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If most of us are on 2 year contracts how can we get a new iPhone ?
- Thread starter needthephone
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Yes, of course they'll centre their upgrade strategy around people who have already purchased the product. That makes lots of sense.
Whether you mean Apple or the phone providers, I'm not sure this is "they"'s problem to "get around".
Are you completely blind to what the iPhone means to AT&T? I understand how the phone upgrade system works. I work in the industry. But the average consumer is going to be pissed when the new iPhone comes out and AT&T says "Oh no you're not eligible for the price we plastered all over all the TV and internet ads, you have to pay double that." People are idiots. They will be furious. AT&T doesn't want to deal with that. We can argue all we want, but the fact is that I believe SOMETHING will happen, and you believe nothing will happen. Nobody KNOWS what's going down here.
So ... let me get this straight:
1 - at&t has a hot product. 2 - People are willing to pay for this hot product. 3 - at&t is making money.
Somewhere in this equation you feel at&t will want to give up some of this money to ... what? Please fanboys? Do you a "solid" for being such a good guy?
People are willing to pay $$$$ for the iphone, but you think at&t is gonna say "No no no. Please only give us $$, not $$$$ - the iPhone is just too cool!"
Again. I understand. Shut up. I honestly believe that yes, AT&T is going to do us a "solid."
I will certainly shut up! Yes sir!
Why did I ever doubt you?
I mean ... you have a HUNCH! Why should I let history and logic interfere with your hunch??
I will certainly shut up! Yes sir!
Why did I ever doubt you?
Ahaha I'm not preaching that it's going to happen, I just wouldn't be surprised if it did and I don't think you should be saying it's definitely not going to happen because you don't know that.
Ahaha I'm not preaching that it's going to happen, I just wouldn't be surprised if it did and I don't think you should be saying it's definitely not going to happen because you don't know that.
True - and I don't want YOU to say at&t WON'T give out free hamsters with every purchase.
I mean, you don't KNOW that they won't
True - and I don't want YOU to say at&t WON'T give out free hamsters with every purchase.
I mean, you don't KNOW that they won't
Heh you're just not gonna let me go on that are you
Well I guess we'll find out in the next few weeks or so.
Heh you're just not gonna let me go on that are you
hahahah it's all good man.
And in all actuality - it doesn't make a lick of difference to me, being on fido in Canada and whatnot.
The way it was explained to me by an ATT business rep was that iPhone owners that are eligible to upgrade to an iPhone only could get the 399/499 price point with a new 2yr contract. She did say that obviously there could be an arrangement made like last year but she knew nothing at this time. I think this arrangement to allow 3g owners to upgrade at a lower price might be part of the struggle to break the att exclusivity. I think att might throw us a "solid" as an earlier post suggested simply to appease apple and prevent them from going to verizon as well.
We are talking about Apple here
No one has waited in line for days for a phone, the iPhone is the only one without AT&T branding on the device itself. What I'm getting at is that it's true with what you said about Nokia but Apple's a different game. I think there may just be an early upgrade charge so more people can buy it.
I, too, understand how subsidised phones work but I find it hard to believe that Apple and their various network partners around the world won't find a way to get their new model into the hands of early adopters who really, really want one.
Us early adopting evangelists who get interviewed by the papers while they line up outside the Apple store are a great source of free advertising, showing off our new toys to anyone who wants a look.
At the very least I would have thought O2 (in my case) would like to tie me into another 18 month contract and make me pay a little more for the iPhone itself. Apple want to sell more iPhones and the networks must realise that the iPhone isn't like other handsets, in that there's a hardcore fanbase that will pay money to own the latest model.
If there's money to be made - they'll come up with something.
I guess we'll find out next week.
Us early adopting evangelists who get interviewed by the papers while they line up outside the Apple store are a great source of free advertising, showing off our new toys to anyone who wants a look.
At the very least I would have thought O2 (in my case) would like to tie me into another 18 month contract and make me pay a little more for the iPhone itself. Apple want to sell more iPhones and the networks must realise that the iPhone isn't like other handsets, in that there's a hardcore fanbase that will pay money to own the latest model.
If there's money to be made - they'll come up with something.
I guess we'll find out next week.
I, too, understand how subsidised phones work but I find it hard to believe that Apple and their various network partners around the world won't find a way to get their new model into the hands of early adopters who really, really want one.
Us early adopting evangelists who get interviewed by the papers while they line up outside the Apple store are a great source of free advertising, showing off our new toys to anyone who wants a look.
At the very least I would have thought O2 (in my case) would like to tie me into another 18 month contract and make me pay a little more for the iPhone itself. Apple want to sell more iPhones and the networks must realise that the iPhone isn't like other handsets, in that there's a hardcore fanbase that will pay money to own the latest model.
