Wal-Mart to Sell $99 4GB iPhone?

[contractcooker]

Obviously, things have changed a bit since the 80s lol. This is where im torn with this. On one hand its good and all, I mean i shop at Walmart every now and then (as im sure a lot of us do), I have an iPhone and it would make the iPhone available to more people. But then its like "Apple iPhone? Apple's prestigious smart phone that was $600 not too long ago is now $100 at Walmart?" It is definitely the first step of the way of the Razr, and while thats all well and good for Apple, selling more iPhones, it will deter people who bought iPhones and Apple products for that matter, for a little exclusivity. And i know the two Walmarts in my area have frequent stabbings in the parking lots, which, last time i checked, was not exactly Apple's target demographic

LOL. I'm loving this class warfare ****. Ok Bernie you are being a little bit elitist here. However you do make a valid point. The RAZR SUCKS now. When I bought my first RAZR just when they came out it worked well and was an attention grabber. A year or so later when I dropped my RAZR into a lake I got a replacement.... and then another.. and another and another and another.... In total 6 replacements in less than a month none of which worked. I believe that after motorola dropped the price the Quality of the RAZR went down the tubes. Either that or I was really lucky with my first phone OR really unlucky with all the replacements. If apple sells the iphone for less money I'm fine with that so long as the quality doesn't suffer.

Now, everyone can jump on me for this but I'm just being honest. I like having neat gadgets. I don't define myself by them but as a geek it's fun to have something COOL that no one else does. The two ways of doing this are to buy something expensive or make something unique yourself. Yes it's a little bit shallow of me but I like being superficial every once in a while. I don't think there's anything wrong with enjoying exclusivity so long as you are not judging people who are without negatively. If you are then you are just a sad human being. There now my little disclaimer is out of the way on with the rest of my responses...

Thank you for being another self-parody of Apple fans. "OMG, it's too cheap, now too many people can afford, which means I won't feel better than everyone else!"

Are you freaking kidding me? It's not like the homeless will be buying them.

[Post written on a Mac Mini while listening to an 80 GB iPod]

I agree that it's silly to be upset when a product has a price reduction. Particularly with tech products prices drop constantly. It's kind of disheartening to buy anything technology wise because 2 days later it's half price.

Lol, your welcome. I dont have a problem with it but i know some people who buy Apple products will. And look at the razr now, who has them? I know i dont want the iPhone to go down that path

Yeah the RAZR does suck now. Please note I'm not saying that people who use RAZRs suck I'm saying the phone is no good any more. And it was when it first came out.

Why not? Why do you care who owns an iPhone? If you like it, buy it and be happy with it. If not, then don't. Other people purchasing the iPhone has no effect on your experience. If you see a stinking cell phone as part of your identity, I'm not sure what to tell you.

It's not that we care who owns the phone but when something becomes so incredibly popular that everyone has one there is a large chance that quality of the product and its support will decrease

 

[brasknucs]

has anyone even addressed the fact that this is a RUMOR!?

also, who really cares about where the iPhone gets sold? if the only place i could get an iPhone was the local unemployment office, i'd be there on launch day with food stamps in hand! i love apple. plain and simple. in a perfect world for me, everyone has an iphone and a macbook.

give me a break... since when do we become better than anyone else for using an iPhone? (smarter... maybe. better... come on!)

 

[gkarris]

I don't like Walmart, but I like the idea of a $99 4GB iPhone. The economic climate is right for this product introduction.

I would get one, but am still too cheap to pay for a data plan.

Now that would be great. If, since the economy is going down the tubes, AT&T allows you after Dec. 28 to get a voice only plan with the iPhone. I think there's enough WiFi places around where you can get away with no data.

Yes, GPS won't work, but then if you can start buying apps where the GPS maps are already on the unit...

When I first got my iPhone, I used only voice. The actual time I more or less have to use the phone's internet are places where there is WiFi.

I only have the data plan now because I'm on the old T-Mobile T-Zones plan for $6/month...

I would seriously think about switching to AT&T for a $99 iPhone, voice only, and get a GPS Navigation app for around $30 for GPS navigation.

 

[bntz313]

I would for sure buy an iPhone if it was $99, I'm a college student and don't even own a phone, nor do I have alot of money. The same goes for most of my friends if they did make/sell on for $99 I would get one right away.

Who really listens to 16gb of music anyways, most people will listen to the couple of songs that their feeling at the time anyway so how come you can't just swap out the songs. I have a 1gb iPod shuffle and I never fill it up with music I wont listen to just to have it on there.

Not saying that people don't.

