What's the Big deal about the Price?

[yg17]

You are delusional if you think the iPhone is going to change the cell phone market like you think it will. Expensive smart phones are a niche market, owned by only a small fraction of cellular users out there. Most people are more than happy with the phones they get for free with their contract, they're not going to run out and buy the iPhone.

It's like saying that since it's an engineering masterpiece, the Bugatti Veyron is going to change the automotive world. Maybe for those who can piss away a million bucks on a car it will, but I don't see anyone driving their Hondas, Toyotas and Hyundais to the nearest Bugatti dealer to trade up

 

[3nm]

I am sick and tired of the jealous crowds claim that the price of the iPhone is too much. Are they smoking crack! One device that does it ALL and finally a wireless provider who can’t place their slimy hands on my fully purchased device with all of its functionality! That alone has me in line with my wallet out.

i.) take a chill pill

ii.) what "functionality" are you talking about?

 

[iBlue]

We are speculating on what the pricing plans will be. We do know that the iPhone is $499 or $599. Is it just me noticing that 1 out of 5 people in the airports or malls has a Batman utility clip around there waste with roughly $700 worth of electronics? Give me a break. The real deal is that those who have reacted pessimistically to the device and the price fall into a couple of categories. 1. They are locked in to another SP and are not willing to pay the cancelation fee. 2. AT&T is not a good provider in their area. 3. They live in Europe. 4. They hate Apple. 5. They own a crackberry or a Q or a Treo and enjoy using Lotus Notes.

whoa whoa whoa, lets not go nuts, no one enjoys using lotus notes!

I am just not so gung-ho on apple stuff that I am willing to pay an arm and a leg for what I find to be a just above mediocre phone. I haven't seen one in person yet obviously but the features are not up to what I consider par, especially not for that price and commitment.

yg17 summed up a lot of what I've been thinking as well.

 

[rockstarjoe]

I think it's important to note that this is Apple's first iPhone, and that there will be many more. They are in this for the long haul. This means that the phones will inevitably drop in price, and have fancy new features. While this version of the iPhone may seem pricey to some, it may seem a lot more appealing when a $300 3G version comes along in a year or two.

Also, iBlue - your avatar is hypnotizing.

 

[cubist]

rockstarjoe is right, this is just the first model. Later models will probably be smaller and include 3rd party applications.

As a developer I'm still hoping we'll be able to use Cocoa to develop apps that run both on Macs and iPhones - syncing data between the two. After all, honesty would require you to admit that mobile apps on Palms and WinPhones are complete total crap.

Above all we need a champion to protect us, as high-tech consumers, from the greedy, arrogant wireless carriers. I changed to Cingular myself in protest over Verizon's locking-out of features on Moto Razr's.

Yes, the iPhone is starting out costly, but it's not that much amortized over two years, and you're investing in a better relationship between yourself and the carriers.

 

[aricher]

Yes, the iPhone is starting out costly, but it's not that much amortized over two years

Exactly - even the expensive model - $600/24 months = $25/month = $6.25/week = .89/day before data plan

If the people who are complaining about price can't handle $.89 a day they should either ask for a raise or get some tin cans & twine.

 

[yg17]

After all, honesty would require you to admit that mobile apps on Palms and WinPhones are complete total crap.

I'm not admitting that. I absolutely love my Windows Mobile phone. WM is one of the few things M$ has done right. And at least my phone can run 3rd party apps

 

[chicagdan]

It's not jealousy, it's more resentfulness for being ripped off. It is VERY overpriced. A phone at that price with expensive and lengthy contracts is absurd. It's neat looking and just ever so slightly innovative (but really, it's missing a lot of features its competitors have, such a 3G and batteries you can swap) we love our brand loyalty... ...but frankly I think the price is ridiculous. but it's so it's OK, right? please. Sometimes the think different crowd really needs to think different.

I agree, to use the word jealousy in this context is quite stupid. I've had ***** AT&T Wireless/Cingular/The New AT&T for something like 5 years now ... I don't know exactly how long because anytime something's done wrong with a phone I've been required to renew another 2 year contract. I feel like I'm married to this stupid company that charges me $140 a month for ... oh ... 120 minutes of service that I use each month.

