iPhone 3G: everything you ever wanted to know (but were afraid to ask)

[desiibond]

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/12/iphone-3g-everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-but-were-afraid-t/

If you're anything like us, just about everyone in your family has called you up this week to ask if you think they should get the iPhone 3G; it really doesn't help matters that there's just an absurd amount of (mis)information floating around about it right now, too. So this one's for you and your fam -- we're dishing out the straight dope on iPhone 3G, a to z, so feel free to pass it on.

So, what's with the new iPhone 3G?

Well, it's pretty much the same iPhone as before -- except now it's down to $200, and has way faster 3G data, A-GPS (which is even better than regular GPS), as well as a flush headphone jack (which is great for anyone who doesn't want to use Apple's bundled headphones). Oh, and it's also a little thinner around the edges, and a little thicker at the center. If you want to know what it was like to try out, check out our iPhone 3G hands-on.

How'd they get the price so low? The iPhone used to be crazy expensive.

Actually, depending on how you do the math it's not actually cheaper. Now, in some countries the iPhone is free when you sign up for service, and in the US you'll pay $200 for the 8GB model -- half what it was a month ago -- so you're definitely paying less up front. But the data plans cost more now, so you might wind up spending more money over the long run.

Um, ok.

Look, gadgets only get cheaper as time goes on, and Apple's sold enough iPhones to continue to lower their cost to manufacture each unit. But more importantly, Apple's re-arranged its business deals to get carrier subsidies. Basically, what that means for Apple is they've decided to stop asking their carrier-partners for a cut of your monthly service fees. In exchange, the carriers have agreed to pay a significant chunk of the cost of your new iPhone 3G in order to get you to sign up.

So everybody supposedly wins: Apple sells more devices and still makes good money, AT&T gets more subscribers, and you get a cheaper iPhone. But there is a financial toll to this: AT&T estimates that helping you pay for your new iPhone will actually cost them $600 million through 2010. But clearly the numbers indicate that the short term cost will be worth it for them the long run.

Does that mean Apple doesn't make as much money per phone?

For all we know Apple might actually be making more money per phone now. With the original iPhone 3G, you paid "full price" for an iPhone -- $600 at its high point. Now you'll be paying no more than $200 (and as little as nothing in some countries) for the 8GB model, so we don't really know exactly how much of Apple's price the carriers are knocking off. We think it's fair to assume it'd still be in the $400-450 retail range, though, if it wasn't subsidied. Which it is.

What's up with the data and SMS pricing?

Well, Apple will be in 70 countries (and counting) this year, so you'll get different plans from region to region. But in the US, users will have to sign up for a minute plan that includes an extra $30 rate for 3G data access (and has no bundled text messages). This is $10 more than the original iPhone's rate plan, which was $20 for data and 200 included SMSs. Matching voice plans start at $40 per month, so you'll basically be able to get started at $70 per month. (We've also got a bit more on AT&T's new plans here.)

I heard you can't activate the iPhone at home anymore, is that true?

This is still a little fuzzy. Here's the deal: with the first iPhone, Apple used to let you buy it in the store and take it home to activate. This process is unlike almost every other phone on the market, but since it's Apple, and because you were paying full price for the device, if you never activated it with AT&T or just unlocked it and sent it to your friend in China or whatever, it wasn't a big deal. Apple made their money on the device, and AT&T didn't lose anything.

But since now AT&T is basically picking up a huge portion of the cost of your iPhone 3G, they want to make damn sure you aren't going to unlock it or send it to a friend. From what we've heard, you'll likely have to start the activation process in-store (so Apple and AT&T knows exactly who's buying the device), and then you might be able to finish it off at home. It's definitely not ideal, but it's the only way they can prevent people from basically walking away with a few hundred dollars of AT&T's money. And at the end of the day, it probably won't be WORSE than buying any other kind of phone though -- anyone who's bought a phone from a US carrier in the last 10 years will be well acquainted with the process.

I heard you have to turn over your iPhone when you upgrade, is that true?

Naw, you bought it, it's yours to hang on to. But if you bought one within Apple's grace period, they'll let you upgrade it free. (More on that below.) But if you bought an original iPhone early on -- which means half of your two year contract is about up -- know that when you buy an iPhone 3G you'll be re-upping that two year contract from date of purchase. So if you buy an iPhone 3G on day one, your new contract will expire on July 11th, 2010.

So if I bought an original iPhone, I can trade it in for an iPhone 3G?

Yes, but only if you bought it AFTER May 27th, 2008. Anyone who bought theirs before that has to live with their purchase -- not that anyone can stop you from showing up to your local Apple store and raising a ruckus.

Can I continue using my original iPhone? Will they still update it?

