As brilliant as the
$99 subsidized iPhone 3G strategy might seem on paper, the fact remains that the 3G now is a 13 month-old device -- the better part of a lifetime by smartphone standards -- and it stands to reason that Apple wouldn't be interested in consuming manufacturing capacity indefinitely with outdated equipment, especially since that game plan cuts into economies of scale on the 3GS' chipset and superior camera hardware. The solution? Let iPhone 3G inventory cool down for a few months -- $99 is a nice, round number after all that's plenty low enough to move units -- and when the carnage is over, phase it out in favor of a new lower-cost 3GS. That's sure to leave new 3G owners fuming, but newly leaked screens out of Rogers seem to indicate that's exactly how this is likely going to go down: add a black 8GB 3GS into the mix that can serve as the company's new entry-level device below the 3GS in two colors, likely for $100 less than the 16GB model. There's no word on when this might happen, but Apple's likely to host its usual Fall event to roll out new iPods (
and more?), so this could serve as an interesting -- if not ultimately predictable -- footnote.
posted Aug 5th 2009 1:41PM
I believe it.
...I can fly.
That makes sense....I just feel bad for people who bought the 3G @ $99. Could have had a 3GS for the same price.
Should have waited.....sounds familiar (i.e. the $200 price drop in 9/07)
"Should have waited." Well, that applies to any technology product, ever released in the history of the world. If you wait long enough, something newer/better will come along. It's called progress.
@ Reid
When I said waited....it meant a little bit, not a whole year. Technology is always changing, but cancelling of stock is a short period of time.
Derr
I bought an $200 8GB 3G in April. If I waited two months, I could have either got the same phone for $99, or 16GB 3GS for $200 (what I really wanted). If my friend who bought the original iPhone had waited a few months, he could have bought the 3G for the same price.
But none of us could wait because we had already been waiting. And even though it sucks that Apple and other companies refuse to give consumers a heads up about releases coming up in 3 months, it's awesome to have what you want when you want it.
I love my 8GB 3G, even if I can't put all my music on it and I had to jailbreak it to get video on it.
It was quite obvious that Apple was phasing out 3G with the price point of $99.
Now, the real question is, will they pull an Amazon and send some ski-masked bandits to reclaim the old 3G from your pocket...
Nope, Amazon jungle people dont do ski...
...or are they?
all your grammar are belong to engrish
All my base are belong to my mother.
...and your mother is mine!!!
lmfao I've been censored by Engadget! They irony continues!!
is that some kind of funny joke?
actually no! I had the first comment, made a funny about it and now it's gone! scroll up and you can see DR House responded to it, his comment is a reply to mine, which is gone.. lol I heart Engadgets hypocrites.
I was wondering what happened....
but yea this just proves that Apple loooooves screwing over customers
You should have been banned instead.
Here i present to you the world-renowned Engadget Commenting System.
I don't think you know what irony or fascist actually means. Do you have any other loaded words you want to drop in here?
its cause to comment like a 6 year old. :)
lol actually I do know what those words mean. Engadget was being ironic censoring my comments while disparaging Apple for censoring apps in their store. You were being a fascist by saying I should be banned for expressing an opinion, that heaven forbid, is different from your own. You can also add condescending, arrogant, and asshole to fascist.
arrogant and asshole seem appropriate. Ironic is a stretch as this article is about the 3G versus 3Gs, not the app store. Fascist isn't appropriate, as I am not in a position of power, so when I tell you to shut up, it's just your peer doing so, there's no iron fist associated with it.
Save the iPhone 3G save the world!
Apple sure knows how to make people angry with their decisions. It was expecting with the 99$ iPhone 3G... but my condolence who bought the 3G. Because the 3G is so much better with its 1 mega pixel update, voice control, and compass where I purposely get lost in the forest to find my way home.
Khoa211
does a complete upgrade to the insides of a device count as an update?
because a new processor, camera chip, graphics chip, larger battery and a radio chip doesnt count right?
how about you go troll yourself to the bottom of the ocean
Well, it could also just be Rogers being Rogers, you know.
The main argument's prolly true tho...
" That's sure to leave new 3G owners fuming"
That the price of an item of consumer electronic falls over time and early adoptors of devices tend to pay a premium - that's common to all devices and companies and nothing specific about Apple. If anyone here is surprised by this, please email me as I have a bridge for sale.
Are we selling the same bridge?
I used to think this blog loved Apple, but I don't think they feel that way recently.
New devices come out all the time. It sucks. We all deal with it. I think that phrase was an unnecessary addition.
I don't think the buyers of an iPhone 3G count as early adopters anymore...
