DISQUS

jcieplinski · 1 year ago

Great points. You also have to keep reminding people, as no one else seems to be doing, that 3G service costs more than 2G service. Period. Why people expected the iPhone 3G data plan to be the same cost as the EDGE plan, I'll never know. It's a classic example of the impossible, impractical, standard that everyone holds Apple to, but no one else to. No one complains that 3G Blackberries cost more to operate than 2G Blackberries, for example.

Personally, I would have been happier if Apple had not subsidized the 3G, just because the in-store activation is draconian compared to the original iPhone's innovative iTunes activation process. But up-front costs were a major factor in people's reluctance to buy the iPhone, so Apple had to make a compromise. Now the same idiots who complained that the iPhone was too expensive (even though it was cheaper over the course of the contract than a Motorola Q) are complaining that the long-term costs have increased. You can't have it both ways, people.

webomatica · 1 year ago

Yeah... 3G better than Edge, so you pay for it... what's the surprise?

The subsidy is a smart move as it puts the iPhone in the realm of the
"impulse buy" and many people won't even notice the higher fees since
they're spread out over time.

Anyhow - the complaining bugs me - I think I saw another post somewhere,
suggesting Apple owed early adopters money for this new iPhone. Wha?

Just lends more evidence to the impression there's a whole generation of
"digital cheapskates" who are increasingly reluctant to pay for real
products / services.

MG Siegler · 1 year ago

1500% agree. Is that enough?

webomatica · 1 year ago

Heh sounds good to me....!

DaFerret · 1 year ago

One of the big pros for me when I bought the 1.0 iPhone was that the plan was cheaper than what I was currently paying AT&T. I had an HTC 8525 and was paying $80 a month. With the iPhone, I began paying $60. I bumped that up recently to $70 for unlimited text messages to take advantage of many web services. With the launch of the 3G iPhone, I expect to go back to the $80 a month ('cause I still want unlimited messaging).

Moral of the story? The iPhone plan becomes just a standard data/voice plan instead of the steal it was back in the days of 1.0. I feel pretty certain that when Android equipped phones come out, people will still need to sign up for a 2 year contract and have to pay a cellular carrier $60 - $80 a month. And that's different from the iPhone, how?

For the record, I'm no longer leaning towards buying a 3G iPhone. I'm interested but might very well be content with my first gen or might even be tempted to get a HTC Touch Diamond.

webomatica · 1 year ago

Yeah I do agree with you that the pendulum has swung back to the AT&T
side - the deal now looks more similar to the familiar cell contracts
we may have hoped Apple could have done away with (subsidized phone,
higher prices for the plan to make up the difference).

DaFerret · 1 year ago

Perhaps Steve Jobs should create a MacBell carrier? >_>

corporatenarc.com · 1 year ago

3G lol....what next!

Ps3 · 1 year ago

The i phone is not a scam. for gods sake please guys.
more than a million people can, explain to you people that the i phone is not a fake .

ladymisskier · 2 months ago

I loved my iphone 3gs - unfortunatly it was submerged in water the day after purchase - so i went back to buy another one and apple said it now costs 600 $ to replace because it was a one time deal ! they blamed att and att blamed apple.