Yes, and yes! Although the first gen iPhone is officially no longer being made, not even Apple would be so bold as to deactivate the 6m iPhones already out there. They intend to release their big 2.0 software release for iPhones and iPods touch on or around July 11th, which will be the same software running on the iPhone 3G.

What if I decide I don't like the iPhone 3G?

Apple and AT&T offer a 30-day money back guarantee (just in case you don't get coverage in the places you most often frequent). After that you pay a $175 early termination fee (ETF), which goes down each month over the course of your 24 month contract.

Is faster 802.11n WiFi supported?

Nope, it's still just 802.11b/g. Seriously though, you're a fringe case if you need more than 54Mbps to your cellphone.

Can I use voice and data at the same time?

Yes and no: unlike the original iPhone -- which did not support EDGE class A, and sent calls to voicemail while you were browsing the web -- the UMTS / HSDPA-based iPhone 3G should be able to handle data and calls at the same time when in 3G mode. So that means if you get coverage, you'll be fine. But if you're in a spot where there's only EDGE service, you likely won't be able to do voice and data at the same time.

I heard rumors that this thing can get up to 40Mbps over 3G, is that true?

Right now AT&T's HSDPA network is supposedly capped out at 1.4Mbps for phones, but we hear the iPhone is rated for HSDPA 3.6 (3.6Mbps), and AT&T claims its network speeds will go even faster than that by next year.

What did they mean by "greatly improved" audio quality?

Well, we heard about it two ways: Apple claims they've both improved the audio circuitry and quality of the signal to your headphones, but also cleaned up the in-call sound quality. We haven't tested this at length though, so we'll let you know if that's the case once it launches.

Can I use the iPhone on any carrier?

It's not unlocked, so no, you can't. While we're sure that iPhone hackers will figure out a way to unlock it for the betterment of all mankind, you're pretty much expected to use it with your designated domestic carrier, and pay the usual exorbitant roaming fees when you leave the country.

I hear that even though it has GPS I can't use it as a nav unit, what's up with that?

According to the SDK agreement, it looks like Apple doesn't want you using your iPhone to replace your Garmin. But it should still technically be feasible, and they demoed their Google Maps app doing geo-caching, so it's really a matter of intended use. Apple, apparently, doesn't want the device to be used that way -- but at the end of the day it may just be a contract mishap. We'll know soon!

Why doesn't it do video / MMS / A2DP / scrub my callouses / pick up my dry cleaning?

Clearly Apple has the technological prowess to make (most of) that stuff happen, but for whatever reason they've chosen not to support it. Maybe it's because of battery life issues, maybe it's because Steve just didn't see the need. Either way, it's a philosophical decision for them, so they may never change it. Bummer, right?

So what the hell do I do with my old iPhone?

The funny thing about a $200 3G iPhone is that it makes it pretty difficult to sell your original iPhone. Unless you know someone who doesn't need the 3G, we'd suggest keeping it as a backup, or even jailbreaking and unlocking for use when traveling overseas (in places have GSM networks).

If you do try to sell or give away your old phone, do yourself a favor and read about how you can completely erase it. Just hitting the format iPhone button won't actually remove all your data, and you really don't want your private conversations and passwords to be recovered by someone else, do you?


Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/12/iphone-3g-everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-but-were-afraid-t/

[krazzy]

Thanks for the info. :)

[dtox]

nice post

[Pathik]

Just read the comments. That's exactly how everyone (atleast me) feels about all the iPhone hype now.

[neerajvohra]

Thank you for the information !!! great post !

[nitansh]

thanks for the indepth info about the IPHONE.....

[BBThumbHealer]

Nice Post .. TFS ! :)

[skghosh44]

Thank U for the beautiful information.

[aryayush]

I don’t get it. Why is everyone thanking this guy? Did he write that up? No. Did it take any effort at all to copy-paste that from Engadget? No.

All he did was plagiarise and everyone is basically congratulating him for that.

Shame on the thread starter, the ones who replied and the admins/moderators for not enforcing the rules. Have some respect for intellectual property, will you? It isn’t easy to pen down articles worth reading. :mad:

[Charan]

I don’t get it. Why is everyone thanking this guy? Did he write that up? No. Did it take any effort at all to copy-paste that from Engadget? No.

All he did was plagiarise and everyone is basically congratulating him for that.

Shame on the thread starter, the ones who replied and the admins/moderators for not enforcing the rules. Have some respect for intellectual property, will you? It isn’t easy to pen down articles worth reading. :mad:

he has given the link... members are thanking him for sharing the information.. whats your problem? Ho nooo ... some one else posted about Apple other than you .. so bad.. :mad: the thread started muct be punished now.. for doing this... may be a life ban will do..


The thread started has clearly given the link to the original page..

[desiibond]

I don’t get it. Why is everyone thanking this guy? Did he write that up? No. Did it take any effort at all to copy-paste that from Engadget? No.
All he did was plagiarise and everyone is basically congratulating him for that.