 

[charlituna]

Apple routinely makes retailers aware of product launches on the day they publicly announce them....even to their own Apple retail stores.

no joke. Apple store employees find out what's going on the same time and day that Jobs releases it to the public. Back in September my local store was watching streaming feed of the announcement right on the big Apple TV demo TV set because it was the only way they would know what was up when some customer walked in 20 minutes later to ask a question.

and when the first phone came out, they closed the store at noon to redress the store and train the employees. that's right, they hadn't seen a phone before then. there were guards on the loading dock when the phones arrived etc.

 

[mozadek]

has anyone even addressed the fact that this is a RUMOR!?

also, who really cares about where the iPhone gets sold? if the only place i could get an iPhone was the local unemployment office, i'd be there on launch day with food stamps in hand! i love apple. plain and simple. in a perfect world for me, everyone has an iphone and a macbook.

give me a break... since when do we become better than anyone else for using an iPhone? (smarter... maybe. better... come on!)

Yeah, we know it is a rumor, and by reading the responses, a lot of people care that the iPhone will be sold at a low price and at Wal Mart of all places. The Mac elites are mad that there will be more people buying an iPhone at a low price so with more iPhone users out there they will no longer feel that they are cooler than those without an iPhone. I am hoping that this rumor comes true.

 

[contractcooker]

I think a lot of people here are missing the fact that the 4gb iPhone is still a decent device. My wife has been using one for almost a year now and she still hasn't filled it up. If/when a 32gb model comes out, I will be upgrading and passing my 8gb model to her -- I'm pretty much assuming that she'll never end up filling up that space.

No one is saying that the 4GB model wasn't a good device. It was... but times change quickly for technology and now 4GB is much smaller than it used to be.

 

[contractcooker]

I'm shocked there are people in the world that get sad about low prices. Someone else's quality of life was raised just a tiny bit -- a new luxury is now within their grasp -- and all they can think about is that someone else's raised quality of life makes them feel a bit less special. They're concerned the new clientele may be "beneath" them. Anyone whose mind works this way openly has my contempt.

I don't have contempt for them. I feel pity towards them. Imagine how angry you would be all the time and how empty life would be operating on that basis. I feel sorry for people who need to have more things to feel better about themselves. Disclaimer... I am a hypocrite who loves flaunting his iPhone in public

 

[contractcooker]

This is very true. Not everyone wants to access the web for browsing at all. Especially if the browser can't read flash or access certain parts of the web.

For me, I just don't like paying a premium for sub-par web access speeds on AT&T's network, and I will never own a phone that when dropped shatters like glass... and there is no insurance option given by the company that makes it, or the cell company.

You clearly have never used an iPhone. I've dropped mine multiple times onto concrete without even a scratch. Every time it happens my stomach goes into knots but it's a really tough phone that's built to last.

AND... I don't know of any company that covers damage due to user error or negligence. Most only cover defects. I bricked my first generation iphone multiple times while messing around with unlocking software and the like.... each time I just played dumb and apple gave me a new phone. Complaining about apple support is like ..... welll it's just stupid

 

[Lesser Evets]

While I doubt this because of the precedent it would create...

I see no reason why it wouldn't be feasible.

Walmart as a lone retailer for an inexpensive iPhone is like having a 900lb. gorilla in the room with an iPhone sandwich board. I could see as a business opportunity having Walmart conjoin with Apple for a specific, low end, product. Instant ka-ching!

The 4GB iPhone is awesome. Wish I had one. Bet a lot of people do. So there are giant sized products out there for $500? So what. Most people probably never will use all 4GB unless they cling to masses of video. 3 GB of audio is practically endless, and if you work it with iTunes it's all you ever need.

 

[csmitty]

I'm surprised that people are still complaining about this. Since the dawn of time (ok maybe more like for the past 50 years) evil greedy companies have advertised hard drive space as 1000KB=1MB even though it's 1024. Yes, it's a pain but at least we can be thankful that every company uses this method so we're all getting screwed equally

This is true, but thats not really the issue. Its that the OS takes up soooo much room. I had an 8gb touch and it had 7.3 or 7.4 avaliable, I think 7.3x. Granted thats not much to worry about yes I knew I wouldn't have 8GB to play with, but I didnt think id lose almost a whole GB. Again not that it matters since I only have about 3.5 on my phone anyways. I usually only load with music i'm listening to at the time so as not to have to click next all the time.

