Upgrading to Iphone Version 3.0

[JohnnyG238]

I just had a scary thought...Will we be able to upgrade to version 3 when it comes out next summer at the subsidized pricing? The reason I say this is because version 1 was not subsidized so ATT lost no money when you came in to upgrade your plan to a 3G phone. You just signed a new 2 year contract. However, if you go into the store in a year to get a new phone they will potentially lose one year of cellular fees unless they make you wait one more year or charge you unsubsidized pricing on the phone. This is another reason I hate 2 year contracts!!!

[MileHighRob]

Actually they won't lose any money because they make you turn around and sign another two year contract. We hadn't fulfilled our original two year agreement from the first iPhones we purchased last year when the 3G came out and they allowed us to purchase the new phone with a new contract. I don't understand how you think AT&T is losing money. They are just simply extending contracts and retaining customers for a longer time frame.

[JohnnyG238]

You obviously didn't read my post carefully. The first iPhone was NOT subsidized...ie ATT did not pay any money to lower the cost. YOU paid the full amount ie 399 or 499 when you bought the phone. Now they ARE subsidizing the price by paying the difference. That way you only pay 199 and 299 instead of 399 and 499. By subsidizing they are trying to entice buyers to get the phone. That $200 that ATT is paying for the price difference they want to make up over two years. They didn't have to make up any money with the first generation.

[MileHighRob]

Yeah, you're right, I didn't read your first post carefully.

Although I think Apple takes the hit as well. I don't think it was exclusively AT&T's decision to sell the 3g at a subsidized price. I'm certain AT&T's price on each unit was discounted accordingly as well. I believe this is why Apple had virtually all of the inventory coming out of the gate. Their (Apple) profit margin was smaller on the units they sold to AT&T vs. the ones they sold directly to consumers.

Anyway, regardless of the retail price, I'll definitely be in line come iDay3. :wink:

[monkeysrock0622]

Well, it is possible that Apple and AT&T could have some kind of agreement that as long as the subsidized phone you had was the iPhone 3G, you can still get the new one at the subsized price.

[paa79594]

And are we even sure to see a third iPhone next summer....
http://www.macnn.com/articles/08/08/22/apple.45m.iphone.3g.target/

[JohnnyG238]

Sure. Why not? They project 39 million by next summer. But how many cellphone are out now? How many people upgrade just to have the latest and greatest? I am sure there will be millions of 3G phone owners who will stand in line to purchase version 3.0 next summer. I don't think they would do anything except upgrade antenna, maybe change form factor a little, maybe upgrade camera, and increase memory. Just my two cents worth next to nothing...

[Lincoln]

This is the main reason I didn't get a 3G. The way I see it, iPhone 3G was made to draw in new customers, not to convince V1 iPhone owners to upgrade. The next iPhone will be designed to both draw in new customers and convince V1 iPhone/iPhone 3G owners to upgrade, as it will likely be the one to be feature packed. I want to be eligible, and by then, my original contract will be up.

[mcaram16]

With all the bad publicity apple is getting right now (class action law suit) because of the 3G phone not really living up to all the hype...i can't imagine them releasing another phone next year until this one is running flawlessly for a while! Imagine selling what 12 million phones and 6 million of the owners have some kind of major problem with the phone! Especially if they can't rectify this 3G issue with a software upgrade for every 3G iphone owner...can you imagine recalling 12 million phones to replace a bad chip??? No way another phone comes out next summer! Obviously this i all my opinion...and the 3G chip maker says the chip is perfectly fine...but who knows what will happen in the next few months.

[gotzaiPhone]

well, what you have to remember is that AT&T allows the primary account holder to upgrade every 12 months. This is only true for the name on the account and before anyone calls BS, I've done it 4 years running now. For your second, third, fourth and so on people on your account, they have to wait the 18 to 22 months or what ever it is to upgrade.... UNLESS, they agree to this little known upgrade plan. My wife used this, any secondary user can upgrade ONCE after 12 months if the new contract they get into, they agree that they cannot upgrade again for the full 24 months. Its confusing, I know, but I've been through it.

