New iPhone pricing policy a bit... unappealing?

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

I honestly don't think this Iphone has been made for people who already have an Iphone, I'm quite a technical person and like having a good spec phone but to be honest, for the difference I wouldn't even bother. I really think this is targeted at new users (which from the calls were getting, seems to be working) and the OS was just to keep the existing Iphone customers happy until the next one which will then be a much better handset.

You gotta be kidding. The main points are;

- The CPU has been upgraded to more modern advanced design offering more processing power and better power consumption by needing to be "awake" for shorter periods of time to achieve the same result.

- The GPU has been upgraded from a OpenGL ES 1.0 to 2.0 which gives significant improvements in terms of speed of drawing performance.

- The memory has doubled.

These changes are easily enough to bring up the possibility for "dual-mode" apps which use the advantages of the 3G S whilst having a degraded mode for the 3G and 2G models.

So yes, maybe you could hold out for the iPhone 2010, but by the time you take delivery of it I'm pretty confident there'll be apps which only deliver their best on a 3G S.

[Anonymous]

But with all the extra CPU power and super GPU are we gonna be able to view flash websites on it ??

That would be the only reason I bothered to line O2s pockets with £500 of my hard earnt cash.

[Anonymous]

when did o2 start holding you to ransom, if you want the new iphone cough up or shut up, same with any product you buy, how many of us have bought a Hp/dell laptop for only 6 months down the line theres faster versions, we dont go crying to them asking for compensation if we want the new spec we buy them same diff as far a i can see!!!!!!!!! When you buy a contract you are bound by its terms to pay until the end, end of story, go pick up you toys now.

Oh and we are in the UK not USA, just because levis cost $15 dollars there dont mean we get them for that price here!!!!!

[Anonymous]

when did o2 start holding you to ransom, if you want the new iphone cough up or shut up, same with any product you buy, how many of us have bought a Hp/dell laptop for only 6 months down the line theres faster versions, we dont go crying to them asking for compensation if we want the new spec we buy them same diff as far a i can see!!!!!!!!! When you buy a contract you are bound by its terms to pay until the end, end of story, go pick up you toys now.

well said that man.

[Anonymous]

But with all the extra CPU power and super GPU are we gonna be able to view flash websites on it ??
That would be the only reason I bothered to line O2s pockets with £500 of my hard earnt cash.

No, as Adobe haven't written embedded Flash (or standalone, for that matter) for the iPhone.

[Anonymous]

But with all the extra CPU power and super GPU are we gonna be able to view flash websites on it ??
That would be the only reason I bothered to line O2s pockets with £500 of my hard earnt cash.

No, as Adobe haven't written embedded Flash (or standalone, for that matter) for the iPhone.

[Anonymous]

When the 3GS was announced, I really, really wanted one but as I upgraded to a 3G last July I would have to pay an extra £315 which I can't really afford. Having read all the speculation about another iPhone with much better hardware in 2010, I've decided to wait so that I can upgrade to that one. I guess O2 has saved me a lot of money by not letting existing 3G owners upgrade without penalties.

As for charging us for tethering, that just has me seething as my contract does say "unlimited data", yes, there is the bit in the small print about "fair usage" but surely they should allow us a certain amount of tethering before we have to buy a data bolt-on. Somehow, I think O2 saw a chance to make big money from iPhone users and our protests are being drowned out by the ker-ching!! :robotmad:

Roll on WWDC 2010!

[Anonymous]

question on tethering, you get unlimted data on the iphone, so whats the problem with buying the bolt on for the laptop?? if you want to use the iphone as a modem rather than regular data then there is a extra charge that i believe is optional not forced upon!!!! what would the alternative be, mobile broadband @ 15 per month. so why should iphone customers get it free when no modem capable customers need to pay for the mobile broadband product

[Anonymous]

I personally thing O2 have lost the plot somewhat. My spend is around the £100 per month on the iphone. I upgraded previously on the day of the launch, and want ot upgrade again, which I could do if I was aplatinum member. Queried why I wasnt a Platinum Member, and the reply was: "You are a Gold Level, to be a Platinum member, you have to spend over £80 per month. We can confirm that you do spend over £80 per month". Hmmm.So....

Truns out that they only review the spend "periodically" - was told it could be at any time, but was not regularly done or even on an annual basis. Surely, the idea of a rewards programme is to incentivise spend - but when the "reward" is over a year away, what is the point?

Anyway, spoke to CPW and showed them my bills to date (£2,200 since I first had the first iphone), they are going to get me the 3GS, and have assured me that it will cost me nout, zip, nada. Not exactly going to hold my breath, but if they do, then they can have my business!!

Feel let down by o2 and am moving the 4 other phones I have with o2 to T mobile.

Rant over. And relax.

[Anonymous]

Looks like the 3G S sales aren't exactly blistering : http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/19/iphone-3g-s-fizzles-out-for-global-retail/