I don't see a need to carry around my whole collection, I was fine with the 8gb touch, so the 8gb phone was fine with me, I probably would have been ok with 4. I watched one movie on a plane with my touch and thats all I needed. You can only watch about 1.5 movies before the battery dies anyways. And on the iphone vs the touch, your out of touch so to speak

Now lowering the price for the 8GB I would grumble about, but oh well it happens. Just glad I sold my touch before the prices dropped

Though with the App Store a 4GB isn't feasible at all, I have 4.5 pages of apps. And I consider myself to be very very moderate in what I put on, no useless apps (ok, i do have phone saber, sorry) but I can bet some people could go nuts and download everything thats free and would be way more than 4GB, but if thats the case no phone would probably be enough.

 

[DubbleDuecer]

wow! are you a pretentious ass? you could have made your point with out going through all the luxuries you currently posses.

i dont have the car, the tv is a panasonic and the couch was free cause it has some rips. just making a point

 

[funnyent]

its fake! look at the walmart logo! Its not the real one...

 

[milani]

You're serious, right? Who has only 4gb of music? I don't know many college students who fall in that range. Maybe High School students? Plenty of us shop at Walmart too. (As much as we hate it.)

Now add a movie or two and 3.5gb is nowhere near enough storage. I had a hard enough time going from a 32 gb iPod to a 16gb touch. When I bought the iPod, I didn't think I'd ever touch 15gb, let alone 32. I now have over 60 gb of movies...

This iPhone (if it is true) will be marketed to people who don't care about or need high storage capacity, and it will probably sell quite well.

Oh and for all the morons who persist in saying the Walmart logo is fake:

And yes, I agree with the digression that Walmart is a monstrosity. That's why I don't shop there.

 

[contractcooker]

Really? I don't know what you're talking about about RAM, but considering the iPhone costs $160-180 per unit to make, I don't think they'd do very well.

Those figures are old... I think it's safe to assume that the manufacturing costs have decreased dramatically as production ramped up. I am certain that they would make money on a $99 iphone.

 

[contractcooker]

I heard it was 256mb with a monochrome screen.

To be honest that would be AWESOME>>>> who wouldn't want a retro iphone?

 

[contractcooker]

see: hard drive prices. as density increases, cost/GB increases. That $99 4GB is not just for the flash, there's a phone in there too.

Are you nuts??? As density increases cost/GB DECREASES. If it were the other way around no one would be able to afford anything

 

[contractcooker]

Just FYI its running amok... not amuck... although that is very funny.

And 1000 songs???? they would sound like ASS being as they would have to be compressed like crazy to fit them onto a space that small with all the other things you listed

EDIT: I'll be damned I just looked up amok and apparently amuck and amuk are acceptable alternatives..... but I still think amok is better

WHAT? You have to be joking! Not worth it!? Very much worth it. The 4GB phone retailed for $499 a mere 18 months ago and you want it to be FREE now!? Give me a single FREEBIE phone that even gets close to what a 4GB iPhone 3G and I'll eat dog turds.

I am constantly amazed at the "I deserve it -- Just give it to me" mentality that's running amuck these days.

If this is true, it's still the same phone as you'd get for $200, but simply half the storage. One could probably put on a 700MB movie, 1000 songs (at least), 500 photos and lots of apps. I'm basing this on what I've got on my 16GB iPhone. That's more than enough stuff to justify a mere hundred dollars. Plus it's arguably the best phone in the world.

 

[fleshman03]

Just FYI its running amok... not amuck... although that is very funny.

And 1000 songs???? they would sound like ASS being as they would have to be compressed like crazy to fit them onto a space that small with all the other things you listed

It's not the upfront costs. The original iPhone actually was cheaper in the long run. Since service fees went up with the 3g, it now actually costs a few hundred more. That is why people would want a 4gb for free.

And it sucks for those that bought it right out the gate.

Are you nuts??? As density increases cost/GB DECREASES. If it were the other way around no one would be able to afford anything

lol a 1tb drive would be like a gazillion dollars.

 

[MattWrenn]

Fact 1: A lot of people have replaced their iPod and Cell phone with an iPhone and were glad to do so.

Fact 2: Apple has sold a ton of iPod Shuffles, many to people for whom the shuffle is still their only iPod.

I'll let you guys figure it out from here...

I believe that "if" this is in the works the target market must be uninformed parents/grandparents wanting to buy cool yet affordable Christmas gifts. Though well meaning these 4gb iphones will not fill the bill of the average teenager's appetite for music and games.
Matt

 

[archurban]

who wants 4GB iphone today? I doubt it would be iphone 2G? with 4GB, you can't do nothing with iphone. it will be really phone itself. but iphone is not. cheaper people get cheaper one. don't get me wrong. but I don't really go to walmart everytime. I don't have to. here in San Francisco, a lot of cheaper grocery store or cloth stores. I'd better go to BestBuy.

