$599 4GB $699 8GB iPhone = Total BS!

[The Viking]

I think it's important to note the risky proposition of those whose contract is less than 30 days old: you're required to return your phone to switch to iPhone.

I'm not sure how that would affect the original purchase price and rebates, but I would imagine it's made difficult enough to discourage you from exchanging your phone.

 

[Digital Skunk]

How do you know this? Everyone I talked to is making assumptions based on other products. Everyone at AT&T is completely in the dark except for the unit price and launch.

I'm 18 months into my contact and curious if my only options are to pay to break my contract or wait two months. Certainly that's the SOP, but this is an unsubsidized phone and I'm sure they would love to get a data plan out of me, plus Apple wants to sell out of units and get kickbacks on services. Logically it would seem some kind of contract amnesty or at least extension. Then again, it's ATT...

Since nothing about plans is really a fact... I just listened carefully to the keynote after Jobs upset me that the phone was going to be locked in and not unlocked. He said that the phone can ONLY be sold with a two year subscription to a new data and voice plan. Then in the beginning of the rumor phase about a week or so after the announcement reviewers of the phone at MacWorld that got to hold it and talk to the guy who was incharge of the entire project asked about the required two year contract and they always replied... it can ONLY be sold with a two year contract.

Only means only... as in it won't be without any contract. Since you have to buy the contract with it to obtain the phone (i.e. no pulling out a SIM card or transferring service) you will most likely (because it is still just a rumor and it could have changed over the past 6 months) have to cancel your existing one and pay the fee, or sign up for two contracts and wait for the other one to expire.

I have this vision that a long line of campers, especially the smelly white guy at the front of the line still living with his mom, are going to walk out of the Cingular/Apple store with a smile and no iPhone because they are happy they didn't blow $1000 or they will be walking out with a frown mumbling curse words because they walked out with an iPhone and a bunch of accessories for $1200 and two service contracts to pay per month.

 

[CDugan]

Only means only... as in it won't be without any contract. Since you have to buy the contract with it to obtain the phone (i.e. no pulling out a SIM card or transferring service) you will most likely (because it is still just a rumor and it could have changed over the past 6 months) have to cancel your existing one and pay the fee, or sign up for two contracts and wait for the other one to expire.
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I think you're reading too much into the statement. With a two year contract does not necessarily mean "with a brand new completely independent two year contract". Every carrier out there offers contract extensions, and I'm not sure why Cingular wouldn't offer that option to existing customer's in this case as well?