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New iPhone pricing policy a bit... unappealing?

Anonymous
Not applicable
Is it me or is the new iPhone pricing policy looking a bit... well.. non-appealing (that's the politest phrase I could think of).

First off, there is the cost. At WWDC the following was announced that in the US;

3G 8GB goes from $199 to $99.
3GS 16GB to be $199 (same as old price for 3G 8GB)
3GS 32GB to be $299 (same as old price for 3G 16GB).
From O2 in the UK we get price rises rather than cuts. For example on PAYG;

3G 8GB stays the same price.
3GS 16GB costs about £50 ($80) more than the old 3G 16GB
3GS 32GB costs about £150 ($240) more than the old 3G 16GB

and on Pay Monthly tariffs where you need to pay for the ‘phone you’re looking at paying an up front cost of around £55 ( $88 ) more for a 3GS 16GB than the 3G 16GB, and £145 ( $235 ) more for a 3GS 32GB than the 3G 16GB was!!!

This price increase is also reflected in the £45 per month tariff where the old 3G 16GB was free, now you have to pay £87.11 ($140) for the phone.

Now looking at Tethering, On pay Monthly tariffs “unlimited UK data and Wifi
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Anonymous
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I respect that I have an 18 moth contract that I entered into willingly. What concerns me is that with the prospect of an new iPhone this time next year I don't want to enter into a new 18 moth contract with o2 in January 2010 that will leave me no better than I am now. I suppose I could go PAYG on the 3G or just get a basic phone rather than indulge o2.
Message 51 of 57
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Anonymous
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I'm on a 2G and was actually looking forward to upgrading to a 3GS. I can't, not without buying out of my contract and signing a new one at the same conditions as a new customer. And once I have finished my contract, again, I'll be no better off than an new customer. Spiffing deal, really.

I'll keep the 2G and once the contract expires, I'll flog it and move on to another provider. There's better deals to be had than that.

I'll only get another iPhone once it's no longer exclusive to O2. According to a German news site, T-Mobile's exclusive deal for the German market is about to end - there may be hope for the UK too.

I wouldn't be surprised if O2 offered reasonable upgrades in the not too distant future once the iPhone sales stall...by that time many will already have voted with their feet.
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Anonymous
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What is needed is competition in the iPhone market. If France can rule against a 1 carrier exclusive deal why can't the UK government do the same?
Message 53 of 57
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Anonymous
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I agree that the exclusive deal is really bad for us consumers when it is running for so long. I would have no issue with an exclusive deal with a carrier for a particular handset which lasted, say, half a year.

It costs a great deal of money initially to develop and make a smartphone, and I have no issue with these exclusive deals pushing up the price for a short period, if it enables the manufacturer to recoup their R&D costs more quickly and have more to invest in developing the next model.

In the long term I think it is better to give more operators access to the phone as it does help overall market share. Thing is, what is 'long term' for a product which gets renewed every year?
Message 54 of 57
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Anonymous
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I for one will be looking closely at any iPhone deal with other networks in the UK. T-Mobile and Orange are reportedly in discussions with Apple, but as yet there has been nothing confirmed.

After O2's pricing structure on the iPhone 3GS for existing iPhone 3G owners, I will hold no loyalty to this operator if the other operators offer better deals.
Message 55 of 57
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Anonymous
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what makes you think having other carriers will make it cheaper, Apple set the prices and will not let the product be cheapened!

I.e the touch, it availible in numerous places but the price stays the same because apple dictate the price
Message 56 of 57
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Anonymous
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It is always best to whate. the prices always go down.
Message 57 of 57
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