So let's see ... since AT&T has a FIVE YEAR EXCLUSIVE contract with AT&T, I need to use the same $600 phone, likely to be outdated within a year, for the full term and pay, oh, $1680 a year, $8400 total + the $600 for $9000 overall, assuming none of it ever hits a credit card. Yeah, really great deal, I've got to be jealous of everyone who buys in.

 

[chicagdan]

Exactly - even the expensive model - $600/24 months = $25/month = $3.57/day before data plan

If the people who are complaining about price can't handle $3.57 a day they should either ask for a raise or get some tin cans & twine.

Oh, so you think the phone service is free, do you? I have the CHEAPEST AT&T family plan and pay $140 a month for it once all of the unexplanable taxes and fees are included. Then consider that the iPhone is a five year exclusive, so it isn't two years anymore if you want to keep using this phone beyond the contract, you have to re-up. And we haven't arrived at data prices yet.

I hate the whole damn wireless phone industry, bunch of bunco artists and thieves. Just charge me for the damn calls I make and stop pretending a bill is $60 a month when it's actually $140, that's all I ask. I have 10,000 worthless rollover minutes and they think they're doing me a huge ***** favor.

Also, learn some class ... don't tell people to "ask for a raise" or crap like that. A lot of creative people use Macs, we kept this damn company afloat while most of the rest of you were enamored of Windows 95, and we don't ask for raises because we don't work for anyone, we create stuff ... we have our own businesses ... we're writers and musicians and visual artists ... we have to watch our bottom line carefully. If you want to live in a world without creative people, fine, but don't chide us for not having thousands of dollars to burn every year on fluff.

 

[DeaconGraves]

Oh, so you think the phone service is free, do you? I have the CHEAPEST AT&T family plan and pay $140 a month for it once all of the unexplanable taxes and fees are included. Then consider that the iPhone is a five year exclusive, so it isn't two years anymore if you want to keep using this phone beyond the contract, you have to re-up. And we haven't arrived at data prices yet.

I hate the whole damn wireless phone industry, bunch of bunco artists and thieves. Just charge me for the damn calls I make and stop pretending a bill is $60 a month when it's actually $140, that's all I ask. I have 10,000 worthless rollover minutes and they think they're doing me a huge ***** favor.

Also, learn some class ... don't tell people to "ask for a raise" or crap like that. A lot of creative people use Macs, we kept this damn company afloat while most of the rest of you were enamored of Windows 95, and we don't ask for raises because we don't work for anyone, we create stuff ... we have our own businesses ... we're writers and musicians and visual artists ... we have to watch our bottom line carefully. If you want to live in a world without creative people, fine, but don't chide us for not having thousands of dollars to burn every year on fluff.

Whoa chilll out man.

First, he did mention that $3.75 was BEFORE the data plan. I don't think he's quite right in saying that its cheap looking at it that way, but its true that if you budget correctly you can afford it. If there was a payment plan that cost $3.75 a day (as opposed to it all up front) I'd sign up.

Second, you DON'T have to renew your contract every time it expires. That's only if you want a new phone. If you keep your phone and plan the same they don't care. I've known people who call up to cancel when their contract expires and they get quite good deals (phones, etc.) thrown at them. Buy the iPhone once and use it for as long as you need.

Third, How many phones do you have on that family plan for it to be $140? I'm not familiar with family plans but I never pay more than $60 a month with minutes to burn (unless someone is text-stalking me which costs me more). I wish I could go cheaper but that's as low as it goes.

I'm not a big fan of the wireless industry either but if you read the fine print a little closer you probably won't be getting screwed as badly. And who knows? Maybe getting Apple into the business will (eventually, no time soon) get rid of all the rip-offs.

 

[MacNut]

You have to ask yourself what would you rather spend money on, gas or iPhone charges. I think more people would choose the gas.

 

[Gonzlobo]

Everybody acts like it's a bad thing for EVERYBODY to sign up with a carrier for 2 years. I have no problem with it. For ME, ATT is best provider in my area, fastest download speeds, lowest number of dropped calls, so I don't have a problem committing for 2 years. It varies from person to person, but as far as I'm concerned, as long as I can have my iPhone, I have no objections.

