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iPhone Launched in the UK on O2 Network
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Well I've had my iPod Touch for a few hours now - and it just makes me appreciate what a leap the iPhone really is. This thing is incredible, the software is truly amazing. Using the keyboard to type this now - which is actually very very good.
Using this just makes me want an iPhone even more - people out there comparing it to an N95 on a cheaper tariff really are missing the point. I'll definitely be there on day one waiting in line.
-Leemo
Using this just makes me want an iPhone even more - people out there comparing it to an N95 on a cheaper tariff really are missing the point. I'll definitely be there on day one waiting in line.
-Leemo
I'm curious, why did you buy the Touch if you thought you were going to get an iPhone anyway? I would have thought the Touch would have been redundant if you have a iPhone as well.
Jobs mentioned "the Cloud" in his joint appearance with Gates.
Here is the future of telephony until wimax arrives.
http://www.thecloud.net/page/1783
Rocketman
I'll sell my touch when I get my iPhone
Just needed something to entertain me for the next few weeks.
It's very nice though.
-Leemo
Ouch...
269 pounds for the phone. Equal to $643 au.
35 pounds is the lowest plan..... This equals about $84 au per month...
Are these 24 month plans??
This got a negative vote from me!!
No wonder this story has so many negative votes. People who don't live in the UK are complaining about UK pricing.
The iPod touch costs $419 AUD. The iPhone costs $100 USD more than the touch, which is $132 AUD with GST. So that's $551 AUD with 10% GST included. Now, you're ignoring that the UK VAT rate is 17.5% and that as part of the EU, there are trade tariffs imposed on all imports from outside the EU.
If I were a betting man, I'd say the iPhone will end up costing about $499 AUD.
Now, to the monthly rate. Again, you're ignoring the difference between the GST and UK VAT, and more importantly, unlimited data.
Let's look at Vodafone Pacific rates, shall we? A measly 300MB of data per month costs $49.95. As to voice calls, there's something called the Hot $30 Plan, which is a mandatory payment of $30 per month, giving you free SMS but a voice rate of $0.43 per THIRTY SECONDS, which means $0.96 per minute.
So let's sum up. For $79.95, Australians get $300 MB of data and a whopping 31 minutes and 15 seconds of outgoing calls per month! For $79.95 AUD!
No wonder you don't like caps on texting - I wouldn't be calling anyone at those rates.
Also, everyone with their knickers in a bunch over the seemingly low amount of included minutes, to the best of my understanding, UK mobiles have free incoming calls, which means your minutes only count for calls you make. US AT&T customers lose minutes for ALL calls, incoming and outgoing.
Jobs wasn't talking about The Cloud, European WiFi service.
He was talking about "the cloud", metaphor for content retrieval from servers connected to the Internet.
Which, it seems, is filled with stupid today.
Buying one in the USA
First of all, I'd bet that after you add ~15% VAT, import duties on electronics, and shipping, It's not too far off from an USA model. Now I'm not trying to discourage you from doing it, but I would be very careful right now to see what happens with the unlocking situation. The mobile operators here in the states are VERY GREED and VERY POWERFUL and I can't imagine that AT&T would be happy seeing all their 'exclusive' phones being unlocked and sent to other providers. Even if you are able to get it unlocked and run on vodaphone/02/Tmobile or whatever, You may get locked out of future updates to the phone from itunes (which could bring ALOT of new features like MMS, video recording, new apps, etc and of course all the bug fixes.)
I wouldn't put it by Apple to figure out further ways to lock it down.
The other point that everyone here considering importing an iphone from the USA hasn't mentioned, is if you unlock an AT&T iphone and then later try to hook it up to 02's network when they come out. Maybe the 02 phone has a different form of lock on it or is not compatible with the AT&T model. You could end up being stuck with it and not able to activate it or get the same price as if you bought it directly from 02.
First of all, I'd bet that after you add ~15% VAT, import duties on electronics, and shipping, It's not too far off from an USA model. Now I'm not trying to discourage you from doing it, but I would be very careful right now to see what happens with the unlocking situation. The mobile operators here in the states are VERY GREED and VERY POWERFUL and I can't imagine that AT&T would be happy seeing all their 'exclusive' phones being unlocked and sent to other providers. Even if you are able to get it unlocked and run on vodaphone/02/Tmobile or whatever, You may get locked out of future updates to the phone from itunes (which could bring ALOT of new features like MMS, video recording, new apps, etc and of course all the bug fixes.)
I wouldn't put it by Apple to figure out further ways to lock it down.
The other point that everyone here considering importing an iphone from the USA hasn't mentioned, is if you unlock an AT&T iphone and then later try to hook it up to 02's network when they come out. Maybe the 02 phone has a different form of lock on it or is not compatible with the AT&T model. You could end up being stuck with it and not able to activate it or get the same price as if you bought it directly from 02.
