Well I usually like to be wined and dined before I get f$(*#$. So yes it's not fair!
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French Carrier Executive Claims Frugal Customers Hurting iPhone Sales
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Well I usually like to be wined and dined before I get f$(*#$. So yes it's not fair!
swingerofbirch
macrumors 68040
I've wondered before if the smartphone industry would have ever taken off the way it has if it had not been for the pre-existing strategy of making customers think they're paying much less for cellphones than they really are. If you remember, the first iPhone (8 GB) unsubsidized was $599 but the price was quickly dropped to $399.
Can you imagine Apple's flagship iPhone unsubsidized at $399 today?
Apple thought it was ahead of the curve by offering a phone at an unsubsidized price. It was actually lucky IMO for Apple's price margins that consumers rejected that. Apple quickly retreated to the traditional model so that it could advertise the iPhone 3G was "half the price," while keeping healthy margins. But it seems like it turned out Apple was really ahead of the curve the first time around and that people now understand what it is they're really paying when they buy an iPhone. Apple should now be faced with the task of doing what it tried at one point with the first generation: making an iPhone affordable at an unsubsidized price.
Can you imagine Apple's flagship iPhone unsubsidized at $399 today?
Apple thought it was ahead of the curve by offering a phone at an unsubsidized price. It was actually lucky IMO for Apple's price margins that consumers rejected that. Apple quickly retreated to the traditional model so that it could advertise the iPhone 3G was "half the price," while keeping healthy margins. But it seems like it turned out Apple was really ahead of the curve the first time around and that people now understand what it is they're really paying when they buy an iPhone. Apple should now be faced with the task of doing what it tried at one point with the first generation: making an iPhone affordable at an unsubsidized price.
$26 for unlimited calls, text, and 3GB of Data?! Woahhh!
Why can't it be that way over here?
+ enabled tethering + free network wifi (wherever you find it) and it's kind of funny as well because in that data plan, you have unlimited calls to fixed lines in over 40 countries and even calls to mobile lines in the USA and Canada. This kind of offer is also now available with little variations from almost all French carriers.
I'll assume that you are not a lame troll but genuinely looking for an answer.
The answer is "no".
It's not just the recession driving this. It's also because even the low end smartphones (iPhone 4 and equivalents) are good enough for most people. It's not like the "old days" when people longed for a faster iPhone/smartphone. We've come a long way since the iPhone first launched.
My wife and I made a huge mistake by getting a Verizon plan that averages $150 per month. We are older and only use our phones "as phones" for the most part. We paid about $150 for two iPhone 4Ss. So we pay $3750 for our two year commitment. If we had just bought two unlocked phones from Apple and used Sim Cards the first year cost would be about the same ($1950) but REAL savings would come in year 2 and from there on.
Never again will I buy a "package deal" from one of the TeleCON companies. But watch the telecon industry lobby try to do away with the sale of unlocked phones altogether.
Never again will I buy a "package deal" from one of the TeleCON companies. But watch the telecon industry lobby try to do away with the sale of unlocked phones altogether.
LOL
Why did AT&T require a two-year contract, if it was unsubsidized?
Oh yes the carriers are so greedy, it's not like it takes money to build and maintain a global cell network or anything.
End the greed! Apple can lead the charge by cutting its prices and profits in half!
I'm from France (second largest iPhone customer base), and I'm sorry if us European are way smarter than americans, which has never been to prove, ever, anywhere in the world, except of course in 'MMeericca.
The recession is not worse than in the US (well in UK, Germany, France, Austria, Sweden...), we just don't continue to spend mindlessly, we are less prone to marketing ******** (because trust me, anyone would by an innovative Apple product if they were still...innovative) and yes we fight for our customer rights because WE PAY for it, that's WHAT companies thrive on and we're not stakeholder in these companies business, especially if they do it wrong or try to milk us.
So yes, now in France you can have all Unlimited calls, txt, 4G data AND Fiber Optic internet connection for 50/60€ with no contract and we certainly won't buy into the next 800€ uninnovative iteration of iPhone/Ipad (or Galaxy S4/Note).