If there's money to be made - they'll come up with something.
I guess we'll find out next week.
Yeah ... by charging money!
Early adopters are specifically the kind of people that spend big bucks on new toys.
Yeah ... by charging money!
Early adopters are specifically the kind of people that spend big bucks on new toys.
Well, quite. I've not really got an upper limit cos I'm stupid but there will be a sweet spot that will get current 3G owners thinking 'Yeah sod it - I'll upgrade, pay a bit extra AND tie myself in to another 18/24 month contract'.
Fanboy gets his new iPhone, O2 mitigates a potential loss to another carrier further down the line. Everyone's a winner.
In the end apple has to be paid in full for the 3g iPhone. They are a business after all. If somehow you can upgrade without this fundemental then apple stock will plummett. I just hope they don't try and do some in sustainable ponsy type scheme which is too good to be true.
I say they will want the balance paid in full or divided up over another two yes on top of the new price. But this will delay apple being plaid so I think they have to be careful
Ps posted on my iphone apologies for spelling and grammar.
I say they will want the balance paid in full or divided up over another two yes on top of the new price. But this will delay apple being plaid so I think they have to be careful
Ps posted on my iphone apologies for spelling and grammar.
Year and 8 months
Got a 3G last month. Previous cell died, and wife didn't want to wait to upgrade our phones.
I'm tickled with the iPhone 3G, but all this tech envy is infectious
ATT won't let us upgrade at a discount for almost the whole term of our contract:
"You are not eligible to upgrade at a discounted price due to your length of service. However, you may still purchase a phone/device at the full price. Our records indicate that you will be eligible for an upgrade at a discounted price on 01/11/2011"
So, if I come in to some disposable income the next year and 8 months, I'll get one before
Addendum:
'Course, I suppose selling the 3G for a fair price to someone else and buying a new iPhone wouldn't be a raw deal...
If people are still in to buying iPhones without contracts, that is.
Got a 3G last month. Previous cell died, and wife didn't want to wait to upgrade our phones.
I'm tickled with the iPhone 3G, but all this tech envy is infectious
ATT won't let us upgrade at a discount for almost the whole term of our contract:
"You are not eligible to upgrade at a discounted price due to your length of service. However, you may still purchase a phone/device at the full price. Our records indicate that you will be eligible for an upgrade at a discounted price on 01/11/2011"
So, if I come in to some disposable income the next year and 8 months, I'll get one before
Addendum:
'Course, I suppose selling the 3G for a fair price to someone else and buying a new iPhone wouldn't be a raw deal...
If people are still in to buying iPhones without contracts, that is.
Yeah, not sure why the options would be different than that for the iPhone.
If there's a third option--get the subsidized price for 2-year reup--then AT&T will never recoup its subsidy money, since presumably apple will roll out new phones more than once every two years.
Exactly what my wife and I are doing. We do want the new iPhones but have decided to not only wait for the 2-year agreement to end but also to see how the device is received in those first 6 months. We did the same with the EDGE iPhone - activation issues resolved, several updates released, etc.
The way I see it is this is AT&T. With the features the new iPhone is supposedly to have, I want to see how the network holds up and how the device itself is functioning. I still have a damn good phone with the 1G so why not.
Fact a - There will be no special upgrade deal, if you are not eligible for an upgrade you will have to pay full price for next iphone model.
Fact b - If you are not currently eligible for an upgrade you are not an early adopter.
The early adopters paid $600 for their iphone and were eligible for an upgrade from day one.
Fact b - If you are not currently eligible for an upgrade you are not an early adopter.
The early adopters paid $600 for their iphone and were eligible for an upgrade from day one.
Someone who bought an iPhone 3G is not an early adopter. I don't think Apple/AT&T will allow 3G owners who are only a year (or less) into their contracts to get the full subsidy because that just doesn't make sense.
As was mentioned on page 1 of this thread, the original iPhone was not subsidized and those who bought them were early adopters, so Apple/AT&T were throwing them a bone to further put the hooks into them. Plus, the iPhone data plan went up by $10/month last year, so AT&T will more than make up the cost of the subsidy over the life of that new two-year contract.
Barring another data plan price hike, I just don't see any advantage to allowing 3G owners to get the upgrade at a discount.
As was mentioned on page 1 of this thread, the original iPhone was not subsidized and those who bought them were early adopters, so Apple/AT&T were throwing them a bone to further put the hooks into them. Plus, the iPhone data plan went up by $10/month last year, so AT&T will more than make up the cost of the subsidy over the life of that new two-year contract.
Barring another data plan price hike, I just don't see any advantage to allowing 3G owners to get the upgrade at a discount.