When the NEXT iphone comes out...

Mad Mac Maniac

Mad Mac Maniac

macrumors 601
I just bought a subsidized iphone 3g. Is there any chance that iphone 3g users will be eligible for early upgrade to the next iphone due to us being apple 'preferred customers'?

Because that would be badass. The next iphone will probably remain the same price (199/299) because we've reached a very appropriate price level. If so I could buy the next one for $299 and sell my existing one for around $299 as well. I think that would be an appropriate price because he 1st gen iphones are selling for around the same as 3g because there is no data plan attached to it.

Then I would basically just upgrade to the new iphone for free!! (of course just adding on another year to my at&t contract)

Do you think this is possible or am I just dreaming?
 
Why dont you just enjoy your iPhone 3G (and your life, if at all you have one) and then think about what you will do when iPhone 3G+1 comes out...
 
MultiFinder17 said:
Oi, can't we at least give the new one a week before the "What do you want in the next gen" threads start?
Click to expand...

hey hey, i'm not starting one of those threads. this has nothing to do with what i want in the next gen iphone. I just was asking what our options would be when it does come out! There's a difference, however meager.. :rolleyes:
 
You seem to be implying that a new iPhone will be arriving this time next year, a fact that I doubt.

There was no issue with the phone coming out a year later this time around because of the lack of subsidy. There was the two year contract, but since AT&T hadn't subsidized your phone (there was only the revenue sharing with Apple that is now gone), they were ok with just tacking on another year to your agreement if you wanted to upgrade. I doubt that will be the case the next time around. AT&T or any other carrier is going to want to get the full value of your contract for that subsidy, just like they would when a new Blackberry or other phone model comes out. Granted, the amount of time between upgrades vary per customer (I checked and I can get another upgrade in March 2010, less than two years), but it would seem silly for Apple to release a new phone when it's current user base can't get it without paying out the nose (or at least more out the nose than they did this time).

Also, while there are dreams of a front-facing camera, I'm not sure what other hardware upgrades people are really screaming about. 4G technology maybe, but that would also require AT&T rolling it out network wide which I'm not sure will happen within the next year. Any major features people still want (cut-and-paste, MMS, etc.) could all be rolled out in a 3.0-esque firmware release. HD bumps are of course always possible, but I wouldn't necesarily call that the "next" iPhone.
 
Jeez, how do you reckon by any stretch of the imagination that somebody would be able to predict the launching of iPhones??
 
DeaconGraves said:
Also, while there are dreams of a front-facing camera, I'm not sure what other hardware upgrades people are really screaming about.
Click to expand...

front facing camera is not worth it
ive had 3g phones with them for the past 3 years and NEVER USED IT EVER
ok once when i first got an nokia 6680 then never again.

what would be better in next gen would be improved battery life, via new chipsets, better battery management etc. and NUMBER ONE THING

a decent camera.
it will probably get slimmer/smaller by a small degree too.
 
loskickking23 said:
Not another iphone for 2 years.Alot of 2 year contracts started this past weekend and still starting.
Click to expand...

I am just curious why you think Apple and partners would think that way?

All the early-adopters starting iPhone contracts last year didn't stop Apple brining out a new version less than a year later…

Can you imagine how old the iPhone technology would be (and it is already lagging at launch!) if it was to be updated only every 2 years? 2010? :rolleyes:

Apple want to move as many units as possible and they will be wanting to sell to *new* customers.
 
Mad Mac Maniac said:
I just bought a subsidized iphone 3g. Is there any chance that iphone 3g users will be eligible for early upgrade to the next iphone due to us being apple 'preferred customers'?

Because that would be badass. The next iphone will probably remain the same price (199/299) because we've reached a very appropriate price level. If so I could buy the next one for $299 and sell my existing one for around $299 as well. I think that would be an appropriate price because he 1st gen iphones are selling for around the same as 3g because there is no data plan attached to it.

Then I would basically just upgrade to the new iphone for free!! (of course just adding on another year to my at&t contract)

Do you think this is possible or am I just dreaming?
Click to expand...

To answer the op's original question. You are dreaming. You bought a 3G Iphone subsidized and like every other subsidized phone they need to make their money back from the subsidy by you paying 2 years worth in service fees. In 18 months minimum you'll be upgrade eligible for a new phone as if you had bought a subsidized BB or any other subsidized phone.

To answer the gentlemen who said it'll be 2 years for another phone to come out...not a snowball's change in hell. It'll be next year because everyone is coming out with competing models. In order to stay on top apple will have to innovate and release new product otherwise competitors will take it over. If you think about it the 3G iphone isn't a big improvement over the 2G one hardware wise but they didn't wait another year to add more hardware features in.

