@plbelanger Well, it's going to be free on contract and very cheap on PAYG. The T-Mo Pulse, for example, is £150 PAYG and free on a £15/month contract with unlimited web, and it has a higher specificaton. I'd be unsurprised if this was free at £10/month and under £100 PAYG.
@plbelanger It WILL be cheap and that IS the point. It's called market segmentation and believe it or not, not everyone in the world is a gadget-obsessed geek with a need for the absolute latest and greatest.
Those are my questions. Just, why do these devices keep showing up? The only reason to even manufacture a smartphone is to make it better than what is already available. Quit trying to make a cheaper device, manufacturers, The Price Does Not Matter; the service plan requirements dwarf the initial cost! $200, that's pretty much what we've all agreed upon.
As I've said above, the "point" is that not everything in the world costs the same. We don't all live in communist countries where the School teacher earns the same as the janitor. A guy who can't afford the £300 smartphone may just appreciate the £150 smartphone instead.
Could I ask, seeing as you geniuses know all this already, what large multi-national companies do YOU run, seeing a HTC obviously don't know what they're doing?
@Tes True but your still going to end up paying for a data plan either way. I think most non-techy types would just prefer a dumbphone with no data plan
The point is there are tiered price plans. I have unlimited data, but I was on a 1gb capped data plan when I first got my Nokia N95. IT wasn't that great on the net and I only used wap sites so that was adequate. Pay as you go tariffs here in the UK often throw in unlimited data as long as you top up a certain amount of voice minutes every month (O2 give you unlimited data and texts every time you top up £10) so a cheaper phone makes sense. Not everyone is going to be constantly connected
@Tes Ah see you are in the UK, things are done differently there. We don't have as many options as you. With the carrier I am on I only have the option of unlimited data and that is it so despite whichever phone I get I'm stuck with that one option.
Yeah. If you check out the location aware weather widget, it seems this is being shown off in central London, so I have no clue if it'll ever see the light of day in the US. There's a huge market for low cost smartphones here in the UK. My cousin just bought his little sister a cheap Blackberry. All the features of the top spec BB, but pretty much at a throwaway price at the point of sale. They know they'll make their money on data and top ups. Plus these cheaper phones go to teenagers mostly who will eat away at their credit and constantly buy more.
It sometimes works out actually more expensive than having a contract, but with the added security of not being tied to a long term contract, and also most teens would fail the credit check instantly anyway.
For low/mid end smartphones, if that's all your budget allows, you can do an outright purchase (off contract) and sign with a plan that meets your overall budget. This is how the Europeans and Asians have been enjoying their phones.
For myself, I have an unlimited data plan that's about $30 p/mo. A low/mid end smartphone fits my budget (or rather, my wife set my budget!). It's also much, much cheaper for me to buy something like this phone off-contract and use it on my existing line.
Keep in mind, in the rest of the world, ppl change their phones every 6-14 months (I change every 6-8 months). Can't be done with a 2 yr contract so they pay for handsets outright. My guess is, this is why the low end smartphone segment is the fastest growth segment of the smartphone range (Nokia controlled segment). Even if you're well off, it certainly would suck hard to be paying $600 every 6-14 months for a new top tier phone. 14-24 months is more justifiable to spend that kind of money.
It won't be long before the USA starts in that exact same pattern. We don't see it now because we haven't reached that point yet, so phones like this look out of place in NA. But believe me, there's a huge market for it.
@Tes There's no tiered data plan in the U.S. Phones the go for $300 here with contract can be bought in Europe for next to nothing on plan. Pricing is different and if this doesn't come to a U.S. carrier subsidized, then this thing is going to be over priced for many HERE considering that the Incredible and Evo will avail for $200 or less.
@Tes Just pointing out that all of your reasoning and tiered data plan talk don't apply to us. That means no subsidy for us and high prices. That's all I was saying before and you got your panties in a wad.
Yes, and I'm pointing out that for all YOUR whining, it's not a decision you'd have to ever make (this phone vs a better one for the same price) seeing as it's NOT targeted at you. I don't know why you find that so hard to get.
Let me put it this way...imagine Engadget had an article on the next best tech in heating units. The next generation in green, clean low cost low fuel heating units. The manufacturers claim a saving of $200 on comparable heating systems. Then I trundle along and start bitching that I live in Dubai and that it would cost me way more than $200 to ship this new heating unit out to my home on the outskirts of the dessert completely negating the savings, and proceed to call it a stupid product and a dumb idea.
Would you not point out how ignorant I sounded seeing as the average temperature in about 40 degree Celsius and therefore a heater isn't really targeted at me? Well that's you, moaning that a phone designed for the various mid to low end smartphone markets out side the US doesn't cater to the business practises inside the US.
Wait, wait... I've got it. How about if Engadget agrees to stop reporting on overseas phones, and then we won't have to see these useless debates w/ Europeans and their awesome plans. We get it: your plans are better. We are doing the best we can with president Orwel-, er, Obama.
The Cobra Tag may help you win that losing battle, acting as a Bluetooth device that attaches to your key ring and connects to your phone, it gives you the opportunity to find the missing item if it's less than 30 feet away.
The most commented posts on Engadget over the past 24 hours.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
Not the sure the point of this phone with other higher end androids about unless it's either free on contract or very cheap.
