Unfortunately it doesn’t interest me, and it shouldn’t interest you either.
Rumor has it Apple is prepping a lower cost iPhone
No, the cost of the iPhone is not the issue. It’s the cost of the plan that prevents me, and probably many of you, from owning an iPhone. With a minimum monthly fee of $70, probably hovering around $80 after taxes and other B.S. fees from AT&T, the iPhone is placed just out of reach of millions of potential buyers.
The cost of the iPhone really wouldn’t even come into the discussion. After all, we both already own iPods, which cost more than the iPhone. My wife and I pay less for two phones, unlimited texting and more minutes than we can shake a stick at than the cost of just one iPhone plan from AT&T – and the cell service is pretty darn good (T-Mobile). While we don’t have the uber-cool interface, and nowhere near the features of the iPhone, it is at the end of the day a serviceable phone and affordable monthly plan.
Apple has seen steady growth in the smartphone market in general, and a virtual lock on the hip phone market. While the Blackberry still holds the crown for most popular smartphone, its appeal is limited to mostly the corporate crowd. The iPhone on the other hand has appeal to virtually everyone from teenagers to retirees. That’s a lot of potential customers!
So I’m left to wonder what Apple has to gain by selling a lower-cost iPhone. I suspect I’m not alone in thinking the iPhone cost is of no concern. I also suspect that Apple knows they’re missing out on a ton of sales simply because AT&T offers horrible service at an obscene price. Yet they are apparently sticking with AT&T for the long-haul as the exclusive iPhone carrier. Ugh!
It just doesn’t make sense… or cents.
Opening up the iPhone to a second carrier would ultimately force both of them to lower their costs, thus removing the real barrier to mass iPhone adoption – possibly even offering them stronger corporate sales. It would also remove any need for Apple to release a lower-cost iPhone, or discount existing models. After all, most Apple fans are used to paying a bit more for quality hardware, but but we don’t generally opt for paying more for sub-par services. Apple need only to look at the sales numbers for MobileMe to see that.
Since I know Apple doesn’t make it a habit of listening to its customers, I’ll just have to hope they release an iPod Touch with a 3G mobile Internet plan like the iPad.
You’ve hit the nail on the head with this one. It’s not the iPhone price but the data plan that keeps me from buying it. My blackberry costs me less and has it’s own network for messaging, costing nothing in the process. Apple has a great business model when it comes to cashing in on data transfers and apps. Nothing wrong with that but I’ve decided to vote with my wallet and not give anymore money to Apple.
Here in The Netherlands it’s not the monthly plan which is a problem (you can get a Iphone with a 2 year contract and pay only €29,95 per month which is reasonable I think). I find the problem here that they, like in the US, only use one carrier (T-Mobile) and since I got a business phone and the comany is forced to use Vodafone we will never make the switch to T-Mobile, and being able to get a business Iphone.
No, you’re not alone thinking the phone cost is not really the issue. Especially because if you shop wisely, you can eliminate that problem. I paid $50 for my 16gb 3GS as a refurb with no activation fee when I finally took the plunge in December.
I suspect you won’t see a Touch with a mobile plan like the iPad because they know it would cannibalize their iPhone sales.
I had a Touch that I used for 18 months before I took the iPhone plunge. I use the iPhone 1000% more for the non-phone/music player stuff than I ever used the Touch. Constant internet connection makes all the difference.
I justified it by telling myself I needed to work 1 hour a month more to cover the difference in cost. And corporate discounts at least cover all of the crazy fees and a little more (15% from my company).