O2 and tales of the expensive iPhone upgrade

[Hands0n]

This was never going to go down quietly. Apple and O2 announced the pricing of their iPhone proposition and the sky fell upon them. Rightly so, some might speculate. For in the time of a significant global recession the cost to upgrade or even to acquire first time is eye-wateringly expensive. There are likely to be very many who will just stand back on this occasion, and fewer still who will take up the new iPhone simply because ...

I am not always an approver of Trusted Reviews articles but I do rather think these two hit the nail on the head and worth spreading around. I'm not convinced that O2/Apple will listen at the outset. In all likelihood they'll wait it out and see how the buying public react.

My own prediction is that O2 will see the public staying away in droves. Expect the stores to experience the non-event of 2009.

Now read on ...



O2 Makes a Mess of iPhone 3G S UK Pricing

The launch of the iPhone 3G S garnered a rather apathetic opinion from me when it launched last night while you guys have seemingly been split down the middle. There is however a new announcement in relation to the handset which we can all agree upon...

O2 has released its pricing for the new Apple phone and it's ludicrous, barmy, batty, recession-timed-madness that makes me so cross I'm going to simply copy and paste in this table to try and cut down on more adjectives.



In short, yes these run in stark contrast to O2's generous iPhone 3G tariffs which appeared one year ago almost to the day. In fact, whereas a flagship 16GB iPhone 3G in 2008 would cost you just £59 on a £45pm 18 month contract now the replacement 32GB flashship iPhone 3G S clocks in at a jaw dropping £175.19 on the same tariff.

Perhaps worst of all are the deals for the 'affordable' 8GB iPhone 3G which supposedly received a 50 per cent price cut yesterday to attract new users into the smartphone sector. Well SUPRISE! O2 hasn't changed the tariff at all and will still charge roughtly £99 (£96.89) for the handset on both £29.38pm and £34.26pm 18 month deals - the exact same rate it launched at 12 months ago. Thanks O2.

Full article appears here --> Trustedreviews (http://www.trustedreviews.com/mobile-phones/news/2009/06/09/O2-Makes-a-Mess-of-iPhone-3G-S-UK-Pricing/p1)


and ....



AT&T Drops iPhone 3G S Upgrade Price, Will O2 Follow?

When it comes to mobile phone costs and tariffs we know the US and UK markets rarely have much in common, but could AT&T have set a precedent here...?

According to The Business Insider, the US telco has relented to a consumer backlash first started on Twitter to make iPhone 3G S upgrades more affordable to existing iPhone 3G owners. Consequently customers will now be able to upgrade from their iPhone 3G to a 3G S for the same $199 (16GB) or $299 (32GB) cost given to new customers without existing contracts.

The catch - there's always a catch - is AT&T is only giving this offer to bigger spenders and refers its customers to "Check Upgrade Options" in its site portal to see how they qualify on an individual basis. Furthermore, the offer will only be available until September for those who do qualify - which seems something of a mess.

So how could this affect the UK? As it stands O2 is already reaping a whirlwind of FAIL for demanding up to £184.98 ($302) for a 16GB iPhone 3G S and £274.23 ($449) for the 32GB edition for new customers. Existing customers need to pay this as well as buying out the remainder of their current contracts plus signing up to a new 18/24 month plan.

The few benefits available now include an O2 'Priority List' which can cut the time you have to wait before you are eligible to upgrade while Carphone Warehouse is giving £100, £170 and £180 cashback for iPhone, iPhone 3G 8GB and iPhone 3G 16GB handsets respectively. Still, with such exorbitant pricing even then it's not the greatest incentive. That said, the same Twitter petition which got AT&T to bend is currently being directed towards O2 (5538 signatures at the time of writing) so could there be hope?

In short: who knows? With the official launch tomorrow O2 may elect to remain quiet for now since stock is likely to be limited anyway. We can tell you one thing though: the network has already scored one major own goal - it would be wise to avoid another...

