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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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i think £30 is the lowest o2 tariff there is. 30*7 = £210 which people should be able to get for used iphones if they unlock them..
My guess is yes, AT&T will allow 3G users the ability to upgrade and pay the discounted price. All this speculation about "you signed a contract" is just BS. Lets face it, the iPhone changed the cell phone landscape(Remember Apple getting part of At&T monthly chrges in year 1 of the iPhone? Never happened before). The same rules don't apply to BB or Nokia.
What's so compelling about visiting a thread entitled "If most of us are on 2 year contracts how can we get a new iPhone ? " if you can't understand why people want to upgrade?
People do the strangest things.
What I don't understand is why would AT&T lose money if they let us upgrade early? They just give you a 2 year extension and double the contract breakage fee. So you would have to pay twice as much to break early since it would be a 4 year contract instead of 2 and you wouldn't be through the first two yet.
So they would get a huge amount of contract fees if people upgraded then dropped service.
So they would get a huge amount of contract fees if people upgraded then dropped service.
I wouldn't say it's "speculation". As of this minute, this is at&t's written policy. People are not just making this up. Until it is officially changed, any other viewpoints are speculative.
I wouldn't say it's "speculation". As of this minute, this is at&t's written policy. People are not just making this up. Until it is officially changed, any other viewpoints are speculative.
I think it all depends on the exclusivity agreement too. If it ends in 2010, then it's in AT&T's best interest to tie as many subscribers up until 2011. Once the iPhone goes elsewhere, AT&T WILL see defections.
We'll just have to wait and see, but it is in O2's best interests to offer a reasonably priced upgrade route for existing customers as it ties you in to them for a longer period. Yes, they may have to take a smaller profit on the plan, but that's negated by your guaranteed business for the next contract period. They might also get more business when you hand your existing phone on to your partner/relatives etc. I'm sure they were pushing this when the 3G was released.
Also, if it is true that their exclusive deal is ending at some point in the near future, that's more incentive for them to try and tie you in to another new deal. Even if they charge a small figure for the upgrade, I think it makes good business sense for them (and Apple) to do it.
Also, if it is true that their exclusive deal is ending at some point in the near future, that's more incentive for them to try and tie you in to another new deal. Even if they charge a small figure for the upgrade, I think it makes good business sense for them (and Apple) to do it.
Having gotten no internet connection yesterday in a wide-open field in Central Park on a beautiful day, all I can say is heck yes. Did I mention the phone kept showing 5 full bars?
The thought of being further locked to AT&T is what would give me pause about updating even with a full subsidy. Unfortunately I don't know if Verizon will be ready with LTE in time for next year. 2011 definitely, but it's hard to say for sure at this point.
Maybe the new phone may be unsubsidised? Like the first one? If it improved the build quality of the phone(the 3G was piss poor in terms of build quality, the original iPhone seemed a higher quality product), I'd be all for it.
It'll also do away with the stress of worrying about upgrades! Although If I bought the iPhone for £400, I'd really not want to have to sell my soul to O2 for another 18 months!
Another thing I was thinking is, if o2 lose exclusivity next year, not letting 3G owners upgrade early could be costly. For example, no upgrade till Dec allowed will mean people will most likely wait till iPhone 4. Otherwise they'll be only 6 months into their new contract and have no chance of getting iPhone 4. Then o2 lose the exclusivity, people move to the other provider/s. They could have tied you up for another 18 months, if they'd let you upgrade when iPhone 3 came out.
If this new iPhone isn't an o2 exclusive, then maybe they'd want to get you to upgrade and stay with them.
I guess it's best to wait a few more hours. All the different outcomes is hurting my mind.
It'll also do away with the stress of worrying about upgrades! Although If I bought the iPhone for £400, I'd really not want to have to sell my soul to O2 for another 18 months!
Another thing I was thinking is, if o2 lose exclusivity next year, not letting 3G owners upgrade early could be costly. For example, no upgrade till Dec allowed will mean people will most likely wait till iPhone 4. Otherwise they'll be only 6 months into their new contract and have no chance of getting iPhone 4. Then o2 lose the exclusivity, people move to the other provider/s. They could have tied you up for another 18 months, if they'd let you upgrade when iPhone 3 came out.
