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Will Apple always leave the $99 iPhone with the previous model?

agkm800

agkm800

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 18, 2009
672
4
1. When they announce iPhone 4G - most likely in June - I believe it is highly likely to make the previous model the $99 iPhone again in order to promote the sales of the new $199 4G model. If this is true...


2. What would the iPhone 4G lineup be?

$99 - 8GB 3GS (black only)
$199 - 16GB 4G
$299 - 32GB 4G
$399 - 64GB 4G

Or, will Apple be generous enough to do the following? (The above lineup seems too stingy after all.)

$99 - 16GB 3GS (black only)
$199 - 32GB 4G
$299 - 64GB 4G
$399 - ?GB 4G


3. Will we see $99 8GB 3GS sooner than later?
 
I think your second lineup seems pretty likely.

$99 iPhone 3GS (16GB)
$199 iPhone 3Gx (32GB)
$299 iPhone 3Gx (64GB)

It's possible that we still won't get a 64GB iPhone though, since doesn't the iPod touch use 2x32GB flash chips? Unless the 64GB flash chips come down in price or get a lot thinner.

If there's no 64GB version then you may see something like a 16GB iPhone 4G for $199 and a 32GB 4G for $299, with no $99 version.
 
looking at the ipod touches and the rumored 8gb 3gs.. it could be out a little before the 4g is announced, maybe even on the 27th.
anyway, my guess: 3gs 8gb 99$, 4th gen 32gb 199$ and the 64gb for 299$
 
agkm800 said:
1. When they announce iPhone 4G - most likely in June - I believe it is highly likely to make the previous model the $99 iPhone again in order to promote the sales of the new $199 4G model. If this is true...


2. What would the iPhone 4G lineup be?

$99 - 8GB 3GS (black only)
$199 - 16GB 4G
$299 - 32GB 4G
$399 - 64GB 4G

Or, will Apple be generous enough to do the following? (The above lineup seems too stingy after all.)

$99 - 16GB 3GS (black only) 16 gb? More like 8. This is the $99 model.
$199 - 32GB 4G
$299 - 64GB 4G
$399 - ?GB 4G
Click to expand...


Bold is the next iPhone hardware lineup. All logic dictates it. Apple is anything but illogical. As for the premium model, there is absolutely no room for that in the product line. Tablet is about to debut, and will have premium model featuring the 128gb SSD.

No way Apple includes a 128 gb iPhone until summer 2011 earliest.
 
svndmvn said:
looking at the ipod touches and the rumored 8gb 3gs.. it could be out a little before the 4g is announced, maybe even on the 27th.
anyway, my guess: 3gs 8gb 99$, 4th gen 32gb 199$ and the 64gb for 299$
Click to expand...

This seems likely. However, I could see a slight increase, say to $350 for the 64GB version.
 
New Apple devices tend to stay priced the same or go down, never increase. If they already have a 99 iPhone,they need to keep that or introduce are even cheaper one.
 
While I would usually agree, Apple's policy with the iPhone is a little different, subsidies and other companies have to do with it..
The contract free version of the 3gs, if I'm not mistaking costs more that previous models..
In Italy the unlocked versions of the 3g used to cost 499 and 569€
the 8gb 3g kept the old price which is kind of crazy and the new ones cost 599 and 699€, even crazier
in the US I guess it will depend on plans, availability on other carriers and such..
 
I think they will. They can sell off previous stocks much faster when at 99 USD. I see so many people going for the 99 ones, I was about to personally. But that was until a friend of mine decreased the 16G 3Gs to 99 (euros), and well I had to get it at this price.
 
In no case do I believe they will ever produce an 8GB iPhone again. People are seriously deluding themselves about this.

The 16GB 3GS will be the base model starting this July.
 
ucfgrad93 said:
I think it is possible due to the cost of the 64GB single chip. It is just pure speculation on my part.
Click to expand...

Highly unlikely. While Apple is great at be secretive, they're also predictable. This website even has a buyer's guide that tells you when not to buy a product because it's going to be upgraded soon.

Most likely:

16GB 3GS $99
32GB 4G $199
64GB 4G $299

Also, if Apple does introduce a tablet...they need to keep the cost of the iPhone down. They can't let the iPhone approach the price of their tablet, that would just be ridiculous and create a competition between their own products.
 
beamer8912 said:
Highly unlikely. While Apple is great at be secretive, they're also predictable. This website even has a buyer's guide that tells you when not to buy a product because it's going to be upgraded soon.

Most likely:

16GB 3GS $99
32GB 4G $199
64GB 4G $299

Also, if Apple does introduce a tablet...they need to keep the cost of the iPhone down. They can't let the iPhone approach the price of their tablet, that would just be ridiculous and create a competition between their own products.
Click to expand...
It's pretty good possible that you will pay more for the iPhone (in total with the 2-year contract) than the tablet.
 
ThatsMeRight said:
It's pretty good possible that you will pay more for the iPhone (in total with the 2-year contract) than the tablet.
Click to expand...

Considering the cheapest iPhone plan is $80 a month, you will if you don't have data attached to your tablet.

I was talking more about the retail out-of-the-store price.

Would you buy a $700 iPhone when a more capable tablet is the same price. Don't answer that because everyone's answer would be different. My point was you would have two products competing for a similar crowd at the same price point.

If you want to talk about the price of the service over two years....then there is very little point in discussing whether a phone will be $300 or $350 when the total service will cost almost $2000.
 
beamer8912 said:
Highly unlikely. While Apple is great at be secretive, they're also predictable. This website even has a buyer's guide that tells you when not to buy a product because it's going to be upgraded soon.

Most likely:

16GB 3GS $99
32GB 4G $199
64GB 4G $299

Also, if Apple does introduce a tablet...they need to keep the cost of the iPhone down. They can't let the iPhone approach the price of their tablet, that would just be ridiculous and create a competition between their own products.
Click to expand...
That would be fantastic. I would love to get 32gb for the price that 16 was when the 3gs originally came out, pretty sure it's still like that.
 
Since the launch of the 3GS, it appears Apple has found the $99 as a way to burn off remaining models from the previous generation. Apple tends to shy away from having their prize products at low price to keep the idea that they are of value, which was the the case with the iPod until the iPhone came out and took it's place as the king in that department.
 
pmz said:
Explain why Apple would do this.
Click to expand...

Its just a possibility....if flash prices aren't coming down as quickly as they did in the past, then Apple might raise prices.

Also at a certain point, Apple(and other companies) might slow their storage upgrades, like they did with the HDD music players...over 120GB never got too popular.
 
Yeah, I honestly think the iPhone will top out at 256GB in a few years. Especially with everything going to the cloud. Heck, iTunes might go to the cloud now that they've bought Lala.
 
You've pretty much nailed it. Though we''ll probably see the launch of only 32GB and 64GB. The 16GB 3GS becomes the basic cheapest iPhone available. Oh, and please, no iPhone Nano.
 
starcrossed said:
Since the launch of the 3GS, it appears Apple has found the $99 as a way to burn off remaining models from the previous generation.
Click to expand...

'Burning off' was not quite the case as speculated at first. Apple still selling 8GB 3G iPhone tells us that they have never ceased the production of that model after all.
 
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