@plbelanger
yeah in magical phone land (ie the us) where you can have anything you like for 200 or under... i wish...
@plbelanger Well, it's going to be free on contract and very cheap on PAYG. The T-Mo Pulse, for example, is £150 PAYG and free on a £15/month contract with unlimited web, and it has a higher specificaton. I'd be unsurprised if this was free at £10/month and under £100 PAYG.
@plbelanger
It WILL be cheap and that IS the point. It's called market segmentation and believe it or not, not everyone in the world is a gadget-obsessed geek with a need for the absolute latest and greatest.
@plbelanger
Those are my questions. Just, why do these devices keep showing up? The only reason to even manufacture a smartphone is to make it better than what is already available. Quit trying to make a cheaper device, manufacturers, The Price Does Not Matter; the service plan requirements dwarf the initial cost! $200, that's pretty much what we've all agreed upon.
@plbelanger
As I've said above, the "point" is that not everything in the world costs the same. We don't all live in communist countries where the School teacher earns the same as the janitor. A guy who can't afford the £300 smartphone may just appreciate the £150 smartphone instead.
Could I ask, seeing as you geniuses know all this already, what large multi-national companies do YOU run, seeing a HTC obviously don't know what they're doing?
@Tes True but your still going to end up paying for a data plan either way. I think most non-techy types would just prefer a dumbphone with no data plan
@plbelanger
And they can buy them...who removed the choice?
The point is there are tiered price plans. I have unlimited data, but I was on a 1gb capped data plan when I first got my Nokia N95. IT wasn't that great on the net and I only used wap sites so that was adequate. Pay as you go tariffs here in the UK often throw in unlimited data as long as you top up a certain amount of voice minutes every month (O2 give you unlimited data and texts every time you top up £10) so a cheaper phone makes sense. Not everyone is going to be constantly connected
@Tes Ah see you are in the UK, things are done differently there. We don't have as many options as you. With the carrier I am on I only have the option of unlimited data and that is it so despite whichever phone I get I'm stuck with that one option.
@plbelanger
Yeah. If you check out the location aware weather widget, it seems this is being shown off in central London, so I have no clue if it'll ever see the light of day in the US. There's a huge market for low cost smartphones here in the UK. My cousin just bought his little sister a cheap Blackberry. All the features of the top spec BB, but pretty much at a throwaway price at the point of sale. They know they'll make their money on data and top ups. Plus these cheaper phones go to teenagers mostly who will eat away at their credit and constantly buy more.
It sometimes works out actually more expensive than having a contract, but with the added security of not being tied to a long term contract, and also most teens would fail the credit check instantly anyway.
@plbelanger
For low/mid end smartphones, if that's all your budget allows, you can do an outright purchase (off contract) and sign with a plan that meets your overall budget. This is how the Europeans and Asians have been enjoying their phones.
For myself, I have an unlimited data plan that's about $30 p/mo. A low/mid end smartphone fits my budget (or rather, my wife set my budget!). It's also much, much cheaper for me to buy something like this phone off-contract and use it on my existing line.
Keep in mind, in the rest of the world, ppl change their phones every 6-14 months (I change every 6-8 months). Can't be done with a 2 yr contract so they pay for handsets outright. My guess is, this is why the low end smartphone segment is the fastest growth segment of the smartphone range (Nokia controlled segment). Even if you're well off, it certainly would suck hard to be paying $600 every 6-14 months for a new top tier phone. 14-24 months is more justifiable to spend that kind of money.
It won't be long before the USA starts in that exact same pattern. We don't see it now because we haven't reached that point yet, so phones like this look out of place in NA. But believe me, there's a huge market for it.
@Tes
There's no tiered data plan in the U.S. Phones the go for $300 here with contract can be bought in Europe for next to nothing on plan. Pricing is different and if this doesn't come to a U.S. carrier subsidized, then this thing is going to be over priced for many HERE considering that the Incredible and Evo will avail for $200 or less.
@Waltah
Lovely...where have they said this would ever see the US?
@Tes
Just pointing out that all of your reasoning and tiered data plan talk don't apply to us. That means no subsidy for us and high prices. That's all I was saying before and you got your panties in a wad.
@Waltah
Yes, and I'm pointing out that for all YOUR whining, it's not a decision you'd have to ever make (this phone vs a better one for the same price) seeing as it's NOT targeted at you. I don't know why you find that so hard to get.
@Waltah
Let me put it this way...imagine Engadget had an article on the next best tech in heating units. The next generation in green, clean low cost low fuel heating units. The manufacturers claim a saving of $200 on comparable heating systems. Then I trundle along and start bitching that I live in Dubai and that it would cost me way more than $200 to ship this new heating unit out to my home on the outskirts of the dessert completely negating the savings, and proceed to call it a stupid product and a dumb idea.
Would you not point out how ignorant I sounded seeing as the average temperature in about 40 degree Celsius and therefore a heater isn't really targeted at me? Well that's you, moaning that a phone designed for the various mid to low end smartphone markets out side the US doesn't cater to the business practises inside the US.
Why would it HAVE to?!
@plbelanger
Wait, wait... I've got it. How about if Engadget agrees to stop reporting on overseas phones, and then we won't have to see these useless debates w/ Europeans and their awesome plans. We get it: your plans are better. We are doing the best we can with president Orwel-, er, Obama.
@steel
um what does obama have to do with this?