If this new iPhone isn't an o2 exclusive, then maybe they'd want to get you to upgrade and stay with them.
I guess it's best to wait a few more hours. All the different outcomes is hurting my mind.
I am SURE Apple has some say in the matter...
And they'd be CRAZY to not allow current iPhone customers some sort of discounted price on a upgrade. There are a percentage of people that will pay to upgrade either way, but the iPhone is also largely popular in the student population and growing in the business population. These groups can't afford new iPhones for themselves or for all their employees...and Apple tends to release products that have giant upgrades with new features that everyone will want and demand.
To summarize; if Apple wants to make money on this new phone, they will have to offer some sort of upgrade discount, as they no longer have the flocks of non-iPhone users to depend on. They will begin to cater to their current supporters to increase revenue.
And they'd be CRAZY to not allow current iPhone customers some sort of discounted price on a upgrade. There are a percentage of people that will pay to upgrade either way, but the iPhone is also largely popular in the student population and growing in the business population. These groups can't afford new iPhones for themselves or for all their employees...and Apple tends to release products that have giant upgrades with new features that everyone will want and demand.
To summarize; if Apple wants to make money on this new phone, they will have to offer some sort of upgrade discount, as they no longer have the flocks of non-iPhone users to depend on. They will begin to cater to their current supporters to increase revenue.
Or, put another way - Already own a MacBook? Buy the new MacBook for half-off!
If a person, or group of persons, can't afford something (like, say, the new iPhone, when they already have an iPhone) I guess they just can't get the new iPhone.
It's not Apple's responsibility to keep you decked out with the latest phone.
Or, put another way - Already own a MacBook? Buy the new MacBook for half-off!
If a person, or group of persons, can't afford something (like, say, the new iPhone, when they already have an iPhone) I guess they just can't get the new iPhone.
It's not Apple's responsibility to keep you decked out with the latest phone.
Accept you don't continually pay apple $80+ a month for service for the laptop
completely different situation.
Accept you don't continually pay apple $80+ a month for service for the laptop
completely different situation.
Ya - you're paying $80 a month for mobile voice, data and messaging services. It's not building up at at&t as "money they owe you back".
We all got a $500 phone for $200 - not sure why everyone thinks Apple is gonna throw money at people that "just want the newest phone".
Say AT&T made $25 profit for each month. That's $55 dedicated towards service, more than enough. $25 x 12 months is $300, the subsidy back. And that is being very, very conservative on the profit AT&T gets from each monthly payment.
I don't think its quite that simple. I think that Apple + ATT are much more concerned about NEW customers rather than pleasing those who are already tied into at least 1 more year of contract simply because these current customers will either pay to play or wait until their contract is up to upgrade next year with a newer iPhone. Plus there is almost no threat of current leaving because the huge termination fee would probably make up the difference in how much the "discounted" upgrade will cost.
my two cents...
I think Apple will try and squeeze something where iPhone 3G adopters can upgrade early... Most people I would say that want an iPhone probably bought one when the 3G came out, so they are running out of "new customers", in my opinion.
I think Apple will try and squeeze something where iPhone 3G adopters can upgrade early... Most people I would say that want an iPhone probably bought one when the 3G came out, so they are running out of "new customers", in my opinion.
And I think you people who think Apple or AT&T are going to do early upgrades just because you already have a 3g iphone need to grow up and face reality. It ain't going to happen. Get real.
I mean, who knows, really...we (including you) are only guessing here, so there's no need to be obnoxious. I don't think it's terribly unreasonable to think that there might be some option to maybe not get the $199/$299 price point, but certainly a discount of some sort, of course assuming you lock in for another two years. Lighten up
Obnoxious? I'm just trying to snap you back into the real world. There were too many here drifting off into lala land.
Everyone is guessing one way or another - the contract for the first iPhone was a two-year contract, and people got to upgrade to the 3G with the subsidy.. we have no idea what's going to happen so everyone here should lighten up.
facepalm.jpg
How many times does the whole "the first iPhone wasn't subsided, and so users were free to get a subsidized phone (like the 3g) at any time they wanted" story need to get dragged out?
what?
Original iPhone users were able to upgrade their $600 phones to a subsidized phone a year later because they were not paying back an existing subsidy.
Such is not the case here.