 

[contractcooker]

The lady doth protest too much..... You seem to be so interested in justifying your conduct that you simply must feel guilty about it... and so would I. Shopping at walmart is for low-life schmucks..... get a real job...

Sure...

because getting basic supplies at the local stores is completely linked to premium products...

I have an iPhone. I pay my bills, and I have gotten myself OUT of debt.

But I do shop at Walmart. maybe not for cell phones and TVs and such, but they sell a lot more than that. Like paper towels, extension cords, light sporting and automotive goods, basic hardware supplies, things like that...

Why shouldn't I? They are a business that sells things like that, and they tend to have decent, if non-specialist inventory, and decent prices.

The snob factor beyond the bounds of realistic evaluation is a bit higher than usual in this thread.

If a lot of you want to buy expensive perfumed lavatory tissue at huge markups from boutique stores, that is your prerogative... but since when is it so 'icky' to buy general household supplies at Walmart?

Would you rather I dump my used motor oil on the ground? Walmart was the only place that had good economical used oil jugs in stock, that I needed to get, to be able to transport my used motor oil to the recycling location. Nobody else had anything appropriate for that use at less than double Walmart's price.

There is nothing wrong with iPhone being more available to more people. Some people don't want to order things from websites and wait for shipping, and try to activate a cell phone plan on their own. Some people want an iPhone in leu of their current phone, but a high price for the phone up front, with an expensive contract, when others are free with similar contracts, might be a hard pill to justify putting up from a just comparative standpoint.

I think it would be smarter to drop the price on the 8GB, and upgrade the AT&T store, and AppleStore versions to 16-32GB versions, at current higher price points. Taking one step backward to 4GB might save a little cash, but NAND flash prices are going down, so it might not even be necessary.

The After Christmas deal may be to coincide with MacWorld iPhone spec bump, and price point adjustment. MW isn't too long after christmas. Otherwise, I would think Walmart would want these on the shelves YESTERDAY for holiday sales.

More iPhones on the market means better market support. Cheaper products in higher numbers with better economies of scale, and more app software development for a wider audience. Perhaps lower prices on Apps, too.

Apple is not Bentley or Rolls. Limiting themselves needlessly may create an impression, but not limiting themselves needlessly will make them money, and help the company.

Now, if they would realize the same thing about computers, and start offering more for more people, we'll really be talking. Bring on the headless dual-monitor-capable small desktop, and HTPC capable machine!!!

 

[contractcooker]

This is the best post in this thread.... LOL "i'd be there with foodstamps in hand".... priceless. Long live the iphone

has anyone even addressed the fact that this is a RUMOR!?

also, who really cares about where the iPhone gets sold? if the only place i could get an iPhone was the local unemployment office, i'd be there on launch day with food stamps in hand! i love apple. plain and simple. in a perfect world for me, everyone has an iphone and a macbook.

give me a break... since when do we become better than anyone else for using an iPhone? (smarter... maybe. better... come on!)

 

[Eidorian]

who wants 4GB iphone today? I doubt it would be iphone 2G? with 4GB, you can't do nothing with iphone. it will be really phone itself. but iphone is not. cheaper people get cheaper one. don't get me wrong. but I don't really go to walmart everytime. I don't have to. here in San Francisco, a lot of cheaper grocery store or cloth stores. I'd better go to BestBuy.

Maybe you could use it as a phone?

 

[judolphin]

But what you fail to recognize is that no one in the industry refers to a NAND Flash drive as RAM if said device had an actual CPU and was considered a computer device with a real OS. Since the iPhone and iPod Touch ARE still basically a computer device, they still rely on a CPU that works with RAM for basic system memory storage which is quite different than how it deals with actual storage on the device. Now if we were talking about something like an Apple shuffle, I could see your point. But my "rant" was nothing but trying to get people (like yourself) to use the proper technology. I know you like to think of the iPod Touch and the iPhone as something else, but in fact, they ARE computer devices. Look it up.

What you are confusing is the difference between a "disc" hard drive (something with platter(s)) and something that uses a Flash NAND drive. But in the end, their purpose is still the same: to be used as storage, nothing else. The iPhone and the Touch use an ARM chip that uses RAM for processing memory.

You're correct, Tito. It's not technically RAM... it is used as storage, and is referred to as "non-volatile memory", so calling it memory or storage is correct (much to the dismay of technical grammar nazis).