[JohnnyG238]

ATT = punks for not letting me pay more money on the front end to sign a one year contract versus 2 year. Verizon lets me do this...why not ATT.

[acosmichippo]

With all the bad publicity apple is getting right now (class action law suit) because of the 3G phone not really living up to all the hype...i can't imagine them releasing another phone next year until this one is running flawlessly for a while! Imagine selling what 12 million phones and 6 million of the owners have some kind of major problem with the phone! Especially if they can't rectify this 3G issue with a software upgrade for every 3G iphone owner...can you imagine recalling 12 million phones to replace a bad chip??? No way another phone comes out next summer! Obviously this i all my opinion...and the 3G chip maker says the chip is perfectly fine...but who knows what will happen in the next few months.

i don't follow your logic... all those are reasons why i'd abandon ship on 3G, and start working to get a new model out ASAP.

[Elbacanazo920]

This is the main reason I didn't get a 3G. The way I see it, iPhone 3G was made to draw in new customers, not to convince V1 iPhone owners to upgrade. The next iPhone will be designed to both draw in new customers and convince V1 iPhone/iPhone 3G owners to upgrade, as it will likely be the one to be feature packed. I want to be eligible, and by then, my original contract will be up.

I completely agree with this idea, that is why I myself Am sticking to V1, Fighting the urge for 3G but I'll be able to hold off.

[acosmichippo]

fighting the urge... Wow, cuz I'm not interested at all. With all of the reception issues, I'm content to hold off. Plus, I like my aluminum case.

[JohnnyG238]

yeah, i have been playing the waiting game. But in the tech world, everything moves so fast. You could wait the rest of your life because there will ALWAYS be improvements. I think I will end up biting the bullet and getting the 3G. How much is the early term fee with ATT? If i don't like it after a year will will just cancel the contract. I wonder how much it affects your credit?

[Lincoln]

I'm tempted by the design - not the material, but the look. Charleston, however, doesn't have great 3G coverage, and a buddy of mine at school showed me his and there's already a crack on it.

[dturner]

Charleston, however, doesn't have great 3G coverage,
I thought I read somewhere the other day that it was coming soon???

[Sagacious1]

I just had a scary thought...Will we be able to upgrade to version 3 when it comes out next summer at the subsidized pricing? The reason I say this is because version 1 was not subsidized so ATT lost no money when you came in to upgrade your plan to a 3G phone. You just signed a new 2 year contract. However, if you go into the store in a year to get a new phone they will potentially lose one year of cellular fees unless they make you wait one more year or charge you unsubsidized pricing on the phone. This is another reason I hate 2 year contracts!!!
I am eligible for an automatic upgrade to 3G simply because I have an activated first gen iPhone--either through ATT or Apple.

[Lincoln]

I thought I read somewhere the other day that it was coming soon???

It has it - I think they brought in June - but it's very spotty and not too strong.

[Voltaic Shock]

good to know about the 12 month thing for re primary holder. I will most likely upgrade and just sell my 3g one or give it to my wife

[bearon1]

If you renew you contract after one year of an existing contract, is that two years from the date you renew or two years after the old contract? Do you know what's it cost to buy out of the contract if you want to drop it ?

[jarofclay73]

I predict that IF a new iPhone comes out next summer, it will be a SECOND iPhone model directed at "power users."
Apple would discontinue the 8GB 3G and use the 16GB 3G as its consumer model. The new one would have:
32GB onboard memory
4MP camera, flash, autofocus, 4x optical zoom
Video recording
Video conference camera
Voice recognition
By this time, software for turn by turn nav, cut & paste, flash, and even video recording would have been implemented.
The newer iPhone would be the multimedia iPhone.
The 16GB iPhone could move down to $199 but I wouldn't be surprised if the multimedia iPhone would be prices at $399 (which is where the 16GB v1 ended up).

