Comments on: An iPhone upgrade rant

By: Mike Harder

Mike Harder — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:00:53 +0000

Ha Ha. Ben I never figured you would get bitter at the release of a new iPhone. Don’t worry I have been busy dropping my 1st Gen iPhone every chance I get so that I can convince my wife I need the new one. I guess I have fallen prey to the new shiny toy. Have fun at the beach! See you Sunday at the Hills.

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:26:01 +0000

Here’s a good article from iLounge about this very topic… which is a VERY hot topic right now.

http://bit.ly/6FUve

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:19:19 +0000

Cultural vs. Human.

The answer, I believe, is a little of both. Culturally, we want the next best thing, and we realize that as technology progresses, it should drop in price. “We” feel entitled. None more so than the hard-core followers of Apple. As Humans, we have tendencies leaning toward trying to be the “alpha male/female”. This can manifest in trying to “lead the pack” in whatever way possible, including technology.

By: Bekah

Bekah — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:11:14 +0000

Its cool…I have already gone through like three of the new iphones, and they haven’t even been released yet… But when i found out that it wouldn’t clean my kitchen for me i just threw it away… jeez…we’ve put a man on the moon and my phone can’t even clean my kitchen!!! WTF??

By: Patrick Drury

Patrick Drury — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:40:48 +0000

“why do I feel like I need a new phone after less than two years if the one I currently have works perfectly?”

Well, because it’s not just a new phone, it’s a different phone. Since the first iPhone came out people have been wondering why they didn’t have video. The inclusion of a video camera to this model marks it as something people have been asking for for some time now. If you’ve got the money and want to upgrade for the new features I don’t think that’s all that strange.

By: benstewart

benstewart — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:43:21 +0000

@illWill – Great point. I hadn’t even considered the price discrepancy between the first iPhone and the iPhone 3G.

@Scott & @Josh – This is probably just one turn in the iPhone cycle. Apple will continue to release new products and people will go crazy to get early upgrades complaining about what it takes to do so. Is this a cultural thing or a human thing?

@Kat – I agree that cell phone contracts aren’t all that great to begin with (paying for text plans AND data… really?!). However, if a person willingly agrees to the contract then they cannot expect the company to change the rules before that contract expires just so the customer can get a newer toy for less money. Why would AT&T pay for half of my phone to keep me as a customer? (Even better, why do I feel like I need a new phone after less than two years if the one I currently have works perfectly?)

Also, AT&T does offer a contract-free plan with an iPhone. It just costs more money than the plan with a contract. The general population feels “entitled” to the $199-299 iPhone pricing regardless of their circumstances. It is as if these are the standard prices and the other prices (upgrade price and contract-free price) are inflated instead of the other way around. Those are the “standard” prices for the device and the new customer price is discounted.

By: The Secret Life of Kat

The Secret Life of Kat — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:27:35 +0000

First of all I’m not with AT&T nor am I planning to get the latest and greatest iPhone.

BUT…I do have an issue with cell phone companies focusing on new customers instead of existing ones. Why can’t current customers simply extend their contract to get upgrade pricing by adding 2 years to their contract?

It’s almost as if they don’t care about customers once they have them on contract.

My 2 cents.

By: Josh

Josh — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:59:26 +0000

Stated perfectly. Though us with the original phone that want to upgrade to the 3Gs are going to be in the same boat next year when Apple release an even better phone. LOL.

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:24:07 +0000

Here here! Amen!

I was “lucky enough” to not have bought the iPhone 3G, and now I’m glad. I already ordered my iPhone 3G S and am (impatiently) waiting for next Friday for it to be delivered.

Will Apple put out a new handset next year? It’s possible. Will I be sad that I might not be able to get it? Who knows. But, like you said (in different terms), I made my bed, so now I’m going to sleep in it.

By: illWil

illWil — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:23:25 +0000

This is the same thing that i say. What people need to realize that AT&T had to do it the first time, think about it so many people got screwed the first time around it wasn’t even funny. Apple had the nerve to release a phone with edge only, no mms, no copy and paste feature, and charge a whopping $499 or $599 pricing even with a 2-year contract. I love apple, but how dumb of consumer do you have to be to realize this was not a great deal and to the ones who bought the first iphone you should not be allowed to run anything as a leader.