data service. Whatever we would pay for phones is above and beyond that. The difference between giving them our old hand-me-down's and getting them a free 3GS on contract is we don't get the value of selling the old hand-me-down on the one hand, and their line doesn't end up under contract on the other.

If we didn't have the old phones to give them, they'd be getting something other than a free phone only if they were going to pony up savings to buy it.
 
Seriously people its a frickin phone! If someone wants the 3GS let them get it. It doesn't make them stupid or an idiot. The thing still does 90% of what the iPhone 4S does for crying out loud (yes more slowly but still). I can't believe some of the garbage about classes and whatnot some of you are posting. I bought an iPhone first and foremost because it combined the two things I took almost everywhere into one thing (iPod and my cell). I don't give a damn about the latest stuff, it texts, calls, plays music and does Internet and lets me keep using iTunes to buy music like I did with my iPod. I have an iPhone 4 and had no urge whatsoever to upgrade to the 4S. The ones who would upgrade if they have an iPhone 4 may have a problem, not the people who decide they want the 3GS.
 
Seriously the 3GS is still a good phone compared to a lot of the crap "feature" phones out there and if someone doesn't want to shell out $100-$200 right out front then the 3GS is a great option for them. If anyone on AT&T asks me about a good but cheap phone, I'd recommend the 3GS first and for most and then talk about why they should maybe think about getting a $99 iPhone 4. Just give them some insight to weigh their options but it's going to be their choice and their phone in the end.
 
shanmugam said:
but very bad choice when the iPhone 4 8GB is $99

probably the best $99 can bring it,

facetime, retina display - just two items i can think of
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Geez, it must suck to be an American customer. You get the stuff first, but you always have to pay more for it than everybody else. You can get the iPhone 4 for one Euro with a contract in Europe, and I've seen the iPhone 4S for EUR 49.95 with a contract.
 
Winni said:
Geez, it must suck to be an American customer. You get the stuff first, but you always have to pay more for it than everybody else. You can get the iPhone 4 for one Euro with a contract in Europe, and I've seen the iPhone 4S for EUR 49.95 with a contract.
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We don't have it that bad compared to our neighbors up north where they pay what we do to get stuck in 3 year contracts.
 
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