Full article, pictures and links here --> TrustedReviews (http://www.trustedreviews.com/mobile-phones/news/2009/06/18/AT-T-Drops-iPhone-3G-S-Upgrade-Price--Will-O2-Follow-/p1)


So what do you think? Will O2 follow AT&T or make its own stubborn way? I suppose it all depends upon how O2 think of the current financial situation, can they even afford to sell cheaper, what Apple will allow them to do with the pricing, and whether the British public are financially apathetic or not.

The starting gate goes up tomorrow, 19th June 2009ad

[@NickyColman]

I found out yesterday, once I'd bought my 3GS, that O2 have removed the Unlimited Text Bolt On now. So the only way to get almost get unlimited texts is to sign up for O2's Family Bolt On.

Not impressed! :(

[Ben]

How much will that set you back? How many texts do you reckon you send a month?

[@NickyColman]

@Ben

it's probably 1000+ a month. I have two or 3 friends I text a lot, but not all are on O2. So the Family Bolt on is the same price and you get unlimited calls, texts and picture messages to 4 other people who are part of your Bolt on. (they can also call, text and mms each other unlimited too).

So in order for it to work you need everyone on O2! Grrr

[Ben]

Irritating!

You need to drag everyone you know onto mobile email ;) 'tis pretty much what I did! :D

[@NickyColman]

@Ben

Lmao!:D That aint gonna happen!! It took me long enough to get people to MMS regularly.

I think im just gonna have to get as many people on to O2 as possible. Although i did like the strategically placed 4 Free Sims offer stamped in the centre of the Family Bolt On page LOL!

[Hands0n]

Only slightly related, but prompted by Ben's suggestion ...

On Google Android there are two apps, Messaging and Google Talk (IM), and in use it is hard to discern. Obviously, Messaging uses up your SMS/MMS allowances (on Vodafone that's around 35p per MMS!). But on Google Talk its all across the Internet and no such allowance issues arise (other than any data caps).

In practical use, from HTC Magic to T-Mobile G1 me and the lad exchange Google Talk messages instead of SMS/MMS. It is as instant as the Messaging but of course at no further cost. The beauty is that using Google Talk you can also as instantly contact PC/Mac/Linux-based friends and family.

Incoming Google Talk messages are notified by audio and vibrating alarms of your choice - and so are undiscernable from SMS/MMS messages in that respect. You do not have to have the Google Talk client running, the OS will trigger it if a message is sent to you.

It is all completely seamless in Google Android - definitely the way to go. Of course, with the iPhone's exclusion of background tasking such IM interactivity is impossible.

[@NickyColman]

I suppose with the advent of Apple's Push messaging service, Apps like BeeJive IM will really come into their own replicating the Google Talk integration you talk about!

The problem is, unless you're on a smartphone or PC then it's not a very mobile solution.

[Hands0n]

Ah, thats interesting - I had forgotten about Apple's Push messaging. That will certainly open the doors to a similar kind of integration. I use Palringo right now, mostly because its free and I don't use IM that much, well, I didn't used to :D The practical use of it on Google Android has made me think.

I like the look of BeeJive IM - although at £5.99 it feels a little bit expensive compared to free it does seem to tick all of the right boxes, especially the Push to make things work. But it does seem to rely upon having MobileMe, or am I just reading that incorrectly?

[@NickyColman]

@Hands0n

No, the Apps and Push Messaging are completely independant of MobileMe.

I have BeeJive IM myself (when it was £9.00) and it's one of the most reliable and polished apps out there. It never fails and looks completely . . . Apple? If you get what I mean.

ATM untill Push is out, BeeJive offers an interim solution. It will push any messages you have as emails to your handset which you can then click on the email to open the App back up. It leaves you logged in up to 24 hours at a time. So you really can be on IM all day, on multiple accounts, without even having the app open.

The speed and power of the 3GS really makes opening and closing apps so much quicker and smoother. I heart 3GS

[Hands0n]

Thanks for clearing that bit of el confusiono up :) It did seem a bit of a spoiler to me :eek:

I'm tempted now, sorely tempted.