tOfficial iPhone news and discussion thread

[Trevor Barnes]

Originally Posted by locd32

Quick question, why does the Palm Pre need to cut deep into the iPhone's market share? No phone has before and there are some really successful phones out there currently. Why, in your eyes, does a phone have to cripple Apple to be considered a great and successful phone?

Hey, I wasn't the one that started the thread asking if the Palm Pre was an "iPhone Killer."

[Trevor Barnes]

Originally Posted by spenc119

You really should know better than to use Engadget as a market analysis tool. That poll really has nothing to do with their potential market share, since I will bet that most of the folks who voted iPhone 3GS already own one.

That was simply one unscientific poll. My point was that the Pre isn't likely to steal much of any of the iPhone's current market share despite the angst some are giving the 3GS here. There are several analysts who have said that as well.

Some people seem to think that each new iPhone model needs to cure cancer or something every year. I don't expect them to reinvent the wheel every year. Coming from the 3G there is only a few reasons to upgrade to the 3GS. I'm on a first gen iPhone however, which is who the 3GS is aimed at, not 3G owners. My 2 year contract is just ending whereas 3G owners are far far more likely to upgrade next year when their 2 year contracts are up. Coming from the 1st gen iPhone, there are a considerable amount of upgrades in the 3GS that make it well worth upgrading to...

• 3G
• GPS
• Improved camera with auto-focus
• Video capture with a very easy to use video editor
• 2X as fast as my 1st gen iPhone
• 4X the storage space
• improved battery
• Voice Command
• Compass (not necessary, but could be some interesting Apps that use it)
• Compatibility with the 50,000+ App Store apps out there, and the ones I already own

That's more than enough improvements for a 1st gen iPhone user. See what Apple did there? They don't need to knock the socks off of 3G owners this year who have another year left in their contract and are unlikely to buy a new phone this year. They just need to have enough improvements from the model whose 2 year contract is up to keep people upgrading every couple of years and they've easily kept pace with the competition enough to keep most users from defecting. They've easily done that.

[Trevor Barnes]

[Msudionysus]

The iphone's share of the market is around 10%, they are still outsold by blackberry.

[Mr. Tanfan]

I am so pissed off at Apple. They should have had voice command from the effing get go! I don't want to shell out another 200 bucks to get a phone that should have had a basic service from the beginning.

It's all about forcing you to buy another iphone every two years with these people.

[LanCity]

until apple can prove that, anywhere, it can gain any significant market share they're going to be the mercedes of the technological world... overpriced for what they are and generally propped up by excellent marketing.

[AASpartan]

Originally Posted by LanCity

until apple can prove that, anywhere, it can gain any significant market share they're going to be the mercedes of the technological world... overpriced for what they are and generally propped up by excellent marketing.

I really don't think that the iPhones are overpriced in comparison to other smartphones.

[LanCity]

Originally Posted by AASpartan

I really don't think that the iPhones are overpriced in comparison to other smartphones.

Price is not the biggest obstacle in gaining market share that apple faces with the iphone, I'll give you that... but I know very few professionals who have bought and been able to tolerate theirs.

[AASpartan]

Originally Posted by LanCity

Price is not the biggest obstacle in gaining market share that apple faces with the iphone, I'll give you that... but I know very few professionals who have bought and been able to tolerate theirs.

There are definitely a lot of people in my company that have Blackberries, but those are company provided with a volume pricing agreement.

[LanCity]

Originally Posted by LanCity

Price is not the biggest obstacle in gaining market share that apple faces with the iphone, I'll give you that... but I know very few professionals who have bought and been able to tolerate theirs.

From a business perspective, they HAVE to do this.

Part of the reason I'm not an iPhone user is I refuse to change my provider, I've never heard a positive story about AT&T wireless... especially not in the Lansing area. Not to change the subject, but if they had more than 9% of the market share in computing or 10% as a cell phone maker, I'd believe they were more than just a company that makes MP3 players... until then, thats all I view them as.

That said, they make money by the truck load, so they're not a bad company per se... they just seem to choose to not go for total world domination.

[Ezekiel P. Jebediah]

So without reading all of the fanboy v. anti-fanboy bickering, if I have a 3G and am about 9 months into a 2 year deal and I want the new phone, how much will it cost me (willing to sing a new 2 yr)? TIA.

Also if I am currently having lock-up issues with my current phone and bitch enough, anyone think ATT might hook me with the new one for fwee?

[LanCity]

Originally Posted by AASpartan

There are definitely a lot of people in my company that have Blackberries, but those are company provided with a volume pricing agreement.

yeah... exactly, maybe the business model doesn't fit apple to have a bunch of businesses buying mass quantities of iPhones. I have a Treo that I hate, my wife has a blackberry that she loves... since I only get a new smart phone every two years I tend to go on word of mouth, and people I know that use their iPhone the way I'd need to use it haven't had nice things to say.

[Ezekiel P. Jebediah]

Also - slight gripe w/ ATT...noticed at a couple of playoff hockey games I couldn't check Tigers scores/send text messages during intermission....also was having a hard time sending texts at the bar on Tuesday night. Never had this issue with Verizon...reminded me of tailgating circa '01 and '02 at the tennis courts on my Sprint phones....anyone else notice this? WTF does ATT have traffic issues in 2009?