The recession is not worse than in the US (well in UK, Germany, France, Austria, Sweden...), we just don't continue to spend mindlessly, we are less prone to marketing ******** (because trust me, anyone would by an innovative Apple product if they were still...innovative) and yes we fight for our customer rights because WE PAY for it, that's WHAT companies thrive on and we're not stakeholder in these companies business, especially if they do it wrong or try to milk us.
So yes, now in France you can have all Unlimited calls, txt, 4G data AND Fiber Optic internet connection for 50/60€ with no contract and we certainly won't buy into the next 800€ uninnovative iteration of iPhone/Ipad (or Galaxy S4/Note).
slowdown my foot
Its true people want cheaper stuff, but you get what you pay for.... therefore everyone today wants the latest and greatest, they pay more for it.
I kind of have to laugh at stats like these when you just need to look around and more and more people with iPhones over the last 3 years.... and people prefer cheaper ? lol..... ya right..... people get what they deserve in a smart phone they pay for.
Its true people want cheaper stuff, but you get what you pay for.... therefore everyone today wants the latest and greatest, they pay more for it.
I kind of have to laugh at stats like these when you just need to look around and more and more people with iPhones over the last 3 years.... and people prefer cheaper ? lol..... ya right..... people get what they deserve in a smart phone they pay for.
well
why should someone have to buy a new phone just because a new model comes out? Analysts need to learn that there markets are not based on speculation ... oh wait. Sometimes I really wish the stock market would disappear completely. Along with the criminals that run it.
why should someone have to buy a new phone just because a new model comes out? Analysts need to learn that there markets are not based on speculation ... oh wait. Sometimes I really wish the stock market would disappear completely. Along with the criminals that run it.
American mobile system is crazy.It took me a month to understand how it really works..... Here monthly subscriptions are overpriced.... In Italy I got my 4s for free, with a 30 euro subscription for 30 months, which included 400 min 400 txt and 2 GB of internet.... a total of 900euros.... which, removing phone price, is about 10 euros per month for the plan.... now i'm paying 50 $ with TMO... and I'm not getting any phone!
This might be so. But, perhaps it should be pointed out that your country loaned Italy half a trillion Euro. So much for Europeans being inherently smarter than Americans.
If your country was so great, why are French celebrities and culture setters getting Russian citizenship?
Please, keep your anti-Americanism to yourself. You can brag about your plans but the reality is, some Europeans only think they're smarter than everyone else. They're not. Not dumber, just not smarter. Well, that's not true. The smarter ones don't think they're smarter.
And, at the end of the day, Apple caters to our markets first. And we get cheaper prices on pretty much everything, even after the VAT. Plus, what Americans are unaware of is the tax breakdown of the cell phone bills-how much of it do we pay in tax with? So we dont' have a 25% VAT like Europe. We pay for that in higher phone bills...
Really? Blaming customers for not buying your product? What a great businessman you'll make *rollseyes*
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Exactly, it's not even the price of the iPhone that's a problem (even the unlocked one) but ~$2,400 for cell phone service over the life of the phone? NO.
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Maybe they're not buying anything, because they took all their money out of the bank because Cyprus just ****ing stole everyone's god damn money? How is this level of stupidity even ****ing possible?
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Exactly, it's not even the price of the iPhone that's a problem (even the unlocked one) but ~$2,400 for cell phone service over the life of the phone? NO.
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Maybe they're not buying anything, because they took all their money out of the bank because Cyprus just ****ing stole everyone's god damn money? How is this level of stupidity even ****ing possible?
Yes the US cell carrier system is all screwed up. T-Mobile just made a huge move to shake up the industry, I hope it catches on with Verizon and AT&T and eventually forces them to lower their prices.
Population density of UK is much higher than that for US, thus the infrastructure and price of service is much lower in UK.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...lation_density_based_on_food_growing_capacity