Shame on the thread starter, the ones who replied and the admins/moderators for not enforcing the rules. Have some respect for intellectual property, will you? It isn’t easy to pen down articles worth reading. :mad:



Have some self respect. In how many threads do you get yourself lashed by everyone. Go and have a nice time at apple forums with other N00bs. Not in here. N00b.

[Power UP]

Most of us here are thanking because he had the courtesy to post it here, whether he copied or plagiarized is an different matter which doesn't really matter us.

Thanks desiibond :)

[Sourabh]

Gah! you guys are quick.

aryayush: You've missed the source link at the bottom of the original post in this thread.

It was not the best decision on the TS' part to include the article in its entirety on forum and leave a link only at the very end. But we've seen even worse instances. This is far from the plagiarism you're making it to be. Let the mods do their work. If you notice something breaking the forum rules, use the report button or inform the admins (as the case may be). What stopped you from reporting this thread?

I now see other members have already said this, but it's not the mistake of the thread starter that everyone else is thanking him in place of Ryan Block (who also happens to be my favorite technology writer). So you need to take it easy before lashing out left, right and center.

[aryayush]

he has given the link... members are thanking him for sharing the information.. whats your problem? Ho nooo ... some one else posted about Apple other than you .. so bad.. :mad: the thread started muct be punished now.. for doing this... may be a life ban will do..


The thread started has clearly given the link to the original page..Yeah, as if anyone gives a second thought to that when you publish the full article for them to read. Let’s scan all the pages from our favourite books and publish them here and give a link to the book’s listing on Amazon at the end. Dole out downloads of music, software and videos on these forums with links to where you can purchase them.

If you can do that with online publications, you can do the same for all of those other forms of media too, right?

Don’t be naive. Posting full articles written by others anywhere without their explicit permission is plagiarism. It’s theft. The last thing the wrongdoer deserves is a handsome round of applause.

And you know just as well as I do that this has nothing to do with Apple. You’re just trying to delegate it to that category to paint me, the objector, in a negative light and make the issue a trivial one, which it hardly is. That isn’t going to stop me, however. Even if every single poster in this thread, including mods and admins, object to my unwelcome post, it’s not going to make me regret posting it.

I just hope someone sees what I’m seeing—blatant theft being appreciated on a forum that apparently prides itself on it’s policy against piracy. On a forum where even harmless discussion about torrents isn’t welcome (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84591), someone outrightly disrespecting intellectual property not only gets away with it, he does so with aplomb. Like I said, it’s a shame!

-------------------

@Sourabh,
I mean no disrespect but I’ve reported countless threads in the past over this issue and not one of them has ever seen any action being taken against them. And I wasn’t blaming the thread starter for the appreciation he was being showered with, I blamed him for posting Ryan Block’s article in its entirety (and rightfully so). And if isn’t obvious by now, no, I did not miss the source link. However, it’s presence just does not make anything right.

FWIW, I refrained from quoting and lashing back and instead reported one post in this thread.

[Charan]

@desibond: Keep 2 para of the article and delete the rest so that we donot have to deal with the #@$% ..

[phreak0ut]

Thanks desiibond :)

AFA fanboys are concerned, they are better off at 'their' official forums.

[krazzy]

I don’t get it. Why is everyone thanking this guy? Did he write that up? No. Did it take any effort at all to copy-paste that from Engadget? No.

All he did was plagiarise and everyone is basically congratulating him for that.

Shame on the thread starter, the ones who replied and the admins/moderators for not enforcing the rules. Have some respect for intellectual property, will you? It isn’t easy to pen down articles worth reading. :mad:

Atleast I, for one, didn't thank the thread starter because I thought he wrote the article. I thanked him for posting that article here, when apparently no one else, not even Apple fans such as yourself did. There were a lot of doubts and questions in my mind about the iPhone 3G which got cleared by that wonderful article. And for that I thanked him. Although you are right about one thing. He should have just posted just a part of that article and for the rest, should've requested the readers to follow the source link.

[cooldudie3]

Why are you guys fighting? The point of this forum is not to disrespect people, get into a fight or calling people 'noobs'

So please stop.

Anyways, thanks for the info

[aryayush]

Atleast I, for one, didn't thank the thread starter because I thought he wrote the article. I thanked him for posting that article here, when apparently no one else, not even Apple fans such as yourself did. There were a lot of doubts and questions in my mind about the iPhone 3G which got cleared by that wonderful article. And for that I thanked him. Although you are right about one thing. He should have just posted just a part of that article and for the rest, should've requested the readers to follow the source link.But that was the only thing I said. That’s the only thing I had a problem with and if you agree with me there, then you agree with me, period. There are no buts. Why would I have a problem with someone thanking someone else! Just the fact that no one called him out on it and everyone was, like, “Bravo!” was what pissed me off.

