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European iPhone Launches (Germany + UK)
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Do you really want the iPhone with the standard contract? If not, get your money back. If your enjoying your iPhone you could always unlock your iPhone and continue using your existing contract.
IMO, you'd be very lucky to get a non standard iPhone contract. They've already told you were to go.
O2 have bolt on options ie you pay extra cash for extra texts. All i am asking for is a bolt on for free.
But yes i am happy with the iphone and i don't mind so much paying for the contract i am just fighting for the principle of the matter now
O2 have bolt on options ie you pay extra cash for extra texts. All i am asking for is a bolt on for free.
But yes i am happy with the iphone and i don't mind so much paying for the contract i am just fighting for the principle of the matter now
Good luck, hope CPWH offer you something
Channel 4 did a news piece that absolutely ripped into the iPhone over the ridiculous price of it. They really tore it to shreds.
Not good PR! I think sales may drop off rapidly once the hardcore get their hands on it, the tariffs are something most people wont even consider.
Not good PR! I think sales may drop off rapidly once the hardcore get their hands on it, the tariffs are something most people wont even consider.
Is it actually a ripoff with the unlimited data taken into account? How much would you pay for a comparable contract with all the data use you'd likely take advantage of? Just curious...
According to STUFF (who rated iPhone as no.1 gadget of 2007), iPhone users pay £180 more for their mins/text package than users of other phones pay for the same amount (over 18 month contract). So that's £180 for unlimited internet usage for 18 months. That works out at £5.80 per month for unlimited internet.
i'd say that wins the OS X Dude FAV (FRIKKIN' ACE VALUE) Award for 2007
According to STUFF (who rated iPhone as no.1 gadget of 2007), iPhone users pay £180 more for their mins/text package than users of other phones pay for the same amount (over 18 month contract). So that's £180 for unlimited internet usage for 18 months. That works out at £5.80 per month for unlimited internet.
i'd say that wins the OS X Dude FAV (FRIKKIN' ACE VALUE) Award for 2007
Then it's kind of annoying that Channel 4 (and everyone else parroting the same talking points) would ignore this. I guess it's the old story of the press building something/someone up and then tearing them down, facts be damned.
Though I'm a little puzzled by your maths. 180/18 = 5.8??
Right on. Although, it's building publicity for the iPhone and not costing Apple a penny (even if it is bad and untrue). People will then see the luxury of it and think "Hey, I'm gonna get one of them" and soon all the celebs will get one to promote it. As well as a kick ass phone (more so when Apple do some serious updates for it, and the SDK), it looks great so that in itself will appeal to the fashionistas Joe Public aspires to.
The bottom line is, the iPhone is damn good value for what you're getting. It's just that us brits are shocked that the phone ain't free on contract!
What is the activation process (I'm about Germany)? Can I just buy an iPhone in Apple Store (or T-Mobile store), bring it home, connect to my mac and activate it via iTunes, entering all info there as in US? Or I need to choose plan and activate iPhone right in Apple Store (or T-Mobile store)?
According to STUFF (who rated iPhone as no.1 gadget of 2007), iPhone users pay £180 more for their mins/text package than users of other phones pay for the same amount (over 18 month contract). So that's £180 for unlimited internet usage for 18 months. That works out at £5.80 per month for unlimited internet.
i'd say that wins the OS X Dude FAV (FRIKKIN' ACE VALUE) Award for 2007
Is that really true?
Firstly those on other phones get theirs free, so add £270 onto that £180 for a start. And do those other contracts come with 200 mins and 200 texts? I highly doubt it, they come with substantially more as all other phones use standard O2 contracts, ie: about 1000 texts and 700 mins for £35.
That comparison seems really slanted in favour of the iPhone. A more apt comparison would be to compare the sim only deals with the iPhone contracts (as you have to buy the phone). In that case the iPhone contracts come off pretty bad.
The channel 4 piece said that you needed to take out a £45 a month contract for a decent amount of texts/mins (compared to even £20 a month normal contracts). Which is true. For most people 200 mins and 200 texts will not cut it, and few average people will be willing to pay £45 a month just to get enough mins and texts to make the phone usable.
Basically you're paying over twice the tariff for the unlimited internet, and also paying for your phone on top of that. Also remember that the EDGE network only covers 20% of the UK and that you'll only be using it when you're not at home.
EDIT: For example for £30 a month you get 400 mins and 1000 texts and a FREE n95. I'm not saying that the n95 is as good as an iPhone, but we're talking purely about the contracts here and even without unlimited internet you can see that's a much better deal.