Even if they sold it for $149.99 it would be a steal. Most phones don't ship with 8GB of memory. Heck, I'm going to buy the HTC Hero on Sprint in October and just last night I ordered an 8GB Micro SDHC card for $22 on Amazon, pushing the total price of the phone to approximately $225 for a comparable phone. Sure, you can stick a 32GB Micro SDHC card in the Hero, but that's going to set you back at least $110 according to Newegg.
I would definitely buy an 8GB 3GS for $149, and 10 of them if they are sold at the $99 price point.
yes, but hardware costs and R&D for the sense UI bring the costs up. I have a creative Zii and an iphone, it's just so much easier to get 64GB on the Zii.
Banana Republic has been selling the iphone 3g for $29.99, 2 year contract (several carriers) with the purchase of any back to school sweater vest for the last 2 days.
It's been a while since I've been in a Banana Republic, but from what I remember of their prices, you'd be better of getting the iPhone without buying the vest and getting a "discount" :P
Will the UK actually get this? We never received the price cut on the 3G model.
Can we please get over this ridiculous standard that you are holding iPhones to. " That's sure to leave new 3G owners fuming" Really is it? I guess those same morons will be fuming the second they buy any computer ever, since it will only be a day or a week before there is a new better computer, its just getting silly.
I didnt see an article about the eee PC buyers fuming every 45 seconds when a new netbook comes out, its technology it moves fast and you buy what you like when you like it and you live with it.
OMFG companies are moving forward with their tech without any concern for what you bought 3 months ago, NO WAI!!!
>> "OMFG companies are moving forward with their tech without any concern for what you bought 3 months ago, NO WAI!!!"
I wouldn't say Apple was "moving forward" with the $99 8GB 3G... Apple had just got done launching the 3GS with more storage, faster processor, and all the oohs and ahhs from the crowd. And then said, "oh yeah... here's last year's model for $99"
I agree with the write-up above... the 3G is 13 months old... and there was no plan for Apple to keep making it for an entire product cycle.
I feel bad for someone who bought the $99 8GB 3G. Sure, the 3GS costs twice as much as the 3G... but it has double the space, and all of the other new hardware goodies.
And the worst part... they have to keep their new "old" 3G for 2 years!
No, I don't feel sorry for anyone who bought the 3G. If they paid the money for it then they apparently thought it was worth it and I see no reason why that should change now that a new model is available. If they were so concerned that the hardware was "old news" then they should simply have bought a 16GB 3GS or waited.
@Kelmon
It's one thing to buy a product... and then it's replaced/upgraded a few weeks later. That happens all the time.
It's another thing to have both the old model and the new model for sale at the same time. And people get lured into the magical $99 price... when the $199 bigger 3GS is a much better value for what you get.
I'm with you... they should have waited and got the better model if they wanted it.
I wonder how many people jumped into an iPhone at the $99 price. Apple did good the first few weeks by offering a "special" price for the 8GB 3G. But would it have been so hard for Apple to just go ahead and make an 8GB 3GS and charge $129 for it?
Then, their product line would have been complete for the 2009 summer launch:
8GB $129
16GB $199
32GB $299
That would have made more sense... instead of offering the old 3G for a couple months... and then killing it.
sell a 4 GB 3GS with a micro SD slot
79 dollars
...relax.
@ouch!
Please dont descend into Chapel territory.
are you joking me this is awesome
DIE ROGERS DIE! No matter what I would never buy a phone from them ever again, even a cheap 8GB iPhone 3GS. Anyone is Canada will tell you the same. Not to mentioned the three year plans for these prices, there are so many tacked on fees
911 fee
System Access fee
Plan fee (no overtime)
Text fee (and if you go over 20c/text including INCOMING!)
Voicemail fee
Long Distance fees
So the price they give in advertising skyrockets. If found it was easier to cancel and take the hit ($400 ETF) as it would be less than 2 months of cell phone charges between me and gf on our couples plan. Now on pay as you go. All the companies suck, though. At least Telus will be getting GSM access soon (rumoured to be the winter olympics in which they are a sponsor I think )
8gb On a phone? No thanks not even at $99.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrQTg1hDF_E
You can't call it predictable unless you actually predicted it. Before it happened.
Sure, it might have been obvious in hindsight, but that's not a prediction, that's just "knowing stuff that happened"
Been on the fence about upgrading to the 3GS, even from my first gen. If they introduced a $100 gb model, I would do so in a heartbeat. Hell, it would still be doubling the memory from what I have now :D
Been on the fence about upgrading to the 3GS, even from my first gen. If they introduced a $100 gb model, I would do so in a heartbeat. Hell, it would still be doubling the memory from what I have now :D
Ouch, this will definitely hurt those who bought 3G for $99. They thought they got a bargain :(
Andy
iPhone Poll:
http://aclevertwist.com/p/poll-which-spot-matters-most-to-you