As for Apple fans not mentioning it, well, I’m sure I would’ve once I’d read it. I don’t read my feeds on the weekends, so I would’ve posted it on Monday. But, in any case, that’s got nothing to do with any of it. I just wanted to draw attention to what he did wrong (and others do to, throughout the forum) and I clearly ruffled some feathers. If even one person stops doing it in future, then mission achieved.

------------------

Oh, and BTW (and this is not addressed to just krazzy), posts that just say “Thank you” and “Nice info” are generally considered spam. I, for one, never posts stuff that doesn’t adding anything new to the discussion. Sure, he posted an article—loads of people do that on this forum—but it doesn’t mean you should go around posting grateful little replies in all such threads. I know at least one person who has a post count north of 1,000 and almost all his posts are basically “ok. good.” and “wow, thats cool” and “nice work man”. Sorry, that’s not what a discussion board is about.

[New]

Thansk for the info...

[krazzy]

But that was the only thing I said. That’s the only thing I had a problem with and if you agree with me there, then you agree with me, period. There are no buts. Why would I have a problem with someone thanking someone else! Just the fact that no one called him out on it and everyone was, like, “Bravo!” was what pissed me off.

As for Apple fans not mentioning it, well, I’m sure I would’ve once I’d read it. I don’t read my feeds on the weekends, so I would’ve posted it on Monday. But, in any case, that’s got nothing to do with any of it. I just wanted to draw attention to what he did wrong (and others do to, throughout the forum) and I clearly ruffled some feathers. If even one person stops doing it in future, then mission achieved.

------------------

Oh, and BTW (and this is not addressed to just krazzy), posts that just say “Thank you” and “Nice info” are generally considered spam. I, for one, never posts stuff that doesn’t adding anything new to the discussion. Sure, he posted an article—loads of people do that on this forum—but it doesn’t mean you should go around posting grateful little replies in all such threads. I know at least one person who has a post count north of 1,000 and almost all his posts are basically “ok. good.” and “wow, thats cool” and “nice work man”. Sorry, that’s not what a discussion board is about.

I think the idea of posting someone else's article in its entirety in one's post, even with the source link is considered plagiarism and stealing, is a bit alien to most of us, including myself. You being an author now understand the gravity of this folly. We don't. That's why it missed most of us that the thread starter was indeed doing something wrong in his attempt to actually do something good. So yes, it's our mistake as well.

As for thanking someone, I beleive just as in real life when someone does something good or useful to you, you should thank him. If a person posts something on the forum and nobody replies back to thank him, he would get the wrong assumption that his post was not well received and ignored, even though in reality, people might've found it useful. Atleast I know I would feel like a total idiot if I post something on this forum and nobody replied back to tell how they liked the post. Thanking someone also encourages them to continue posting good stuff in the future. Atleast this is what I feel.

[gsmsikar]

thanks for this nice and informative post

[aryayush]

@krazzy,
Well, I agree. And since this forum does not have that plugin for thanks, I guess the thank you posts are not entirely useless. :)

As for why that is wrong, it’s because blogs like Engadget rely entirely on page-views and the resultant income generated from advertisers to keep their services up. If you make their stuff available without it and allow people to bypass the advertisements, you’re doing a grave disservice to the site you love to read. This is why none of the respected authors I know ever install ad-blocking plugins in their browsers (and neither do I). What might be a little distraction for you in the only source of income for the guys running that website—think of it the next time you (as in whoever is reading this, not anyone in particular) decide to block an advertisement or post someone else’s article elsewhere in its entirety. :)

Popup and pop-under advertisements are en exception though. Just because you need to make money doesn’t mean that you can start pestering your readers. I simply stop visiting websites that have such advertisements, or those annoying flash ones that have sprung these days that can animate themselves out of their boundaries and onto the content.

--------------------------

Anyway, let’s just get back on the topic at hand… (if I’ve not entirely spoiled it for everyone :p)

[net_addict]

shouldnt there be a limit to how much off topic one can go . if i am not wrong , talking on stuff not related to the thread is also spam.

[cooldudie3]

ur right
So stop guys!

[blueshift]

Good thread. Thanks.

I have questions. My friend is in(works) Dubai and he wanted to buy it although I adviced him not to. If he buys iPhone from Dubai, will it work here in India? What are unlocking and activation charges here?

[uppalpankaj]

Good thread. Thanks.

I have questions. My friend is in(works) Dubai and he wanted to buy it although I adviced him not to. If he buys iPhone from Dubai, will it work here in India? What are unlocking and activation charges here?

I think the phone is not gonna work in India if he buys from Dubai..Apple has inbuilt new mechanisms in the phone and after buying it will have 2 b activated in the store itself...The phone will b attached to a service provider and so I guess will b locked...It will work only with that service provider...One just cannot buy the iphone and send it to a friend living in some other country...