[AASpartan]

Originally Posted by Ezekiel P. Jebediah

So without reading all of the fanboy v. anti-fanboy bickering, if I have a 3G and am about 9 months into a 2 year deal and I want the new phone, how much will it cost me (willing to sing a new 2 yr)? TIA.

I'm in the same boat. There are some features that I like with the S, but there's a dollar amount that I'd get up to in order to upgrade and I wouldn't mind knowing what that is. Otherwise I'll stick with the 3G.

[Ezekiel P. Jebediah]

Originally Posted by AASpartan

I'm in the same boat. There are some features that I like with the S, but there's a dollar amount that I'd get up to in order to upgrade and I wouldn't mind knowing what that is. Otherwise I'll stick with the 3G.

Bingo. If it's going to be $200, I'll probably do it (assuming I get a job in the next 2 months or so, I guess, probably something I should start considering). If it's going to be $499, forget it.

[AASpartan]

Originally Posted by Ezekiel P. Jebediah

Bingo. If it's going to be $200, I'll probably do it (assuming I get a job in the next 2 months or so, I guess, probably something I should start considering). If it's going to be $499, forget it.

I think that would be cheaper to break your contract and get a new one if that were the case.

[Jim in Atl]

Originally Posted by LanCity

yeah... exactly, maybe the business model doesn't fit apple to have a bunch of businesses buying mass quantities of iPhones. I have a Treo that I hate, my wife has a blackberry that she loves... since I only get a new smart phone every two years I tend to go on word of mouth, and people I know that use their iPhone the way I'd need to use it haven't had nice things to say.

People like me that type a million emails on their blackberry do have a poor experience when they try the iPhone. That is because their used to the keyboard. Switching keyboards has a comfort curve, just like when they got their first blackberry. Also, the BB keyboard has raised keys that actually move when you click them making it easier to realize you are making the correct or incorrect stroke. Not much more to the story.

So I bit the bullet and switched. For me not to carry four devices on vacation [camera, iPod, Verizon Razor, BB] it was worth it.

We could go on about how the BB is really just email in your pocket but as I type I realize this is all old news.....

[Ezekiel P. Jebediah]

Originally Posted by AASpartan

I think that would be cheaper to break your contract and get a new one if that were the case.

I did that w/ Verizon. I wanted the htc touch pro on an upgrade b/c I hated my current phone. I was not eligible for the "new every two" pricing. They wanted $559 for it or some crap. I called them and asked for the new every two pricing, as it would be cheaper for me to terminate and buy an iphone. They offered me something like $50 off. I went to the ATT store the next day and got my 3G.

[Ralph_Wiggum]

Originally Posted by Ezekiel P. Jebediah

So without reading all of the fanboy v. anti-fanboy bickering, if I have a 3G and am about 9 months into a 2 year deal and I want the new phone, how much will it cost me (willing to sing a new 2 yr)? TIA.

Also if I am currently having lock-up issues with my current phone and bitch enough, anyone think ATT might hook me with the new one for fwee?

You'll have to pay the full price since you're still 15 months away from you're current deal from expiring. $499 (8GB), $599 (16GB), or $699 (32GB).

Now there are some ways around it if the manager at the att store is cool. Most iphone fanatics are selling their 3g, but not me. I have about 18 months left on my contract. You can sell your old 3g the help defray the costs.

[tuff bob]

If you have the 2G iPhone or a 3G iPhone that's not upgraded to 2.2.1, its still pretty valuable since they can be unlocked - you will come out pretty well in that case

Even if its at 2.2.1, it might still be downgradable unless you bought it fairly recently.

[PortlandSpartan]

Originally Posted by Msudionysus

The iphone's share of the market is around 10%, they are still outsold by blackberry.

Not necessarily a fair comparison. iPhone is one model on one provider. And until now, at a premium price. BB is at least a half dozen models and all providers with but one or two of those models at a premium price.

The share Apple has gobbled up in 2yrs is pretty impressive.

[Jim in Atl]

Originally Posted by Ezekiel P. Jebediah

I did that w/ Verizon. I wanted the htc touch pro on an upgrade b/c I hated my current phone. I was not eligible for the "new every two" pricing. They wanted $559 for it or some crap. I called them and asked for the new every two pricing, as it would be cheaper for me to terminate and buy an iphone. They offered me something like $50 off. I went to the ATT store the next day and got my 3G.

Me too.

[tuff bob]

Originally Posted by PortlandSpartan

The share Apple has gobbled up in 2yrs is pretty impressive.

And I'm going to guess a lot of those people buy the iPhone as their first smartphone. Blackberry's are all about corporate email/calendaring, not something that necessarily appeals to a lot of personal users.

Now a phone with a great mobile browser, a built in video/audio media player with integrated music and app store ... that's a much more appealing play. And add on the top its Apple cool.

[Log Jammin]

Originally Posted by tuff bob

If you have the 2G iPhone or a 3G iPhone that's not upgraded to 2.2.1, its still pretty valuable since they can be unlocked - you will come out pretty well in that case

Even if its at 2.2.1, it might still be downgradable unless you bought it fairly recently.

What would the unlocking do? Different networks?

[tuff bob]

Originally Posted by Log Jammin

What would the unlocking do? Different networks?

correct. Only T-Mobile in the USA though, and then not 3G. But it does increase the value.