I agree, I based my SP decision based on the fact that Cingular has a repeater in our building. I get 5 bars wherever I go, so it puzzles me why others have spotty service (and my current phone is a 3 year old Moto V180). I'll get a new one in June... I'm hoping it will be Apple's phone, but I'm not a Jobs fanboy, so there are a couple of attractive vendors out there.

 

[DeaconGraves]

You have to ask yourself what would you rather spend money on, gas or iPhone charges. I think more people would choose the gas.

I think the bigger question is why we have to spend so much on gas, when we'd rather be buying iPhones.

 

[aricher]

Oh, so you think the phone service is free, do you?

Wow Chicagodan, I just don't know where to start.

- First off, you should learn to edit a post before double posting.
- Second, I never said the service was free, if you recheck my post I stated "$3.57/day before data plan."
- Third, you're getting screwed by Cingular/AT&T. I have a family plan here in Chicago with 700 minutes for $74.13/month (including all fees) for two phones. Sure, it's no unlimited data plan but I can't imagine my costs for two iPhones being more than $100-$120/month. Any way I go I'm going to have to pay for service on a cell phone - at least it will be one I enjoy using.
- Fourth

Also, learn some class ... don't tell people to "ask for a raise" or crap like that. A lot of creative people use Macs, we kept this damn company afloat while most of the rest of you were enamored of Windows 95, and we don't ask for raises because we don't work for anyone, we create stuff ... we have our own businesses ... we're writers and musicians and visual artists ... we have to watch our bottom line carefully. If you want to live in a world without creative people, fine, but don't chide us for not having thousands of dollars to burn every year on fluff.

Your rant is not only totally off topic but is about as accusatory and classless as you can get. You don't know me pal. To follow up on your totally off topic attack here's my off topic story... I've been a Mac user since 1985 and have been a paid member of the creative field for nearly 20 years. I've worked as a photographer, freelanced for years, started a few companies, publications, etc. I know a thing or two about watching the bottom line. Fortunately for me all my hard work has paid off and I am now a Creative Director at a marketing services/promotions company where I:

- Started their entire creative department from scratch
- Helped build the company from 17 employees to 325 in 5 years.
- Helped land new business building the client base from 20 to over 400.
- Creative billings, among other factors have helped to raise (NET) revenues from $4 Mil/year to a projected 36.5 mil for 2007.

All my hard work has also helped to raise my company to #5 overall in PROMO Magazine's 2006 PROMO 100. They also ranked my design team ranked #10 (of 100) in creative campaign work.

So judge not lest... yada yada. Ease up palley.

Besides, Jobs & co have given everyone 6 months to save for the iPhone and plan. Knowing I'd want one I've set aside a little every month ($5.00/day) since the keynote in anticipation of purchasing the 8 GB.

 

[chicagdan]

Wow Chicagodan, I just don't know where to start.

- First off, you should learn to edit a post before double posting.
- Second, I never said the service was free, if you recheck my post I stated "$3.57/day before data plan."
- Third, you're getting screwed by Cingular/AT&T. I have a family plan here in Chicago with 700 minutes for $74.13/month (including all fees) for two phones. Sure, it's no unlimited data plan but I can't imagine my costs for two iPhones being more than $100-$120/month.
- Fourth

Your rant is not only totally off topic but is about as accusatory and classless as you can get. You don't know me pal. To follow up on your totally off topic attack here's my off topic story... I've been a Mac user since 1985 and have been a paid member of the creative field for nearly 20 years. I've worked as a photographer, freelanced for years, started a few companies, publications, etc. I know a thing or two about watching the bottom line. Fortunately for me all my hard work has paid off and I am now a Creative Director at a marketing services/promotions company where I:

- Started their entire creative department from scratch
- Helped build the company from 17 employees to 325 in 5 years.
- Helped land new business building the client base from 20 to over 400.
- Creative billings, among other factors have helped to raise (NET) revenues from $4 Mil/year to a projected 36.5 mil for 2007.

All my hard work has also helped to raise my company to #5 overall in PROMO Magazine's 2006 PROMO 100. They also ranked my design team ranked #10 (of 100) in creative campaign work.

So judge not lest... yada yada. Ease up palley.

Besides, Jobs & co have given everyone 6 months to save for the iPhone and plan. Knowing I'd want one I've set aside a little every month ($5.00/day) in anticipation of it.

