If you go and pick it up at an apple store, how should they know what you are and are not eligible for? I 100% believe that the iphone is being subsidized by all the cell companies around the world. What I am struggling with is how apple has made no mention themselves except of the 199 and 299 price points. Essentially, they have said that if you walk into an apple store and buy an iphone, those are the prices, giving no hint to any unsubsidized price.
I mean in all seriousness, are apple stores gonna let everyone buy these phones at 199 and 299, except for people on AT&T that are currently on subsidized phones and are not due for upgrade. I just find it bizarre thinking about average Joe Shmo going to pick up a new iphone. He gets to an Apple Sales clerk, and the clerk asks his name, and phone number. He politely gives it to the clerk. The clerk replies, "Excuse me, but it seems that you are currently an AT&T subscriber that is not eligible for an upgrade, so that will cost you a few hundred dollars more on top of the 199 regular price."
The other problem with this idea of an unsubsidized price, is that apple has spent so much time touting "199 and 299." On the day the new iphone comes out, are they gonna add tiny letters to the bottom of the iphone page stating that if you are currently an AT&T subscriber that is not eligible for an upgrade, it will be 300 dollars more?
There are some serious gaps in what apple has been saying, and what we have been hearing from at&t.
That's exactly why it doesn't make sense. I doubt we'll have to pay that 500 or 600 price if you are a current subscriber. Just go to an Apple store and buy.