The $3,000 iPhone
March 2nd, 2007
We all know that the long expected iPhone was announced under a price of $499 for the 4GB model and $599 for the 8GB one. Chris Seibold from Apple Matters analyzed the expenses of owning an iPhone, and the results multiples the cost of the phone by 5.
In case you want to review the list yourself, or in case you’re thinking of purchasing an iPhone, here it is.
Cingular (AT&T) service: $39.99 (450 min) to $199.99 (6000 min)
Bluetooth earpiece: $50
Data package: $20-$50
Getting out of your current contract: $200.00
Car charger: $40
Case: $50
So for a two years contract, he evaluated the expenses all the way up to just a bit over $3,000, all the expenses included. Please do read that again. $3,000. So the iPhone is going to cost a bunch but it will be worth it; the complaints about the virtual keyboard and the comparisons to the Newton are specious. If the iPhone functions half as effortlessly as it did in the Steve Jobs demo, the experience will be worth every penny.
“Wow, the iPhone is going to cost a ton; that is more than Steve Jobs makes in a millennium! Of course, no one would buy an iPhone if the total cost was demanded up front so, thankfully, Cingular will let you pay for the thing in monthly contractually obligated payments. It can’t possibly be worth the thousands just for the glory of using an iPhone, can it?“
So, how badly do you want an iPhone?
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Comments
Who the heck buys a bluetooth headpiece? How homosexual is that? Are you too lazy to hold the phone to your ear? If you have to make payments to pay for a phone, the phone isn’t worth it. It’s a great phone, but not worth it. Once it drops in price and adds more memory and I have money to blow, I’ll think about getting one.
A bluetooth earpiece is a handy add-on to any phone, not necessarily gay. I always tend to get annoyed by that clam and wire from the regular hands-free.
Apple already anounced that a bluetooth headset is included with the iPhone - so make it $2950… Also, your current cell phone isn’t that cheap either - since no matter what you have to pay for the minutes/plan so why all the worry/hype over a number that doesn’t really mean anything.
Hey Yep? Nothing annoys me more than watching a person talk to themselves, and a hidden bluetooth headphone does a great job of that.
But depending on what you do, it can be a smartphone owner’s best friend (yeah yeah, Mr. Jobs, iPhone is not a smartphone, I know.)
Where I live there’s laws that have been passed, or are being passed that it’s illegal to hold a phone to your ear while driving. As a delivery driver like I was, a hands-free solution is manditory. Also, did you ever use a smartphone on a hot, sunny day? Try to take a phone call without sweating on your screen, a huge pain, and it can damage your phone. So there’s reasons.
As far as walking around ignoring the world while you talk to the voices in your head, that is a bit obnoxious.
Do somebody knows if i can use the iPhone (Version 1.0) in Europe also? What is the basic charges for AT&T per month? Can i buy the iPhone in usa without domicile in America? Thanks for answer. bye
It won’t cost me $3,000 over two years. I calculate it this way:
$500 - 4gb iPhone
$75 - activation fee (at&t)
$1440 - 2 years service (450 mins/data included)
$2015 - total cost over 2 years
Plus, the iPhone saves energy
Hi Save and Conserve,
Bogdan’s figure included a few bells and whistles which some cellphone users would consider a required accessory such as a bluetooth earpiece. I recently posted a figure similar to your own after the AT&T monthly rates were announced.
JB
Haha, after a few months it all seems unrealistic ;)