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iPhone 3GS UK Discussion thread

I e mailed o2 to express my concerns over the pricing of the iphone 3gs.

The reply I got was largely a copy and paste from their website telling me what the iphone 3gs was and how much it cost. :rolleyes::mad:

One thing that IS included mind you is a one liner that says this :

"If you prefer £34.26 tariff per month on 18 month contract the iphone 3gs is available for £96.89"

What do you think my chances are? :D
 
In this day and age, I am baffled as to how an iPhone can cost more than £600 to make. That's just madness! I just don't believe o2 pay so much for handsets, not in the sort of volume they get them. They are made in China for goodness sake!
 
drpellypo said:
In this day and age, I am baffled as to how an iPhone can cost more than £600 to make. That's just madness! I just don't believe pay so much for handsets, not in the sort of volume they get them. They are made in China for goodness sake!
Click to expand...

Of course they don't cost £600. The iPod Touch, which is nearly identical can be had for £283 with 32GB of RAM. Considering the 2G unsubsidised iPhone was only £70 more than the 8GB iPod Touch at the time, its reasonable to assume that if Apple had never allowed O2 to subsidise the iPhone then the 32GB 3G S iPhone would now be available for ~£359.
 
Just per-ordered with CPW and they have not put the charge on for the phone. It was the 16g black 3gs it should be £184.98 I have not had the money charged from my account and the 184.98 has not shown up on the bill from CPW is this normal?

:confused:
 
To expand upon a very good point I saw somewhere (can't find which thread), remember when the original iPhone came out and was equally extortionate purchase price (more, but equally bad as these are *subsidised* prices). Just a couple of months later, they slashed the price to a fraction of what it was, and early adopters were kicking themselves. Maybe it's a good idea to just wait.
 
Spanky Deluxe said:
Of course they don't cost £600. The iPod Touch, which is nearly identical can be had for £283 with 32GB of RAM. Considering the 2G unsubsidised iPhone was only £70 more than the 8GB iPod Touch at the time, its reasonable to assume that if Apple had never allowed O2 to subsidise the iPhone then the 32GB 3G S iPhone would now be available for ~£359.
Click to expand...

So does that make the 32GB Pay and Go reasonable at £538? Your estimated £359 + £120 worth of Web and Wifi Strap On = £479 + 20% of £359 to account for exchange rate differences (£71.80) = £550.80.
 
oj6665 said:
Just per-ordered with CPW and they have not put the charge on for the phone. It was the 16g black 3gs it should be £184.98 I have not had the money charged from my account and the 184.98 has not shown up on the bill from CPW is this normal?

:confused:
Click to expand...

I pre-ordered from CPW earlier and the phone cost has been deducted from my 'Available balance', however it hasn't shown up on my statement yet.

Give it time I guess...
 
Cloudane said:
To expand upon a very good point I saw somewhere (can't find which thread), remember when the original iPhone came out and was equally extortionate purchase price (more, but equally bad as these are *subsidised* prices). Just a couple of months later, they slashed the price to a fraction of what it was, and early adopters were kicking themselves. Maybe it's a good idea to just wait.
Click to expand...

It wasn't really extortionate. It was £259, £70 more than the 8GB iPod Touch. It was seen as extortionate because everyone expected phones to be free back then due to subsidisation. The extortionate thing was O2's line rental, it was £35/month back then as if the phone was subsidised even though it wasn't.

They only reduced the price of the 2G iPhone because they wanted to shift units. The 3G iPhone came out a month or two later.

sananda said:
So does that make the 32GB Pay and Go reasonable at £538? Your estimated £359 + £120 worth of Web and Wifi Strap On = £479 + 20% of £359 to account for exchange rate differences (£71.80) = £550.80.
Click to expand...

Why would there be an exchange rate difference? I'm comparing to the current UK price of the 32GB iPod Touch, not the US price. Yes, £479 would be a little more reasonable for the Pay&Go. By those rates, O2 are overcharging by £60 over the retail value (note, not wholesale value). There's already evidence that they've raised prices on the 16GB model by £30, by O2's own admission. That has nothing to do with currency fluctuations.
 
Actually come to think of it Spanky (I wasn't involved with them until the 16gb) I'm thinking of the USA. Prices were sensible as you said, by the time we got hold of them. But the early adopting Americans were stung quite heavily.

IIRC they got $100 Apple vouchers later as a goodwill gesture after all the complaints, but Apple said it was one time only and not to be repeated.
 
sananda said:
I guess not, actually. Since your point of comparison is the current post exhange rate change iPod Touch price.

£479 then.

But then again iPod Touch is to be updated soon .....
Click to expand...