You call me off topic, then you go into a two hundred word bragfest about your career ... what does that have to do with anything? So you're in a creative field ... fine (actually, from the description, it's tantamount to the Alec Baldwin character on 30 Rock calling himself a creative professional, but whatever, if you need to consider yourself an artist to make yourself hip, have at it) ... but that's totally irrelevant to the discussion. But whatever, enjoy your iPhone. I'm going back to tin cans and thread.

 

[yg17]

I'm going back to tin cans and thread.

Amazingly, if you do that, you'll find that you'll have better sound quality and coverage than what Cingular offers

 

[aricher]

You call me off topic, then you go into a two hundred word bragfest about your career ... what does that have to do with anything?

It has EVERYTHING to do with your your screed

the rest of you were enamored of Windows 95, and we don't ask for raises because we don't work for anyone, we create stuff ... we have our own businesses ... we're writers and musicians and visual artists ... we have to watch our bottom line carefully. If you want to live in a world without creative people, fine, but don't chide us for not having thousands of dollars to burn every year on fluff."

Don't assume you know someone by one line about asking for a raise. Believe me, I couldn't live in a world without creative people. My response was long-winded because I was incensed with your presumptuous and arrogant attack. It was not my intention to write a "bragfest," but to rather illustrate that I am not as you inferred someone who was "enamored of Windows 95" and somehow thusly not creative. The saddest part is that your screed came across with a holier than though "I'm an artist, man," tone that most PC users would assume a "typical Mac person" would write.

Take a chill pill Chicagodan and have fun with your tin cans & twine. Back on topic now, how about an answer to DeaconGraves' question:

Third, How many phones do you have on that family plan for it to be $140?

 

[chicagdan]

It has EVERYTHING to do with your your screed



Don't assume you know someone by one line about asking for a raise. Believe me, I couldn't live in a world without creative people. My response was long-winded because I was incensed with your presumptuous and arrogant attack. It was not my intention to write a "bragfest," but to rather illustrate that I am not as you inferred someone who was "enamored of Windows 95" and somehow thusly not creative. The saddest part is that your screed came across with a holier than though "I'm an artist, man," tone that most PC users would assume a "typical Mac person" would write.

Take a chill pill Chicagodan and have fun with your tin cans & twine. Back on topic now, how about an answer to DeaconGraves' question:

I think you're the one who needs to chill ... you just took my quote out of context by conveniently deleting the "most of the rest of" line out that preceded my sentence about Windows 95 users. It's a big difference ... I never accused YOU in particular of anything, you chose to read that in and take personal offense. I didn't know you and didn't presume to say anything about you. My only point was that it was creative people who kept Apple afloat, these people tend to have tighter budgets, so don't presume that every Apple user is in position to ask for a raise to buy a phone.

I have three people on my family talk plan and together we use up about 300 of our 550 monthly minutes. And Cingular says the plan should cost us $85 bucks a month, but when we add up taxes and fees it comes to $130.45 per month, give or take a couple dollars. We never go over in time.

Bottom line for me is that I DON'T think the iPhone is overpriced, but when you consider it a subscription-based product (and Apple clearly does since, according to reports, it will skim some of the monthly revenue) then it becomes a far more expensive product and everyone assuming that you'll be able to keep using it after a 2 year contract expires without signing a new one might be in a rude surprise when we hear all the details.

 

[Clarence]

for me it isn't that it is worth it, but the price tag makes an accidental drop all that more meaningful!!!

I am very careful with my $1,000 laptop as I know a drop could be lethal, but with an iPhone and the way it would be carried, how many times it would be fumbled out of a pocket, holder or bag to quickly answer the phone, leaves all too many ways it could be damaged or destroyed all too easily.

ON the flip side how many people do you know now that have had to replace their nice phone they broke and didn't realize the second one would NOT BE FREE OR $9.99 or even $49.99, but hundreds of dollars because it is not subsidized.

every stinking time I get a new cell phone...

I remember SPECIFICALLY getting out of my H2 at the auction and my Kyocera 7135 smart phone goes bouncing out of the truck, to add insult to injury I half kicked it trying to recover and watched it skid across the asphalt on its face...

however my crackberry is a rather well built little device which has endured more than one attempt at destruction by my clumsy hand... one night in particular found it richocheting off the ceiling of a hotel room in columbus...