In our country (INDIA), Airtel will b offering the iphone in the coming months...The price of 3G iphone starts from $199 but it is rumored that Airtel will provide it at a price of more than 20k...

[desiibond]

^^ N82 unlocked should be a better option or HTC Touch Diamond.

[aryayush]

I have questions. My friend is in(works) Dubai and he wanted to buy it although I adviced him not to. If he buys iPhone from Dubai, will it work here in India? What are unlocking and activation charges here?If he buys it from Dubai, he’ll be buying an unlocked first generation iPhone with voided warranty for a price north of Rs. 20,000. Read that again: not the iPhone 3G launched a week ago, but the original iPhone. For a price more than double that of the iPhone 3G.

It just makes no sense. None at all. Advise him not to buy it. Strictly.

Tell him that it’s being launched officially in India by the end of July for less than Rs. 10,000. That ought to get his attention. :)

[uppalpankaj]

If iphone 3G is launched at a price of less than 10k (which I don't think really) then other companies such as Nokia and SE will have 2 slash the prices of their phones 2 stay in the competition....

[gagandeep]

I was out of station for a few weeks (a very remote place where even dial-up doesn't work properly) and one day Star NEWS guys said that 3G iPhone is going to be launched in India for around Rs.8,000....I couldn't believe my eyes & ears but that has turned out to be true.......Very well Apple...I'm really impressed.

One query: Has the Bluetooth functionality improved?? Can we send files now??

[desiibond]

^^ Dude. don't fall into that price trap. That is the base price. You will be locked to two years to the carrier, paying heavy rentals that what you pay normally. All in all, as per experts calculation, you will be paying around $400-$450 for the phone.

So, don't belive in that "iphone 3G for $199" crap :)

I was out of station for a few weeks (a very remote place where even dial-up doesn't work properly) and one day Star NEWS guys said that 3G iPhone is going to be launched in India for around Rs.8,000....I couldn't believe my eyes & ears but that has turned out to be true.......Very well Apple...I'm really impressed.

One query: Has the Bluetooth functionality improved?? Can we send files now??

nope. nothing changed for bluetooth. Works only for bluetooth handsfree mono set. :)

[gagandeep]

^^ I'm not even interested in buying iPhone. I'm happy with my W890i and will only use it for atleast 3 years.

[uppalpankaj]

^^ Dude. don't fall into that price trap. That is the base price. You will be locked to two years to the carrier, paying heavy rentals that what you pay normally. All in all, as per experts calculation, you will be paying around $400-$450 for the phone.

So, don't belive in that "iphone 3G for $199" crap :)



nope. nothing changed for bluetooth. Works only for bluetooth handsfree mono set. :)

Yes, this just seems a trap. In India Airtel will b offering the iphone...I read somewhere that they will b offering it at a price of more than 20,000. Howz it possible that the iphone can b offered at 8k... Not possible....

[desiibond]

nope. not exactly 20k+. SHould be around 15k :)

[aryayush]

Howz it possible that the iphone can b offered at 8k... Not possible....It’s not only possible but also probable. In the same way that AT&T offers the iPhone for $199, i.e. by subsidising the price of the phone and making up for it by way of a compulsory expensive two-year contract lock-in, Airtel can offer it for Rs. 8,000 or Rs. 9,000 or even free (whatever price they want to, basically).

This is how it works:
1. The iPhone costs about Rs. 25,000.
2. Airtel buys it from Apple and pays them that amount.
3. They sell it in India for Rs. 10,000 and make you sign a two-year contract.
4. Over the course of two years, they earn the Rs. 15,000 they paid Apple on your behalf and walk away with a handsome profit too.
5. If you decide to terminate the contract before its expiry date, they charge you Rs. 15,000 upfront and make up for the cost of the phone anyway.
6. The customer gets locked into a two-year expensive contract because the price of entry is ridiculously low. Apple and Airtel roll around in piles of cash.

This system is widely prevalent in the United States and the iPhone now seems set to bring it to India as well (already exists for Blackberrys and, in a somewhat similar fashion, on the CDMA network). Of course, if you look at it logically, the Indian system of charging the full price of the phone upfront and then giving it to you to do with it as you please (no restrictions, liabilities or bindings) is much better but when people see the iPhone selling for less than Rs. 10,000 in the market, it’s going to be as irresistible as a juicy worm dangling in front of a hungry fish and they’re going to fall for it, hook, line and sinker.

I’m hoping and praying that doesn’t happen, that the iPhone comes to India contract free for a price of Rs. 20,000 - Rs. 25,000, but that isn’t going to happen. No chance at all. :(

[a_k_s_h_a_y]

Well don't worry.
Buy it. Unlock it.
Change Phone IMEI*.
Tell Airtel you lost the phone.

