More iPhone Details - $599 4GB and $649 8GB? [Updated]

[pizzacake]

I can't even figure out why anyone would want a phone from Apple?

Who knows if they will even make a good phone. It is a completely different product than either a computer or an mp3 player. It is also a highly competitive market that is completely saturated with already established strong players.

I love Apple computers and ipods but frankly I haven't much been impressed by their durability or quality control. I have owned 15 different Apple computers and 8 different ipods. All lof them are as dead as a doornail except for two ipods and 2 computers. Both of which are new (less than 2 years old.) I treated each Apple like gold and yet they all failed for different reasons. Primarily display problems, logic board failure, and flimsey hinges and latches.

On the other hand I have two early 90's toshiba laptops, 1 gateway late 90's laptop, 1 dell late 90's laptop, 1 commodore 64, and 1 amiga 2000. All of which run like new and have been used heavily under all conditions.

Apple is notorious for problems on generation 1 hardware. Personally I am not convinced that Apple could make a good, durable, well-designed, gen. 1 phone worth the $500+.

Sorry but I'll have to pass and let some other poor "sucker" er - um person buy a new iphone.

Wow, " I have owned 15 different Apple computers and 8 different ipods" . I'd have to be a real sucker for punishment to keep buying Mac's if I went through as many duds as you have . I started using Mac's in 1990 beginning with a Mac SE/30. In sixteen years I've only owned six Macs and never has one had a hardware failure. Did you buy your Mac's second hand? My current Mac is a gen. 1 Mac Mini G4, loaded it myself with 1GB ram and it's been absolutely rock solid My first and only iPod, an iPod Mini 2nd Gen. despite hitting concrete many times is still working perfectly even though it wouldn't win any beauty contests. My only grumble would be the battery which was only good for about 14 months but because I replaced the battery myself it was dirt cheap to do so and now my iPod's going like a trooper again

 

[Philsy]

You still didn't address my point about per user. If apple is looking to test the waters and doesn't want to screw itself royally if this bombs what's better than delving into the pockets of Americans who will buy a new phone every 2 years whether they need it or not?

Every two years? You're pushing the boat out. Most people in the UK upgrade every year.

 

[SeaFox]

Every two years? You're pushing the boat out. Most people in the UK upgrade every year.

Contracts in the U.S. are usually 2 year.

 

[nplima]

I can't even figure out why anyone would want a phone from Apple?

Different people will come up with their own reasons, but as far as I'm concernced the biggest deal is iSync. So far, for every mobile phone you want to sync or use as a modem for your computer you either need to:
a) pray that the manufacturer has decided to allow it to work with a known standard (vcard, non-crippled bluetooth, USB mass storage, a standard USB cable, even iSync...);
b) install yet another Windows-only application that resides in Windows notification area and tries to get just a little bit of attention whenever it feels like.

These two factors leave out just too many phone models. Samsung doesn't even bother to support Macs, Nokias are compatible but you need their PCSuite to get the most out of the phone, etc. Overall, the manufacturers treat their Sync software as another tool to lock you in. The difference between being locked in by a phone manufacturer or a computer manufacturer being that there are many known ways to interact with computer comm ports, ie: sooner or later the user gets back in charge.

At this moment I trust Apple to create a good solution for using the peripherals with the Mac while being able to extract *MY* information from *MY* computer and take it with me wherever I want. Phone manufacturers are not as willing and that's why I expect Apple and their customers to change a few things, such as turn iSync compatibility into a feature that other phones need to have.

 

[Evangelion]

Yup, but the cell phone...

• Can't play DVDs, or CDs
• Can't run Microsoft office
• Can't do photo or video editing
• Can't do video chat

And the iMac

- Doesn't fit in your pocket

And in addition:

- You can't use your iMac to drive to work
- iMac can't have your babies
- You can't mown your lawn with the iMac

In short: you are comparing apples and oranges. Saying something like "if I paid little more, I could get an iMac instead" is more or less the same as saying "Instead of buying a DSLR, I could pay a bit more and get a MacBook instead". Since when is MacBook an alternative to DSLR? Since when is iMac an alternative to a cell-phone? If you want a cell-phone, iMac is not an alternative.

The more I read this thread, the more I appreciate the way cell-phone market operates here (Finland). Cell-phones are subscriptions are separated (yes, there are bundles of phones and services, but still). You buy your phone (which is totally, 100%, unlocked. And ALL the features work, it's not crippled in any shape or form), and you then get a separate subscription. Want to change operators? Go right ahead, you can keep the phone and your phone-number.

Many people here have commented how you can get a phone "for free" if you get a subscription in the same time. Anyone who think that the phone is "free" is deluding themselves. You pay for the phone in the subscription, and you pay through your nose for it.

