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How much does the iPhone REALLY cost???

E

eidrunner247

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 4, 2006
310
5
I will admit that the iPhone does look very cool; it can do a ton of stuff, but how much does it really cost? Sure, the price of the unit is $499 + tax + 2 year contract. If you truly want to utilize the phone how much will that come to a month?

$45 for basic cell phone service, $5 text messaging, $40 internet + more tax + whatever else you add on.

The phone itself looks cool, but if you end up forking out 100 bucks a month on a plan that you only use to talk and surf on the internet for a few minutes, then it doesn't seem like it's worth it (of course, this is coming from a students perspective) Then again, if you are making 50K a year (more or less), then it wouldn't be such a hardship.

Personally, I don't need to check my email while i am driving, and I can't read news while I'm driving either. I can generally wait a few hours (even 8 hours! :p) before I check it. News? There will always be news. Yes, it is a great invention, but it seems geared toward the more affluent (or ignorant).

Any thoughts?
 
At the moment it costs a few million dollars as Apple has not yet sold any and recouped the R&D costs.
 
Yours was my first post read since I got home from work and read about the iPhone. It's an amazing piece. I can see businesses jumping in on something like the iPhone for their sales force, executives, IT personnel, etc. The price does seem steep, but it's so far advanced from anything we've seen before.

I want one! I doubt I'll get one anytime soon. I think you'll be surprised at how many people will get one right away.
 
eidrunner247 said:
$45 for basic cell phone service, $5 text messaging, $40 internet + more tax + whatever else you add on.
Click to expand...
'nother reason why the Cingular lock-in sucks. Those companies really rip you off.

I suspect that when it's released there will be an "iPhone" plan to go along with the device, but I don't know if it will be any more of a deal than existing plans. Probably too expensive either way.
 
eidrunner247 said:
The phone itself looks cool, but if you end up forking out 100 bucks a month on a plan that you only use to talk and surf on the internet for a few minutes, then it doesn't seem like it's worth it (of course, this is coming from a students perspective) Then again, if you are making 50K a year (more or less), then it wouldn't be such a hardship.
Click to expand...

Ehh, even making 50k a year you'd have to really love cell phone to drop $100/per month. After taxes and insurance, that $1200 a year is about half of one pay check. The phone is another $25.

Although the phone is way out of my price range for the time being, I can definitely see this thing catching on...the next Blackberry. I just wonder how many executives will get it if it doesn't sync well with Windows.
 
I wouldn't consider the internet for $40/month a necessity. With built-in WiFi You could do all of your email/browsing when you are at hot-spots. With WiFi at home and work there are very few other places I need internet access and most malls and hotels have WiFi now as well. As some cities work to get WiFi coverage everywhere as well it would make the Cellular internet access redundant.

I have to admit I want an iPhone but with our second child on the way it won't happen for at least another 2 years, by that time I'm hoping they add a HD to store your entire music/video library.
 
eidrunner247 said:
...but if you end up forking out 100 bucks a month on a plan that you only use to talk and surf on the internet for a few minutes...
Click to expand...
I got the $60 plan. Like the other plans, it includes unlimited data. I find I use the iPhone more for surfing than for talking (I'm not much of a talker.) Sure, I could surf on one of my broadband-enabled notebook computers, but the iPhone is just so cool!

Now the biggest expense related to having the iPhone for me is the cost of my Verizon contract. AT&T works fine around here in urban areas, but when I'm out in the country (frequently), the AT&T service (and all GSM service) is useless. Only CDMA works out there. I could easily have the Verizon account without the AT&T account, but there's no way I could have the AT&T without the Verizon.

Also, I need a "smartphone" for keeping notes and my to-do list, which I synchronize with my computer. I can also create and edit documents on it, and store various files. I can keep track of my stock portfolio (not just current share price), work with my project schedules, and see a summary of my appointments, to-dos, phone calls, and so forth all on one summary page. I can link contacts to appointments and other data. I can search all data on the device for keywords when I need to find something. My Verizon phone (Palm Treo 700p) allows me to do all this.

So you can see that the cost of owning the iPhone really can be a lot higher than it seems at first. But it's sooooo cool!!! :)
 
eidrunner247 said:
I will admit that the iPhone does look very cool; it can do a ton of stuff, but how much does it really cost? Sure, the price of the unit is $499 + tax + 2 year contract. If you truly want to utilize the phone how much will that come to a month?

$45 for basic cell phone service, $5 text messaging, $40 internet + more tax + whatever else you add on.

The phone itself looks cool, but if you end up forking out 100 bucks a month on a plan that you only use to talk and surf on the internet for a few minutes, then it doesn't seem like it's worth it (of course, this is coming from a students perspective) Then again, if you are making 50K a year (more or less), then it wouldn't be such a hardship.

Personally, I don't need to check my email while i am driving, and I can't read news while I'm driving either. I can generally wait a few hours (even 8 hours! :p) before I check it. News? There will always be news. Yes, it is a great invention, but it seems geared toward the more affluent (or ignorant).

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

The iPhone data plan is only $20 a month.
The iPhone is a "luxury" item that is not meant for everyone. If you can't afford it and don't need the tools it offers then it isn't for you.
 
Wow, not enough already going on in the forum, that we had to dig up a speculative thread from January?
 
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