Unsubsidized iPhone $599, $699

[Odid]

So is it confirmed that we can go into an Apple store and buy it at the no commitment price of $599/$699? At&t is giving me contradictory information as the representatives aren't sure. Maybe AT&T themselves don't know yet.

I tried online but it said that I need a 2 year contract.
So I just made a reservation at my local Apple store.

 

[joefro]

I preordered my iPhone 4 16GB on June 15th and I have a reservation for $599. They didn't even give me the option to do an upgrade. Hopefully when I go to pick it up (if I even decide to take it) they will let me get the cheaper pricing.

 

[MikePA]

I preordered my iPhone 4 16GB on June 15th and I have a reservation for $599. They didn't even give me the option to do an upgrade. Hopefully when I go to pick it up (if I even decide to take it) they will let me get the cheaper pricing.

It will be interesting to hear what happens.

There will be lots of people in line who;

1. Want the phone they reserved.
2. Want to spend the least amount of time in line, i.e., get the phone, activate it and get out.

and there will be people like you holding up the line while you plead your case to get a subsidized price you're not entitled to. It will be like the person who has 20 items in their cart in the '10 Items or Less' line at the grocery store.

 

[joefro]

It will be interesting to hear what happens.

There will be lots of people in line who;

1. Want the phone they reserved.
2. Want to spend the least amount of time in line, i.e., get the phone, activate it and get out.

and there will be people like you holding up the line while you plead your case to get a subsidized price you're not entitled to. It will be like the person who has 20 items in their cart in the '10 Items or Less' line at the grocery store.

Well, actually, I am entitled to $399 pricing. Apple just had the worst possible online system on the day of preordering and I just wanted to get my order in while I could. I don't see how when I'm checking out and re-entering my account information will cause a problem. I'm 100% sure that they will have the option to select the $399 price, if I so choose.

 

[MikePA]

Well, actually, I am entitled to $399 pricing. Apple just had the worst possible online system on the day of preordering and I just wanted to get my order in while I could.

I know. I spent quite a few hours on both the Apple and ATT sites Tuesday morning trying to place an order until I wised up and visited a local ATT store.

The ATT site was so bad, I never got to the point where I was presented with prices, however the Apple site did get that far and showed me the $199 and $299 options. It failed when I went to add the phone to the cart.

How did the $599 price show up during your pre-order reservation process? Just curious.

 

[BeyondtheTech]

Remember two things: AT&T sales reps are there for the commission, Apple sales reps are paid hourly.

Keeping that in mind, an AT&T sales rep would rather sell you a subsidized phone with an activation or renewal, than sell you an unsubsidized phone without one. There's more money for them to be made in contracts and upsells, and especially at launch time - they know they'll get them. Basically, your sale is last priority.

Apple, on the other hand, will work diligently and seemingly never have any qualms of going above and beyond the call of duty to appease the customer. So, unless they're told otherwise by management, they will sell you whatever you want to buy, however you want to buy it.

 

[SpyderFCS]

My confirmation also says $699 for the 32GB and I am absolutely eligible for the discounted upgrade price of $299 for the 32GB.

I'm hoping that when I pick it up at the Apple store, they will re-run my number and see that I'm eligible for the upgrade price.

FYI - I reserved the phone for pick up at my local Apple store via the Apple Store iPhone app.

 

[joefro]

I know. I spent quite a few hours on both the Apple and ATT sites Tuesday morning trying to place an order until I wised up and visited a local ATT store.

The ATT site was so bad, I never got to the point where I was presented with prices, however the Apple site did get that far and showed me the $199 and $299 options. It failed when I went to add the phone to the cart.

How did the $599 price show up during your pre-order reservation process? Just curious.

I honestly have no idea. I did a little bit of searching and apparently I'm not the only one who got this pricing. It seems as if Apple just gave you the 599/699 pricing because they couldn't contact the att servers.

I hate att. The att store is 15 minutes from my house, so naturally I went there first. The computers were down and they weren't taking preorders on paper. I then tried online...to little success. I just hope that I can get in and out of the Apple store on launch day.

 

[MikePA]

I honestly have no idea. I did a little bit of searching and apparently I'm not the only one who got this pricing. It seems as if Apple just gave you the 599/699 pricing because they couldn't contact the att servers.

I hate att. The att store is 15 minutes from my house, so naturally I went there first. The computers were down and they weren't taking preorders on paper. I then tried online...to little success. I just hope that I can get in and out of the Apple store on launch day.

Interesting. The people at my local ATT store could not have been nicer. Their systems were up, but slow, when I pre-ordered (1:50 pm Eastern) but had been down earlier in the day and they took every thing down on paper and used an old fashioned credit card swipe machine.

 

[jclardy]

It is this page that worries me a bit: http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_iphone/family/iphone#faqs

It says this:
Can I buy an iPhone without an AT&T contract?
No. iPhone requires a two-year AT&T wireless service contract.

Does anyone know if I use the 'discounted' price of $399 this year will I have upgrade eligibility next year? or will I be stuck in a cycle of $399 every year if I upgrade?

Either way it works out about the same...If I buy off contract I would be paying $600 this year and $200 next year if I upgrade, versus $400 this year and either $200 or $400 next year. I figure I won't be canceling at&t in the next year so even with the higher ETF it would be the same price if I cancelled after twelve months (325-10*12+399 = $604) but I pay less up front.

I also got the $599 price in my email even though AT&T says I can get it for $399, so I guess i'll see what happens...

 

[MikePA]

Does anyone know if I use the 'discounted' price of $399 this year will I have upgrade eligibility next year? or will I be stuck in a cycle of $399 every year if I upgrade?

While no one outside of ATT knows with certainty how they determine who gets the subsidized upgrade price. ATT seems to take the amount of your monthly bill, how long you have been a customer, etc. into account. However, most people have to reach the end of their current 2 year contract to get a fully subsidized price at the next upgrade. There appears to be a period after 18 months but before 24 months where you get a partially subsidized price.

I have simply decided I will upgrade every 2 years which seems to synch up with when Apple comes out with a major new model. And it's also why I didn't upgrade to a 3Gs. There were not enough improvements for me to spend that much money.

I think this year was slightly different because (speculation hat on), ATT knows their exclusive contract with Apple is drawing to a close and they wanted to get more people locked into a 2 year contract so they allowed a bunch of people who wouldn't normally qualify for any subsidized price to get one.