If Apple was releasing this phone in Finland, how would it work? They would announce and release the phone, people would buy it, and use it with the operator of their choice. Very simple. In USA it seems to be tied to a certain operator, and people complain because "I don't want to switch operators". If not that, you will get loads of people complaining how "expensive" the phone is, as opposed to getting the phone "for free" if you get a subscription as well. Well, it's not free, no matter how you obtain the phone.

How can the market be so damn dysfunctional? Just get a (unlocked & uncrippled) phone, and use it with the operator of your choice. Want to change operators, feel free to do so. That's how it should be. Is it really so that only handful of countries got this right?

 

[cupique]

A little offtopic, but...

Has anyone seen this: http://www.samsung.com/PressCenter/PressRelease/PressRelease.asp?seq=20061102_0000298223

Looks a little familiar.

 

[Evangelion]

Has anyone seen this: http://www.samsung.com/PressCenter/PressRelease/PressRelease.asp?seq=20061102_0000298223

Looks a little familiar.

Indeed. It looks like Nokia 7280.

 

[Erasmus]

...How can the market be so damn dysfunctional? Just get a (unlocked & uncrippled) phone, and use it with the operator of your choice. Want to change operators, feel free to do so. That's how it should be. Is it really so that only handful of countries got this right?

I agree. In my opinion, anyone, unless they use their phone an amount that is simply not imaginable to me, is an idiot if they are on a plan. People should shell out cash to buy what they use outright. If you are on a plan, say $30 a month, for two years, that's $720. And I believe $30 a month is a rather low cost plan? People seem to not realise this, and companies go out of their way to keep the consumer in the dark.

The only reason someone should not want to change phone carriers is to keep their phone number.

Again I will express my disbelief that an iPod with the ability to make phone calls and text will cost AU$850.

 

[DreederOcUK]

$649 is about UK £330, id definately have one at that price as it seems pretty damn cheap, I paid about twice that for my Nokia 8800Sirocco last year.

I hope we see these this side of the pond not long after you Americans get them.

 

[koobcamuk]

Contracts in the U.S. are usually 2 year.

...and this is why America is so far behind. Contracts here are a year and some are at 18 months tops. A 2 year contract is unheard of in the UK. Most people into gadgets and tech in the UK (or even just bored people) buy phones SIM free. CEX and many other franchises have entire shops dedicated to phones (used/new and unlocked).

There is no way on this planet people in the UK will go for a 2 year contract. Text messaging bundles keep popping up (you know text in the US ? SMS? I know you don't use it much but here it's probably more popular than email - include the 16-25 year olds in this camp) and minutes on the contract are ever-changing to keep up with competition. 2 year contracts? No way.

 

[koobcamuk]

$649 is about UK £330, id definately have one at that price as it seems pretty damn cheap, I paid about twice that for my Nokia 8800Sirocco last year.

I hope we see these this side of the pond not long after you Americans get them.

What are you doing with the Nokia when you get the iPhone? Drop me an email if you're selling!

 

[onlytobbe]

here people get brand new phones every 2 years - I wonder what the average is in Europe where you don't sign contracts - I'd bet it's considerably longer

I can't speak for middle(age)europe (though I’ve heard that some countries have laws against locked phones), but in Sweden not many phones are sold without a contract, often giving the phone for free or at least highly subsidized, so I think we change phones atleast as often as you guys, especially now when we have gone over to 3G and HSDPA.

A $599 - $649 price is definitely in the same league as other non locked, non contract phones, so that’s the price I would expect for the high end iPhone. But it sure is a bit too high for the low end one.

If the iPhone is US only I will be very disappointed...

Update: Apparently it works different in Finland, I feel I should have known about that. But I can't see that system being any better, in Sweden we still have the choice of buying that phone we want and then sign a contract or buy a (mobile phone) cash card from any company you please, but I can't see why you would want to do that if the company offer the phone and a contract much cheaper if you buy them as a bundle...

I'm paying ($10 of operator subscription that I can make calls for + $15 for the phone) * 18 months = $450
for my nokia 6280, I find that a good deal considering the phone itself would have cost me over $500 unlocked and without contract!

 

[AndyR]

$649 is about UK £330, id definately have one at that price as it seems pretty damn cheap, I paid about twice that for my Nokia 8800Sirocco last year.

Yes but don't forget this is the UK so if its $649 then chances are it will be around £649 as well.

 

[jameshopkins]

Yes but don't forget this is the UK so if its $649 then chances are it will be around £649 as well.

Exactly, unless you could go and buy it in the US.

Why are phones so expensive anyway, theres not that much in them. Mainly R&D costs, I think Apple could change the market, and theres no way they would sell them for that hgh, its crazy.

 

[AndyR]

Exactly, unless you could go and buy it in the US.

Why are phones so expensive anyway, theres not that much in them. Mainly R&D costs, I think Apple could change the market, and theres no way they would sell them for that hgh, its crazy.