*You can't change phone IMEI but you certainly can change the broadcast IMEI ;)

[aryayush]

LOL! You cannot walk out of the store without signing up for the contract and having the phone activated. Plus, losing the phone is no excuse—either buy a new phone and renew the contract or pay the (huge) ETF and opt out.

The carriers are not that stupid, dude.

[nvidia]

Good thing i read this article.. I'm gonna ask my friend not to buy one of those 200$ iphones.. Btw, is it possible to get the older iphones without signing any kind of contract?

[aryayush]

OK, I’m going to say this for the last time and after that if anyone wants to go ahead and screw themselves anyway, feel free to do so.

iPhone 3G will be available in the U.S.A. starting June 11th (and probably in India as well). You can’t just buy it for $199 and walk out of the store. You need to sign up for a contract and activate it there itself. So if your friend buys it for you and sends it, he’s going to have to keep paying AT&T $70/month for two years and that too without getting to use the phone. I’m not sure how good your friendship is but asking someone to do that is bound to stretch the limits of even the best of friendships. :p

The original iPhone has stopped selling. You cannot buy it with or without contract officially anymore.

Basically, there’s no sense in buying the iPhone from anywhere else now. Just wait for it to come to India.

Now, if someone wants to ignore my advice and go ahead anyway, be my guest. :)

[gagandeep]

iPhone 3G will be available in the U.S.A. starting *July* 11th (and probably in India as well). You can’t just buy it for $199 and walk out of the store. You need to sign up for a contract and activate it there itself. So if your friend buys it for you and sends it, he’s going to have to keep paying AT&T $70/month for two years and that too without getting to use the phone. I’m not sure how good your friendship is but asking someone to do that is bound to stretch the limits of even the best of friendships. :p

Pretty true!!.......:D At the end of the day, Apple products will remain expensive.....:cool:

I mean to say that Airtel/Vodafone are also going to impose such monthly rentals for using the iPhone...

You can never eat Apple, Apple will always eat your money.....;)

[nikeel]

Slightly off-topic:

My friend wants to sell of his old iPhone.

Any idea what is the current rate at which he can sell it in Mumbai? And which place would he get the best rate to sell it off? Heera Panna?

[v_joy]

iphone 3G will definitely be priced around Rs 8000/-
coz steve said in the presentation:
"The price is a maximum of $199 all around the world -- we're really, really excited about the new iPhone 3G. And as you might expect, we have a new ad! I'd love to show it to you."
(source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/09/steve-jobs-keynote-live-from-wwdc-2008
its mentioned under 11:38AM PT post...)

:)

[Pathik]

^ We know that already. But what if you have to compulsorily take a 2 yearly contract of Rs. 15k with it.?

[praka123]

pretty bad thing. :( binding with one cellular provider :x .RIP iphone/blackberries.

hail SE and nokia :D

[aryayush]

Slightly off-topic:

My friend wants to sell of his old iPhone.

Any idea what is the current rate at which he can sell it in Mumbai? And which place would he get the best rate to sell it off? Heera Panna?It’s probably not wise to sell it right now. I would wait for iPhone 3G to be released in India if I were you. If it comes locked to a contract with no option to escape it, your old iPhone might just become more valuable than it is today.

[desiibond]

I think there will be multiple plans from Airtel/Vodafone.

1) Phone price at 8k and rental at Rs.1k to 1.5k with unlimited data access (there are people like me using EDGE at a monthly cost of 600 rupees per month)
2) Phone price at 10k-15k and rental at Rs.300-Rs.500 per month (extra charges for data usage)
3) Phone price at 17k and rental at Rs.200-Rs.300 per month (extra charges for data usage)

[krates]

well i will only buy a iphone to impress someone

feature wise it is crap

and for that 25k amount (contract + phone) i can buy a phone which will beat iphone from left and right.

[gagandeep]

well i will only buy a iphone to impress someone

Who??......:p

[girish.g]

Who??......:p
aryayush

[krates]

Who??......:p

My gf :p

[girish.g]

gf will leave you and run away with your iphone

[ayahuasca]

Awesome Dude,awesome....

[gagandeep]

My gf :p
Lol kiddo.....iPhone se ladhki impress karta hai......:lol: n00b....:lol:

[dreamcatcher]

yea..gf will be impressed...at least he wont be able to mms... :D :D

[Pathik]

^roflololmaoo

[gagandeep]

yea..gf will be impressed...at least he wont be able to mms... :D :D
Haha........Nice one.....:lol: :lol:

[desiibond]

hehe. 90% of current iphone users bought iphone only to show that they have iphone and not because of it's features :)

The other 10% don't know that there is something like video caputre, bluetooth streaming etc in the world. :)

[aryayush]

And 76% of all statistics in this world are made up (yours quite obviously so).

Oh, and people buy stuff to show off all the time, in all niches of life and spheres of society. There’s nothing wrong with it.