NO iPhone for Business Users
I just can't believe it. No 3G, but who cares if it's unlimited data - BUT worst than that no iPhone for business users, and if you're a O2 business customer, Like me, you can't port your old no. to a new contract. What a pile of pants. My O2 contract is nearly up for renewal - Well I'm off to Vodaphone or Orange - O2 Apple you now wont get my 269 quid. I have bought loads of Apple products since the early Nineties - I feel robbed of a piece of technology that, as a small business man, would have done wonders for my day to day running of my business. Go back to Cupertino JOBBERS
I just can't believe it. No 3G, but who cares if it's unlimited data - BUT worst than that no iPhone for business users, and if you're a O2 business customer, Like me, you can't port your old no. to a new contract. What a pile of pants. My O2 contract is nearly up for renewal - Well I'm off to Vodaphone or Orange - O2 Apple you now wont get my 269 quid. I have bought loads of Apple products since the early Nineties - I feel robbed of a piece of technology that, as a small business man, would have done wonders for my day to day running of my business. Go back to Cupertino JOBBERS
The o2 site claims otherwise - business users can join without any problem. The tariffs are exactly the same though.
No, doesn't look like it. Which I agree is completely ridiculous. I dare say there will be workarounds for this - i.e port your business number to a payg sim card, then port to iphone or something similar - bit of a longwinded approach to something that should be easy though.
I can't help but think that o2 are going out of their way to make this difficult to get - I mean, they won't even let you use cash to buy the phone!
If the iPhone/ iTunes activation workaround is still valid for the UK iPhone, then you won't need to worry. Just 'activate' the phone without the tariff, and pop your existing O2 sim into it
It's all just ridiculous. I really love Apple products but I ABHOR the way they do business. They are such a§§holes!
Nice one Leemo. I'm with you. I've had my touch for a day now and everyone who is talking about cheaper tariff's and Nokia etc. are missing the point.... The thing I notice the most is how quickly you get into the multi-touch way. Initially you are weary to tap too hard or really go for it but once you get used to it your fingers get used to the gestures and instinctively know what to do. Jobs presentation and the subsequent guides don't really show how amazing this thing is. Especially in browsing. Jobs never really used the pinch effect. I find that I'm reading the web a lot more. I select and article pinch up to the text and its crystal clear. Job used the double tap method which zooms in one level. I find the pinch a lot better. Its also very much a social device (welcome to the social ?). For example last night I had it in a wi-fi restaurant and we were all selecting youTube video's and showing each other. Fantastic. Like I said people who base this technology on other phones don't get it. You can't compare because it in a different league all together. Trust me you'll be hooked in 5 mins.
I have to agree that they are being a bit greedy with the iPhone. I personally have no issue with paying double for the iPhone if it was sim free - let the networks fight over the best tariffs for it.
The way they have done this means it's not accessible to anywhere near as many people as it otherwise would have been. No PAYG option is really going to hit sales over here. It's a perfect candidate for making everyone's xmas list, but I really can't see people buying it and signing a contract for their kids (as an example).
couldn't agree more.
I wanted one but all this BS they're pulling... forget it. Maybe in a couple of years when there's a proper unlock and 3G and better tariffs. The only saving grace of Apple's BS is the technology. Frustrating.
How is the fact you can't directly port a number across from a business account Apple's fault! It's O2's billing system.
Just port your number to a pay and go sim card and then back. It's fairly quick and whilst working there I did it for loads of people.
-Leemo
If the iPhone/ iTunes activation workaround is still valid for the UK iPhone, then you won't need to worry. Just 'activate' the phone without the tariff, and pop your existing O2 sim into it
Will this work? My brother wants to buy one from the store and use his PAYG SIM inside it.
All my friends were interested in the iPhone. Once I told them that it would be contract only that number fell a bit, and when I told them the tariffs that number quickly fell to zero (including myself).
Because of the greed of Apple in regards to monthly fees I don't know a single person willing to buy an iPhone. If Apple fanboys like us can't stomach the high price of the iPhone contracts why would joe-six-pack? I really can't see many people buying into an iPhone with a high price, poor value contract (at least in terms of actual phone use) on top of paying £270 for the phone. It'll have strong initial sales, due to the hardcore cool-aid drinkers, but I think they'll quickly drop. At its current price it'll only ever be a niche product.
It's not just that, it's the whole agreement. Doesn't sit well with me, for many reasons.
that's not really what I was getting at but...
Exactly.
This whole thing bothers me... everything down to the stupid little smug comments Jobs made at the announcement. It's cack!