The storage space is what got me to upgrade my iPhone 4 when my eligibility date arrived. We'll probably have the 64GB for at least the next phone and then maybe it will go up again, I hope!
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iPhone Average Selling Price Remains Steady Even With Free 3GS Offer
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The storage space is what got me to upgrade my iPhone 4 when my eligibility date arrived. We'll probably have the 64GB for at least the next phone and then maybe it will go up again, I hope!
Well, the unlocked 4S models are $649 (16GB), $749 (32GB), $849 (64GB).
The iPhone 4 would probably come in $100 cheaper, maybe $150 since Apple boosted the retail price of contract-free phones by $50 when the 4S came out. Since they're only selling the iPhone 4 8GB model, retail is probably $499. The 8GB iPhone 3GS is probably $399 retail.
Beautiful Family ! Watch out though ladies love their
products so you are in for a few iPhones, iPods, and iPads in a few years 
This should put the idea that Apple should come out with a cheaper, less featured iPad to rest. It's obvious that people are not willing to pay less for less when it comes to what Apple has to offer. If they want to buy junk, let them buy from the cheaper suppliers.
Slightly off topic but related. How does one go about selling say my iPhone 4S so I can by a iPhone "5" when it comes out. It's fair and no breach of contract to unload the phone I have right?
They didn't used to but they do now. It's just a matter of this huge growth in phone costs with the arrival of smartphones. These things cost more than laptops. And carry huge margins vs older computing formats. People wants those phones but how can most people afford it? Carriers figure out how to keep you as a customer by locking you in. Plus they only subsidize high end smartphones if you get a dataplan. Which means you pay more. To them it's a win win. But really I rather have unlocked phones that I pay up front and cheaper plans and more competition.
Used to be in Canada if you bring your own phone or keep using your old one you get a discount with the carrier when you renew your contract. Instead of subsidizing the phone to the tune of 20 or so dollars a month you get that off your bill. They don't do that anymore, at least not this time when I tried to get that deal. So now your best bet is to get a new phone.
If your contract ends when apple's device is old do you wait a few months paying the same bill and knowing your phone company is just taking that profit that should go towards your phone? Or do you get whatever's on offer and sign a contract?
I was in that position last week. I had thought of waiting for the iphone 5 since I don't really need to upgrade from a relatively new 4 to 4S. But I wanted to sign a contract so I can negotiate some deals from my carrier. In the end I signed with the provision that we end up paying the same bill between me and my wife as before but now she gets a dataplan as well as quite a lot of additional minutes. And for ****** and giggles (and the fact she's being using a beat up old iphone 3G) we both swap for brand new Galaxy Nexus phones.
On that note. I think it would be a amazing idea if apple releases unlocked phones by default in the future. The reason we went with the nexus was because it's default factory unlocked. Wireless plans being what they cost in the rest of the world it just makes sense to get a sim card when we travel. Locked phones sucks that way. Unless you want to find a way to unlock. And to be honest, Apple's phone are one of the harder ones to unlock. But why? Locking the phone has no benefit for Apple's customer's.
It still amazes me that Americans put up with this crap given that the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and iPad 1 and 2 have all been free from launch day, with a 2 year sign up in countries like Japan.
FYP.
I would venture to say that since Apple started offering two models, the then-current model has *ALWAYS* been the ultra-high seller. (Not to mention that they don't even offer the 3GS in all countries or on all carriers any more.)
I take umbrage with the original post's confusing mix of "free with contract" and full sales price. It's deceptive to talk about a "free" phone followed immediately by a graph showing unsubsidized prices.
You are not 'repaying the loan back at an enormous interest rate' since if you provide your own phone, you can't get a rate plan that's any cheaper.
Might as well buy the phone unlocked, put a giffgaff SIM in it (£10 a month for 250 minutes, unlimited texts and internet with no fair use) and enjoy until the next model comes out, at which point you stick the phone on eBay, get 70% of the handset price back, and upgrade
Or, if you're in the US, enjoy being ripped off for stupidly overpriced contracts
Or, if you're in the US, enjoy being ripped off for stupidly overpriced contracts
It's because Americans are still hot for buying the iPhone, thus the price can stay high on the latest model. Also, people are used to paying $100 or $200 on contract for a top of the line smartphone.
In Japan, the previous iPhones didn't sell at first. It wasn't until it was offered for free (or nearly free) on contract that it took off.
The benefits of a 3-year iPhone lifespan
Thus the 2010 iPhone 4 must have accounted for 7% of total iPhone sales. Not very big numbers in the U.S., but it's likely that the $100 iPhone 4 and the "free" iPhone 3GS were more popular in other areas of the world.
But shipping older iPhone models for three years gives Apple a cost advantage. They can amortize the design, development, and production line set-up costs of each model over a three year period, which is something that few if any competitors can do.
And shipping essentially the same hardware for three years gives Apple long-term feedback on design problems, component issues, and overall durability. A 2009 iPhone 3GS owner whose phone is long out of warranty might not bother to report a failure. They'd just get a new iPhone. But a 2012 iPhone 3GS owner will march into the nearest Apple Store and expect satisfaction. Apple gets three years of data on the reliability of each of their iPhone models. And they'll use that data to improve each year's new model.
Thus the 2010 iPhone 4 must have accounted for 7% of total iPhone sales. Not very big numbers in the U.S., but it's likely that the $100 iPhone 4 and the "free" iPhone 3GS were more popular in other areas of the world.
But shipping older iPhone models for three years gives Apple a cost advantage. They can amortize the design, development, and production line set-up costs of each model over a three year period, which is something that few if any competitors can do.
And shipping essentially the same hardware for three years gives Apple long-term feedback on design problems, component issues, and overall durability. A 2009 iPhone 3GS owner whose phone is long out of warranty might not bother to report a failure. They'd just get a new iPhone. But a 2012 iPhone 3GS owner will march into the nearest Apple Store and expect satisfaction. Apple gets three years of data on the reliability of each of their iPhone models. And they'll use that data to improve each year's new model.
Might as well buy the phone unlocked, put a giffgaff SIM in it (£10 a month for 250 minutes, unlimited texts and internet with no fair use) and enjoy until the next model comes out, at which point you stick the phone on eBay, get 70% of the handset price back, and upgrade
Or, if you're in the US, enjoy being ripped off for stupidly overpriced contracts
Seriously, guys. You are not understanding. US plans do not work like this. The contract is just a guarantee to the provider that you stick around for awhile. It is not more money than someone not currently in contract pays. Me, as an example: We got our first cell phone in 1997 or so, and have had at least one since then. What does it matter to me if I am under contract for a portion of that time when the price is the same?
Yes, it would be nice if the plans were cheaper. But the whole supposed issue regarding subsidizing is apparently completely misunderstood by many, many people.
There are actually loans available for the phone purchase, and most people probably use them. We call them credit cards. But this is outside of the subsidy arrangement, don't call it a loan.
Only Tmobile (or some local or piggyback providers) has any sort of Euro-style non-contract plans, but since no one else has this, and mostly phones do not transfer between providers very well, it's almost completely moot.
I know you get screwed over more in the US, and I acknowledged that. Doesn't mean I can't talk about what phone deals in the UK (and, presumably, much of Europe) are like though; this forum is accessed by people around the world, not just those within the US. And thank god for that, because if I had to pay for my iPhone on a US contract I'd probably be bankrupt by now