True although that'd likely only make things worse. I.e. they'll either add iPhone features (camera etc) to the iPod Touch meaning it'd be worth more when compared to an iPhone or (more likely) they'll drop the prices and add a 64GB version. The cost of the iPod Touch hasn't gone up in the past as far as I recall (comparative models that is).

Cloudane said:
Actually come to think of it Spanky (I wasn't involved with them until the 16gb) I'm thinking of the USA. Prices were sensible as you said, by the time we got hold of them. But the early adopting Americans were stung quite heavily.

IIRC they got $100 Apple vouchers later as a goodwill gesture after all the complaints, but Apple said it was one time only and not to be repeated.
Click to expand...

Yeah, off the top of my head I think they dropped the price by $200 but then ended up giving early adopters a $100 voucher.
 
8am!

Good god it looks like I'm going to have to get up early next Friday. Apple's website now says available from 8am on the 19th. Does this mean all of their retail stores will be open then? Please don't let there be queues, there has to be one up-side to the ridiculous pricing?
 
* High pricing
* Recession
* Most people on 3G and unable to upgrade (without paying through the nose)
* Ability to pre-order

Yeah, I don't think there will be any queues. :p
 
Well I'm going to be one of, what I image will be a fair few people, who were planning on getting the iPhone from o2 as a new customer.

I've had the first gen iPhone on Orange unlocked for ages and I'm finally ready to ditch Orange and move to o2. The signal at my home is actually way better on o2.

I would have been willing to get the £45/m contract and the 32gb iPhone from them but after seeing how many of my friends / internet folk have been so completely rogered by o2 I've slightly switched my plan.

To avoid being stuck like so many of you seem to be in 12 months time, I'm gonna pick it up on PAYG directly from the Apple store. Have ordered a Simplicity SIM for £19.50/m (-£20 quidco) and will simply eBay the phone when the new one is released so I'm on my own upgrade cycle, rather than o2's. I've nothing against Apple really, it's an awesome phone and I kindof want it to remain exclusive, but I do think the attitude of o2 completely stinks.
 
basic info

hi, just the thread i need. (im in uk)
I have a nokia phone and contract with 3 which expires xmas time.
I plan to get iphone next, around xmas time.

I really dont understand a few things about the iphone.

- 02 is the only service provider?

- what would be the best way for me to make the switch to iphone?
- Go full on with 02 (and terminate my 3 relationship) with either payasyougo or a contract plan?
- or stick with 3.... get a new free handset off 3 xmas time....sell the handset to purchase iphone.....and use 3 sim card/contract inside iphone....?
- or would iphone only work properly with 02 service?

- and about data internet plans..... ive never used internet on mobile phones.... as its slow... and 3 charge alot of £ for data plan.....
- even wi-fi internet on my N95 is sloooow....

- Will i want to use the internet on iphone? is it fast like a normal computer? or just a gimmick?

- What does 3g mean? ...is that the technology which allows internet functionality in mobile phones?

Sorry for all the q's.
And thanks for any info.
 
phakebrill said:
You couldn't have had the iPhone 3G without a contract from launch day. The PAYG option wasn't available at launch. It come some time later. Regardless, the simplicity deal with 600mins talk, 1000 texts, and the unlimited data as a free bolt-on is a good deal. Bolt on always makes me laugh.
Click to expand...

Well the day after launch, i purchased the item from eBay who did not want their upgrade.
 
I pre-ordered my 32GB White iPhone at the CPW tonight, signed the contract, paid for the phone and got my SIM card but have to activate it next friday aswell as transfer my number from 3.

Anyone know what time it wil be available at CPW next Friday and whether they are guaranteed stock?
 
{Apple to blame for the pricing} is what I suspected, given that AT&T are in the same boat.

For all the awesomeness vibes that Apple give off, there is one element about them that sucks, and that's this whole "charge as much as we can get away with without a massive backlash damaging profits" idea.

Sometimes they find that line, like they did with the USA original iPhone release when they ended up giving out $100 vouchers to try and win back a few of the customers they had annoyed.

It's actually smart business on the surface... hardcore capitalism... but loyalty is probably in question if they keep pushing it like that, which could backfire.
 
Apple must be subsidising their new lower priced laptops with high iphone prices ;)

Going back to what someone earlier said, 1st iphone was £279 unsubsidised, yet o2 maintained high contract prices. Next phone cheaper, subsidised, o2 again though maintained contract prices. Latest phone, even higher price, and now o2 have increased the contracts by making it cheaper if you sign the 24 month contract.

Considering the 32gb touch costs £283, albeit older hardware, it will no doubt get it's upgrade in due time, 64GB anyone? With the faster chip extra and probably maintain the same price band. One has to wonder, how much does a 3G GSM chip and camera cost these days?
 
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