Yesterday, Apple announced a new version of the iPhone that runs on the 3G network, has a lot of cool bells and whistles, and above all else, is a hell of a lot cheaper than the current model.
Crap, now I want more than ever.
The 3G network, for those who don’t know, is a much faster network than the one the first iPhone used, and it makes for a significant upgrade. But wait, there’s more - the new version also features built-in GPS, vastly improved battery life, and will host a slew of new applications, including games, blogging software, and apps that will give you local news and baseball scores in almost real time. And its even just a little bit thinner than the first model!
But the best news is the price: an 8GB version will cost $199, and a 16GB model will run $299. Considering that the first iPhone cost, at launch, $599 for a 8GB model, and that a 16GB iPod touch currently sells for $399 (that’s sure to come down, though), that’s not a bad deal. You still have to sign up for a contract with AT&T that starts at $79.99 a month (including voice and unlimited Internet service), which is more than I’m currently paying for both my and the missus’ accounts with Verizon.
So final verdict is that it’s still a lot of loot. Even though the price of the headset has come down significantly, the monthly rates ain’t cheap. Still, it would be nice to be able to store a ton of music and movies and surf the web all on one device that also happens to be a cell phone to boot. Sure, I can play a few gigabytes worth of tunes on my cell phone now, but it just ain’t the same…
What do you think? Is the new iPhone worth it, or should I stick with what I got? Is Apple evil for constantly putting out sexy new products that the geek in me goes ga-ga for? And if I buy one, how much will I kick myself when the 3.0 version comes out next year for even less dough? And what are the odds that Apple will send me a free unit for that all-important alannoah.com review? Thankfully, it doesn’t go on sale until July 11th, so at the very least I have some time to debate it/save up some cash.
1 user commented in " The 3G iPhone: CheapER, Not Cheap "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackI would in general expect the price of the touch to come down but I don’t think the drop in iPhone price is a factor. First, much of the price of the iPhone comes from the monthly subsidy (24% of the $30/mo data plan for $172 over the two year contract and even more if you don’t buy a new device then). Second, despite looking and acting the same, the iPhone and iTouch are very different on the inside. Cost savings available to one product may not be available to the other.
Most likely this is just Apple creating another great product and then price gouging. The iPhone always had a high margin and they’ve already locked in the high prices for those who must have the iPhone. Now they’re trying to get the next batch of customers who aren’t willing to pay such a high premium. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Apple released another $600 model around the time that the contracts start expiring for the first customers.
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