The iPhone = fantastic
The iPhone tariffs = piss poor
iPhone £35 tariff = 200 mins, 200 texts, unlimited internet
O2 SIM only £35 tariff: 1200 mins 1000 texts
So you're getting one sixth of the minutes and one fifth of the texts, but unlimited 20% EDGE cover. You can try and validate the iPhone contracts with "unlimited internet" but the price is so steep it still doesn't stack up. The iPhone is not a subsidised phone, so why can't that offset the "unlimited data" rather than having rip-off contracts as well as an unsubsidised phone? Or isn't £270 enough to cover mobile internet (which, let's face it, wont eat huge bandwidth) for 18 months?
I expect sales to drop drastically over the next few months. Most people will be interested in the iPhone but balk at the price of the contracts and then be told they have to buy the phone as well. If the iPhone is simply too expensive for me to justify (being a huge iPhone/Apple fan who can afford it) then it most definitely is not an option for 90% of the public.
Not that it's worth doing.. but I'm more curious.
I'm a T-Mobile USA customer and am wondering if it's possible to buy a German iPhone and then use it with USA's Sim.
But it's much easier to just unlock the AT&T one (and cheaper too).
I'm a T-Mobile USA customer and am wondering if it's possible to buy a German iPhone and then use it with USA's Sim.
But it's much easier to just unlock the AT&T one (and cheaper too).
Eih
Indeed. Damn them. Then again, maybe the wait will result in the 3G version....
Seeing the numbers sold so far, Steve's mouth must be watering
Hopefully he doesn't drop the prices on the iphone again two months from now
*cough cough*
Also I keep hearing Canadians wanting their share of the iphone madness, has there been no plans AT ALL to release to our little brothers up north?
Indeed. Damn them. Then again, maybe the wait will result in the 3G version....
Maybe, I thought it was 20%. It still needs to be much better to justify those tariffs.
I doubt. it. The sims must be country coded somehow, or roaming charges would never be calculated correctly once you went abroad.
This is what I get for being in set 4 (out of 8) for Maths in school - the answer is 10!
So it's a tenner a month for unltd. internet - then of course you must factor in the £270 for the damn thing! Expensive, but it is what it is, an Apple - therefore it will sell.
I was only comparing the iPhone's tariffs to comparable 02 tariffs - not the cost of the phone as well.
I think the iPhone should be subsidized - if only because all other contract phones in the UK are. But also, I don't think it yet does enough (fancy UI aside) to warrant the £270 tag.
Because Apple are one of very few companies that are able to create and market devices that have a real wow! factor, it stands to reason that the ones who crave for those same devices take the elevated price for granted. Apple already shifted 1.4 million iPhones in the US alone! And even swallow that oh so bitter pill if it becomes clear that the next generation is cheaper and has more features and more up to date technology. And that next gen will arrive within 6 months, leaving first gen owners with their forced two-year contracts in the lurch. It will all be explained away because Apple can get away with almost anything.
I will have to wait until the iPhone lands in my country and hopefully that will be after version 2.0 hits the shelves. We have a nation wide HSPDA network and it would be nice to be able to use that. But 399 Euro? I dont know, especially with that insane contract pricing.
I will have to wait until the iPhone lands in my country and hopefully that will be after version 2.0 hits the shelves. We have a nation wide HSPDA network and it would be nice to be able to use that. But 399 Euro? I dont know, especially with that insane contract pricing.
Launch Sites!
The Germans were always good at surprise launches!
http://att.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=90941&stc=1&d=1194732635
DIXIE
The Germans were always good at surprise launches!
http://att.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=90941&stc=1&d=1194732635
DIXIE
Attachments
I doubt we'll be left in the lurch. I think you'll find they'll have no problems restarting my contract and giving me a new phone when I give them the cash for it in six months or whenever 2.0 emerges.
On a general note, I'm not sure what people are fussing about. It's not that expensive really. Either you want it or you don't, and you can afford it or you can't. Apple isn't entering into the budget phone market. If you can't afford it, don't buy it. If you don't like it, don't buy it. It is remarkably simple when it comes down to it.
I agree. Apples didn't leave me in the lurch when I bought my second iPhone for $300 less.($200 price drop and $100 credit).
And what makes people think this is a discount phone with cheap plans. If you want a cheap phone and cheaper plans, just buy any other phone you see.
Personally I like being on the leading edge instead of the trailing edge, but there is a price for being there and its not for the weak and whiny.
The Germans were always good at surprise launches!
http://att.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=90941&stc=1&d=1194732635
DIXIE
I'm thirsty