Enjoy your 3G; you'll be together for 18 months.
 
arkitect said:
All the early-adopters starting iPhone contracts last year didn't stop Apple brining out a new version less than a year later…
Click to expand...

Reason being, the phone wasn't subsidized, therefore it's was easier to get the customers back, as they all qualified for upgrade pricing. That won't be the case next year. With all the talk of how to get upgrade pricing when not eligible, I doubt many people will want to pay full price for one.

The amount of "new" customers they will get will be minimal. They want numbers, and Apple biggest purchaser is the return buyer. They have a very loyal customer base. The only "new" hardware I see before 2010 is larger HD.
 
i-John said:
Reason being, the phone wasn't subsidized, therefore it's was easier to get the customers back, as they all qualified for upgrade pricing. That won't be the case next year. With all the talk of how to get upgrade pricing when not eligible, I doubt many people will want to pay full price for one.

The amount of "new" customers they will get will be minimal. They want numbers, and Apple biggest purchaser is the return buyer. They have a very loyal customer base. The only "new" hardware I see before 2010 is larger HD.
Click to expand...

Again not true at all. The target for AT&T is NEW customers. They know that customer retention will occur with the Iphone but they want they new ones. A new phone every year allows them to tap the new year's customers on other carriers whose contract is up. Again the next one may not have a ton of new features. It may just be 64GB, Video Camera, Better Camera, Better Battery but it'll be something new to keep pace with competitors. Clearly you don't understand the motivations behind new hardware or the motivations of ATT in signing over their lives to apple with the iPhone. It's NEW customers; always was.

If you bought one this year you are in it for 18 months. Next year the lines will be shorter from less iphone upgrades but there will still be people in line. There are plenty out there on other carriers to poach...
 
i-John said:
Reason being, the phone wasn't subsidized… etcetera.
Click to expand...


Even if the orignal iPhone had been subsidised the 3G iPhone would still have been released this year. Or do you really think Steve and Co would have sat down and said…
"Heh folks! Let's think about all those early adopters out there. We'll be "fair" on them and not release a bumped up iPhone until wait for it… July 2009."

i-John said:
The amount of "new" customers they will get will be minimal. They want numbers, and Apple biggest purchaser is the return buyer. They have a very loyal customer base. The only "new" hardware I see before 2010 is larger HD.
Click to expand...
And you know this, how?

ATT, O2 etc all thrive on poaching users from other networks… what better way than to entice with a new iPhone.

Apple need momentum with the iPhone — they need to improve the specs, build the hype — or do you think this going to be another Mac Mini? Allowed to stagnate.

Does Steve Jobs really care about you not having the latest and greatest iPhone? I think not. But he will be more than happy to arrange for you to buy a new one — unsubsidised of course. ;)

Anyway. Lets see what happens. My bets are on an upgraded iPhone early-mid next year.
 
arkitect said:
Even if the orignal iPhone had been subsidised the 3G iPhone would still have been released this year. Or do you really think Steve and Co would have sat down and said…
"Heh folks! Let's think about all those early adopters out there. We'll be "fair" on them and not release a bumped up iPhone until wait for it… July 2009."


And you know this, how?

ATT, O2 etc all thrive on poaching users from other networks… what better way than to entice with a new iPhone.

Apple need momentum with the iPhone — they need to improve the specs, build the hype — or do you think this going to be another Mac Mini? Allowed to stagnate.

Does Steve Jobs really care about you not having the latest and greatest iPhone? I think not. But he will be more than happy to arrange for you to buy a new one — unsubsidised of course. ;)

Anyway. Lets see what happens. My bets are on an upgraded iPhone early-mid next year.
Click to expand...

AT&T and O2 already are doing that and tying them into 2 year contracts. Most of the people I spoke to in line were not AT&T. They are already grabbing them. There are only so many who will buy smartphones. There are still plenty who just want the phone to make phone calls. I signed a new 2 year contract, and it says I'm eligible around March of 2010. I can see maybe December 2009, them coming out with new features. AT&T may let people out a little early in return for a fresh 2 year contract.

Releasing a new device every 2 years is not stagnation, it's allowing your product to sell, then releasing a new one.

I doubt they sold that many at full price. That was a breaking point for many, even for an Apple fanboy I work with.

I predict larger hard drives, with minimal hardware additions. They will have their hands full with fixing the bugs in the current OS to keep them busy for long enough, then a major redesign coming early 2010.

Phones are not like PCs, people just don't go buy a new one every year... well some people do, but that is not the target market for Apple.
 
When the next iPhone comes out...

Apple and AT&T will still have NOT have satisfied the current orders for Direct Fulfillment.

Sorry, I couldn't resist.
 
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