[krates]

hehe. 90% of current iphone users bought iphone only to show that they have iphone and not because of it's features :)

The other 10% don't know that there is something like video caputre, bluetooth streaming etc in the world. :)


Oh, and people buy stuff to show off all the time, in all niches of life and spheres of society. There’s nothing wrong with it.

accepted that iphone is for show off :p

[aryayush]

Yes, although his statistic is stupid, there’s no doubt that for a lot of people, showing off is also a major consideration when purchasing any cool product (me, for example) and there are also those who purchase products entirely to show them off.

There are people in both of the above categories who have showing off in mind when purchasing the iPhone (and most other Apple products). Like I said, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it.

[dreamcatcher]

As for myself i dont regard the iphone as a showoff material..it is a breaktrough in terms of technology.Now that Iphone has done it, everyone is trying to copy it.If thats not a breaktrough, nothing is. No one here is boasting of the trchnical aspects of the iphone. The iphone has a feel good factor and just like the ipod has revolutionised the music industry, iphone follows suit.

Daresay theres no mobile in the present market that can challenge the iphone in terms of looks or UI..except maybe SE.. :D

[desiibond]

Yes, although his statistic is stupid, there’s no doubt that for a lot of people, showing off is also a major consideration when purchasing any cool product (me, for example) and there are also those who purchase products entirely to show them off.

There are people in both of the above categories who have showing off in mind when purchasing the iPhone (and most other Apple products). Like I said, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it.

Indirectly, you have accepted that the stat is true. LOL.


reality is always sour to accept :)

and btw, People buy stuff to use and not to show off (unlike few brainless people who buy inferior stuff to showoff).

It's okay man. Now, I understand why you support apple so much. Their products are good for showoff and are worthy nothing more than that (just like their owners).

[krates]

if there was no show off motorola would not have existed :lol:

[aryayush]

Indirectly, you have accepted that the stat is true. LOL.


reality is always sour to accept :)

and btw, People buy stuff to use and not to show off (unlike few brainless people who buy inferior stuff to showoff).

It's okay man. Now, I understand why you support apple so much. Their products are good for showoff and are worthy nothing more than that (just like their owners).Seriously, if you were any slower, you’d be walking backwards.

--------------------

You guys might be interested in this article (http://www.macworld.com/article/133988/2008/06/iphone3gfaqs.html) as well. :)

[desiibond]

if there was no show off motorola would not have existed :lol:

Yep. They moved from creating great working mobile phones to cute mobile phones and look where they are now, thinking whether to keep the mobile phone division or to sell it. On the other hand look at the market leader Nokia. They maintain a separate segment "luxury phone" like vertu and sirocco. These phones are only good for show off and Nokia keeps them away from their standard lineup of phones.

[dreamcatcher]

Motorola are still the 3rd largest cel phone manufacturers..so.

[desiibond]

Their market share fell by 10% and in two years they will be behind every major mobile phone manufacturer.

Their profits are gone(billion dollar loss), losing big chunks of market share, not a single good model that can compete with SE or Nokia.

Motorola mobile phone division is going towards shutdown (at the current rate).

Moto phones in a billion dollar loss : http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/01/23/motorola_q42007_earnings/

[aryayush]

iPhone 3G: The "Total Cost of Ownership" Argument
News Type: Event — Tue Jun 17, 2008 3:58 PM EDT
Brian Ford (http://brianford.newsvine.com/)

So, Apple announces the iPhone 3G (does that make the 1st Generation iPhone the 1G iPhone or the iPhone 2.5G and is the iPhone 3G the 2G iPhone 3G?) and alongside the new look, the new software and other improvements, a svelte-looking Steve Jobs confirmed early reports that the price would drop to an unbelievable $199 for the 8GB model and $299 for the 16GB model.

Predictably, the price drop is due to a new subsidy deal with AT&T, as noted in this recent CNET article:But the new deal comes at a price. AT&T executives said on a conference call with analysts and investors on Monday that the arrangement will put pressure on the company's profit margins and dilute earnings for the next year and a half. That said, the company believes that the new price point and improved Web surfing experience of the iPhone on AT&T's 3G wireless network will drive sales of the iPhone and get more customers using its data services. SOURCE (http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13549_7-9963999-30.html)An update toward the end of the same article makes note of a concern that has been dominating the technology blog circuit for the past week or so, starting from about t-minus one second after Jobs announced the price drop: Due to the upgraded 3G network, AT&T will no longer offer iPhone specific service plans, and (gasp!) data service rates will go up by a minimum of $10 a month. As a result, the total cost of ownership of an iPhone 3G will ultimately go up over the course of a two-year contract when compared to a 1G iPhone utilizing the slower EDGE network. To add insult to injury, 200 text messages will set you back another $5 a month. Read more… (http://brianford.newsvine.com/_news/2008/06/17/1584680-iphone-3g-the-total-cost-of-ownership-argument)

[Via Newsvine (http://brianford.newsvine.com/_news/2008/06/17/1584680-iphone-3g-the-total-cost-of-ownership-argument)]


This article is only for the mentally unchallenged people out here though, so you might skip it if you do not consider yourself one among that group. In particular, I want to point out the last few words (though the whole article makes a lot of sense too):AT&T’s service plan for 3G Data is in-line with just about every other provider, when compared to their high-speed offerings. There’s also that AT&T is charging their standard rate for a 3G data package, and would have charged the extra $10 with or without the subsidy.