[tonyj81]

I don't really see anyone losing money cause if you think it costs AT&T the same amount of money to keep your service running versus what you pay to have it your wrong. Typically I believe money is lost on any phone when purchased at subsidized pricing but more than made up on the plan. So either way new iPhone or not Boone is really losing any money.

[trnsilver]

Was going to start a new thread but figured this one was good enough...

If you guys had to put a % on the chances a new iPhone came out next summer, what would that be? Like others, I declined to upgrade to the 3G because I didn't want to sign a new contract and get a subsidized price on it before turning around and paying full price on a possible V3 phone just a year later.

I was a late adopter of the V1 but didn't have a choice at the time because there had been no announcements of the new one and I really needed a new phone. Kind of a tough spot to be in.

[iHuman]

Was going to start a new thread but figured this one was good enough...

If you guys had to put a % on the chances a new iPhone came out next summer, what would that be? Like others, I declined to upgrade to the 3G because I didn't want to sign a new contract and get a subsidized price on it before turning around and paying full price on a possible V3 phone just a year later.

I was a late adopter of the V1 but didn't have a choice at the time because there had been no announcements of the new one and I really needed a new phone. Kind of a tough spot to be in.


I would say 100%, just like all iPods and Computers. I have used Mac products for a very long time, and this is the usual from Apple. I also held out on the 3G knowing that Apple's 3rd generation is always a big boost from 1 and 2. I look forward to seeing what happens with this in the upcoming months.

[Indy]

Was going to start a new thread but figured this one was good enough...

If you guys had to put a % on the chances a new iPhone came out next summer, what would that be? Like others, I declined to upgrade to the 3G because I didn't want to sign a new contract and get a subsidized price on it before turning around and paying full price on a possible V3 phone just a year later.

I was a late adopter of the V1 but didn't have a choice at the time because there had been no announcements of the new one and I really needed a new phone. Kind of a tough spot to be in.

I would have to agree with ihuman since he seems experienced and all but truthfully it's going to be a whirlwind of speculation and guessing and the ever so famous "leaked photos" in the weeks before wwdc just as it was this past year.

Noone truly knows until "the" day. I've had fun the past years just keeping up with and reading all the stories of what will it be, it keeps things interesting and frustrating at the same time. :tounge: (oh and I take that back, someone knows, SJ and his engineers but that's probably about it.)

[TarekElsakka]

Two words, SCREW AT&T.

[jarofclay73]

I knew about the 3G long before the official announcement. So, I held off buying the v1. I even told the guys at my local AT&T store that the next iPhone was going to be 3G and cost $200. They were rolling their eyes at me. ;)

There will be rumblings and rumors of the next iPhone months before the official announcement.

[TarekElsakka]

I knew about the 3G long before the official announcement. So, I held off buying the v1. I even told the guys at my local AT&T store that the next iPhone was going to be 3G and cost $200. They were rolling their eyes at me. ;)

There will be rumblings and rumors of the next iPhone months before the official announcement.

How did you know? Do you have any relatives working at Apple or what? lol.

[TSheridan330]

I distinctly remember that the 3g subsidized price was availabe to people with the upgrade OR if you were a current iPhone user. If that trend continues none of us should have a problem.

[dturner]

I distinctly remember that the 3g subsidized price was availabe to people with the upgrade OR if you were a current iPhone user. If that trend continues none of us should have a problem.
You have to keep in mind though that the V1 was not a subsidized phone. The 3G is, so there COULD be a 18 mo. waiting period before being eligible. I do hope I am wrong though.

[danipoak]

I haven't purchased the 3g yet either since I am perfectly happy with my v1 and I am hoping for big improvements on a V3 (better camera, cut and paste, more storage, perhaps changes in the OS layout) Those are all just ideas floating around my head. I hope they come out with one this summer. The big question I have now is my initial warranty runs out in about 2 weeks, I can't decide if I should fork out the money for the apple care extended warranty or just pray that this phone holds out till the summer.