 

[rhsgolfer33]

Of course the iPhone is alot of money. Its a $500 phone! Thats over 1% of an average Americans yearly salary, thats alot for one phone, in fact I'd bet alot of Americans would have to finance it because they wouldn't have $500 cash handy to dump on a phone.

That being said, even with all my incoming being expendable I would still not pay $499 or $599 for what I feel would be less of a deal than just buying a Blackberry 8800 or Palm Treo, a 2GB micro SD card and a $249 iPod. Total cost is about the same as the iPhone and I get a phone with, at least in my book, more features, and a larger capacity iPod. Sure, the phone doesn't say Apple on it, but no one here would automatically by an Apple just because it's an Apple.

 

[macaddicted]

however my crackberry is a rather well built little device which has endured more than one attempt at destruction by my clumsy hand... one night in particular found it richocheting off the ceiling of a hotel room in columbus...

Now theres a line that requires explanation.

The iPhone is expensive. And what? It's not like it is replacing something that is otherwise irreplacable. If it works out then the others will have versions of their own (hopefully with symbian and not Palm or Wince). If not I can store it next to my Newton (yes, I do have a newton).

It should be more generally available. Why? If nothing else Apple has become the company that creates Things that Just Work™. But not everyone is immediately affected by Jobs' RDS™, Verizon clearly wasn't. Cingular, sorry AT&T, bit, but extracted some concessions of their own.

You don't like Cingular. So don't use Cingular. Heck Verizon is already talking about its "iPhone killer" (ya' gotta laugh; not even sure if the thing has a pulse and there's already a killer). I can understand that it would frustrate those who don't care to, or can't, switch. But Apple is clearly aiming at a much bigger target then little old US(A).

There's a 99% chance I'll be getting one, if for no other reason than the cool factor. I'm not ashamed to admit it, I've never owned the Next Big Thing. And the fact that it can't possibly be worse than my Treo.

 

[aricher]

I think you're the one who needs to chill ... I never accused YOU in particular of anything, you chose to read that in and take personal offense.

Dually noted - sorry if I misinterpreted the tone of your post. Glad you're on board with the iPhone. From what I hear you can get a pretty nasty twine burn from the other option.

 

[garyklimeck]

Verizon is a phone manufacturer?

Verizon is already talking about its "iPhone killer" (ya' gotta laugh; not even sure if the thing has a pulse and there's already a killer). I can understand that it would frustrate those who don't care to, or can't, switch. But Apple is clearly aiming at a much bigger target then little old US(A).

I too read that Verizon claims to have an iPhone killer. Hmmm, shouln't such a staement be coming from Motorola or Palm or RIM or Nokia or LG or Samsung? What they meant to say was "1^8d$$3&!!!***8!!! why didn't we take the offer from Apple when we had the chance!"

 

[0098386]

The big deal is that $500/$600 is a lot of money for most people. It's either going to be worth it or it isn't.

More to the point, if the iPhone is only competing for the Palm Treo's market, it's going to be a huge failure.

It's exactly the same with the Playstation 3. It's got a lot of stuff inside it but it costs a huge deal more than what people want to part with. Regardless of specs the overwhelming majority of people wouldn't spend that much on a phone.

I just got an 80gb iPod so I'm not even going to consider an iPhone till they have something more substantial than 8gb. That would just about hold half of my music library, half of my film library or 1/10th of my TV library!

 

[tomoisyourgod]

You are delusional if you think the iPhone is going to change the cell phone market like you think it will. Expensive smart phones are a niche market, owned by only a small fraction of cellular users out there. Most people are more than happy with the phones they get for free with their contract, they're not going to run out and buy the iPhone.

It's like saying that since it's an engineering masterpiece, the Bugatti Veyron is going to change the automotive world. Maybe for those who can piss away a million bucks on a car it will, but I don't see anyone driving their Hondas, Toyotas and Hyundais to the nearest Bugatti dealer to trade up

Expensive smart phones are a niche market??

How come the Nokia N95 is the biggest selling phone in the UK at the moment?

I work for a company that sells accessories for them, and its our biggest selling items are N95 accessories.....