That $160? It could have been $460.Earlier, since AT&T wasn’t subsidising the price of the phone, got to be the exclusive carrier, didn’t have a proper 3G network in place and the iPhone didn’t do 3G anyway, they were offering iPhone users the data plan cheaper at $20 per month. Rest of AT&T’s customers paid $30 per month. Now that they have 3G set up and iPhone users will be utilising it the most, they’ve just upped it to match what all their other customers have always been paying. I don’t see anything wrong anywhere with that.

Like Brian Ford said, “That $160? It could have been $460.”

Think about it. (Again, only the mentally unchallenged people need to reply. I know what the responses from others will be.)

[desiibond]

iPhone 3G: The "Total Cost of Ownership" Argument
News Type: Event — Tue Jun 17, 2008 3:58 PM EDT
Brian Ford (http://brianford.newsvine.com/)

So, Apple announces the iPhone 3G (does that make the 1st Generation iPhone the 1G iPhone or the iPhone 2.5G and is the iPhone 3G the 2G iPhone 3G?) and alongside the new look, the new software and other improvements, a svelte-looking Steve Jobs confirmed early reports that the price would drop to an unbelievable $199 for the 8GB model and $299 for the 16GB model.

Predictably, the price drop is due to a new subsidy deal with AT&T, as noted in this recent CNET article:An update toward the end of the same article makes note of a concern that has been dominating the technology blog circuit for the past week or so, starting from about t-minus one second after Jobs announced the price drop: Due to the upgraded 3G network, AT&T will no longer offer iPhone specific service plans, and (gasp!) data service rates will go up by a minimum of $10 a month. As a result, the total cost of ownership of an iPhone 3G will ultimately go up over the course of a two-year contract when compared to a 1G iPhone utilizing the slower EDGE network. To add insult to injury, 200 text messages will set you back another $5 a month. Read more… (http://brianford.newsvine.com/_news/2008/06/17/1584680-iphone-3g-the-total-cost-of-ownership-argument)

[Via Newsvine (http://brianford.newsvine.com/_news/2008/06/17/1584680-iphone-3g-the-total-cost-of-ownership-argument)]


This article is only for the mentally unchallenged people out here though, so you might skip it if you do not consider yourself one among that group. In particular, I want to point out the last few words (though the whole article makes a lot of sense too):Earlier, since AT&T wasn’t subsidising the price of the phone, got to be the exclusive carrier, didn’t have a proper 3G network in place and the iPhone didn’t do 3G anyway, they were offering iPhone users the data plan cheaper at $20 per month. Rest of AT&T’s customers paid $30 per month. Now that they have 3G set up and iPhone users will be utilising it the most, they’ve just upped it to match what all their other customers have always been paying. I don’t see anything wrong anywhere with that.

Like Brian Ford said, “That $160? It could have been $460.”

Think about it. (Again, only the mentally unchallenged people need to reply. I know what the responses from others will be.)


CRAP!!!!!

So desperately trying to defent another CRAP. Whatever you do, however you say, whatever you say, any sane person here is NOT going to LISTEN TO YOU and would NEVER EVER BUY IPHONE because they know that they never rely on suggestions given by people like you who go to any level to defend inferior products.

We all know that this crappy product is not at all worth the stupid contract of two years or for the insane TCO.

If I have to pay 30$ montly rental, I would rather get Samsung Instinct or Nokia N95 or SE P1i instead of iphone. We all know that they do LOT MORE THAN what the Apple iSHIT can do.

So, cut the crap!!!!!!

Anyways, I have a question for you. Are you always like this, as an ignorant apple fanboy???

[aryayush]

Calm down, man. I can almost feel you hyperventilating from out here. Have a glass of water and take deep, steady breaths. Go and sit with someone elder to you for a few minutes, maybe. Let it all out in front of them and don’t be ashamed if a few tears escape your eyes.

Yes, the iPhone is a poor product. It sucks. Keep chanting that if it makes you feel better.

Just don’t pass out or anything, OK? Take care, man.

(I did advise him not to read it, so no one can blame me if something happens to him, though I hope and pray nothing does.)

[Hitboxx]

Wow, it is always personal, isnt it?!