Price for phones is stupid yes. I remember reading something on the BBC site the other day which says it takes 75kg of raw materials to make one mobile phone. It didn't go into any more detail but if that true its pretty shocking.

 

[Evangelion]

I agree. In my opinion, anyone, unless they use their phone an amount that is simply not imaginable to me, is an idiot if they are on a plan. People should shell out cash to buy what they use outright. If you are on a plan, say $30 a month, for two years, that's $720.

Exactly. And during that two years, the price/value of your phone is going to drop to a fraction of what it was when you got it, yet you are still paying full price for it. And during that two years, the price of service and calls is going to come down, yet you are tied to a higher price.

Back when I had personal cell-phone and subscription (both are provided by my employer these days), the monthly subscription-fees and call-fees kept on going down. And occasionally my operator contacted me and gave me further incentives, just so I wouldn't switch operators. If I had signed for a multi-year plan, prices would have stayed put, and I would have received no incentives, since I couldn't switch operators in the middle of the plan.

Why do you guys put up with inferior service?

 

[geerlingguy]

Every two years? You're pushing the boat out. Most people in the UK upgrade every year.

Yikes! I used a Nokia 6360 (it was quite a trooper) for 4-and-a-half years before it finally had a dead screen. All these new phones seem to be focused on giving the *worst* reception possible. Unless you pay a few hundred bucks (with a contract), the phone's ability to work as a *phone* is severely crippled. And even some of the $500+ (USD) phones have terrible reception.

Now I have a Motorola V323 - a nice phone, but too gimmicky. Give me a phone that syncs with Address Book and makes a nice, clear call, and I'll be happy. Anything more (like iPod functionality) is icing.

 

[wasimyaqoob]

I have a Nokia 8800 Scoricco, and it cost me $1,500.

So i'm willing to pay $600 for a iPhone!

 

[peharri]

My guess would be the $599 and $649 is the price with no contract or an unlocked version. It really isn't too bad for an unlocked phone. I am sure it will be cheaper on Cingular with contract.

That's my assumption too, though it's still high, even for an unlocked phone. This is about right for a very high-end Nokia 3G phone. Motorola's quad-band super-slim phones, with less flash but otherwise a comparable spec (inc a high quality camera, and we're not sure an "iPhone" would have that) cost no more than around half that amount. (As an example, the just released RIZR officially costs $400, but unofficially costs around $300 and I can't really find it for more than that. That's with a 2MP camera) Does adding 4M of flash really add $300 to the price?

I'm leaning towards the idea there is an iPhone, despite my misgivings, but I honestly don't think we've heard the final word on the price or spec yet.

 

[Nym]

Too expensive, I know, it's Apple and top quality and whatever, it's still very expensive, look at Apple sales in the last year? both iPods and Macs are selling much more due to the fact that Apple adapted it's prices to reality or close to it at least.
If they are indeed manufacturing an iPhone then they are spending millions on it, they can't put out the product with such high price and risk it not selling, especially in a market saturated by other brands. Apple must know that for the iPhone to succeed it will have to be better than everything else, but also appealing and measured in the price tag because people are all about habits, and if someone see's an iPhone for 650$ and a Nokia for the same price they will probably go with the "safer, used-to-software" choice. (The same thing with Zune VS iPod and Mac VS PC)

We are not the only target for the iPhone, Apple doesn't want iPhone to be used by Mac owners only, so, they should give PC users a strong motive to buy the thing, even if that motive is it's affordable price. my 2 cents...

Still, only time will tell, maybe it's not even going to be mentioned at MWSF

 

[Rychiar]

the prices are insane, ya cant sell a phone for the same price as a mac mini. furthermore i liked the "all-carriers" part of the last rumor better. F Cingular, Verizon is just better and what i had from the start

 

[0098386]

I don't know or care what Cingular is but bugger me with the price. I was looking at picking up the 'potential' iPhone after realising my ROKR wasn't really that nice. It corrupted my MicroSD card yesterday!

 

[LastZion]

The prices are definitely sad, but that is only because we were going off of the old amazing ones. They are high, yes, but not really out of this world for what you get.

Just hurry up and get it out already

 

[akadmon]

At that price, unless it can drive dual 30" monitors, I'm not buying it!

 

[Eraserhead]

I'm sure someone has already pointed this out (in the first 11 pages, which I'm not reading), but the price seems crazily high, a 4GB iPod Nano costs $199, I cannot see how bluetooth, a camera, a sim card reader, a microphone, a phone call chip (though probably not required), aerial, a larger battery, and a keypad can possibly cost $400, that is as much as a whole original iPod , and means the phone costs as much as 3 4GB iPod nano's.

I think $249 is a bit low, $299 for a 4GB one is probably a realistic price, and $399 for an 8GB one with WiFi, a better Camera, and VOIP. That also fits nicely into the iPod lineup!