Poll: Would you recommend a contract-free iPhone
The math is not particularly compelling. AT&T's new smartphone early termination fee (ETF) is now running at $325, reducing at $10 per month. If I re-up with AT&T, the math becomes a wash after just over 12 months of use. The ETF goes down to $200, the actual price difference between the after-1/1/11 versus the no-commitment. Either way, I'm still under contract for the next 12 months regardless, unless I pay my current $120 ETF -- and I don't particularly want to give up my $30 unlimited data.
What the $600 price tag gives me is the ability to buy a nicely discounted iPhone 5 in June 2011 without all this bother about "am I eligible" or not. It also gives me the option of switching to another carrier at that time without pre-existing commitment, should such a carrier even exist.
The funny thing is this: if AT&T had lowered the after-January-2011 price to, say, $249 or even $299, I would probably just let the simple math sway me. The thing that's actually driving me away from committing to AT&T is the mathematical equivalence between my options -- assuming I want that freedom in June 2011.
If my choice is paying the same but being involved in extending my AT&T commitment versus being free of AT&T entanglement, I'll be honest in saying I'd rather go with the latter.
What do you think? What would you recommend for people like me, who are in the after-January-2011 group? Let us know in this poll and in the comments that follow.
| Go for the $399/$499 price. The FCC may force AT&T to back off on the ETF | |
|---|---|
| Go for the $399/$499 price. The $200 ETF isn't real until next June -- and all bets are off by then. | |
| It's a wash | |
| Pay full price. Who wants to be tied to an AT&T contract? | |
| Something else… I'll tell you in the comments! | |
| I love choosing the "No Answer" option on TUAW polls |
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The iPhone 4 debuts on the 24th of June. I am one of the many users whose upgrade date falls after 1/1/11. Looking at the difference...
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Good luck actually getting that "early upgrade" price. It looks like AT&T has lied to everyone by not mentioning that not ALL existing iPhone owners are eligible for that rate, either. You may or may not be, depending on what those jerks will the rules to be today. They don't document those rules ANYWHERE of course.
AT&T LIES.
Are contract free iPhones unlocked?
June 14 2010 at 4:34 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI would go the the upgrade. The contract may work in your advantage also.
Sprint, verizon and other are also talking about putting in data caps. I seem to remember an article you did were your daughter was going over the 2gb when you researched it. With the contract you are garanteed the 2 year unlimited data.
Also in 2011 when the AT&T contract for the iPhone is up many people might move to another network at that time. This is a good thing for people who remain on AT&T. As others move the AT&T network will become better with less iPhones on it. A win/win if you ask me.
The funny thing about cell companies in the US. As service gets cheaper in some other countries the US based cell companies some how find a way to make it more expensive wih small S*%t like text messaging. This way you can lock rates before they change the way they do business again. I don't see any regulations coming soon from the government.
The $200 ETF will only hit you if in fact you can and choose to get a non-AT&T iPhone in June 2011, whereas the extra $200 for a contract-free iPhone hits you for certain and right now. Validating AT&T's practices may be a tough pill to swallow, but it seems to be the better bet in purely financial terms.
June 11 2010 at 3:32 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI'm going to buy the phone full price when someone out there figures out how to unlock it.
I'm currently on a 2g iphone with Tmo and I use my phone mostly for surfing the net and email, and usually there's a wifi spot somewhere to get connected to if I need higher speeds.
I'm sticking with Tmo only because for 73 bucks I have unlimited everything and I'm not willing to drop 200 for the phone and an extra 50 bucks a month to get 3g on ATT.
There's also the risk that next year's iPhone upgrade just happens to not be very compelling. This notion is what makes me decide to just go for the early upgrade instead of the no-commitment. It would suck to pay more now and then next year finally have a ho-hum iPhone upgrade become available. It sucks to be stuck on the contractual merry-go-round, but do you really honestly believe that any other carrier is any better? I think there's a lot of "grass is greener" thought among people sick of AT&T. All of the carriers suck, not just them. You're also not very likely to find an unlimited data plan on any new carrier now that that particular dam has broken.
June 11 2010 at 3:14 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replyits interesting you are only worried about contract. if you pay 700$ it will still be locked to AT&T! i think if you are going contact free you should also go unlocked factory too, because in this case you will get rid of AT&T at last !!
June 11 2010 at 1:12 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replyi say just leave att. im so over their greed.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/ATTs-data-cap-will-stop-me-buying-iPhone-4-or-downloading-new-apps/131397630219084
We all love iPhone. But now days Android is getting bigger and bigger by day. Because of its choice of supporting hardware, people are going to android. Now with launch of both iPhone 4 and HTC Evo 4G, there will be a war of smartphone. Check this article related to this war.
http://tekfond.com/curiosity/iphone-4-vs-htc-evo-4g/
If you don't want to give up the unlimited date, then pay the 400/500 for the new iphone and sell your old one on ebay.
June 11 2010 at 10:52 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyDeals of the Day
more deals- $15 Apple iTunes Gift Card for $8 for new Saveology customers
- Philips Fidelio Docking Speaker Station for iPhone / iPod for $38 + $6 s&h
- Retro 80's Case for iPhone for $11 + $2 s&h
- HHI 360 Dual-View Stand Case for new iPad w/ $2 credit for $12 + $3 s&h
- HHI ReElegant Smart Cover Companion Case for new iPad from $5 + $3 s&h
- Used Apple iPad 64GB WiFi + 3G for $240 + free shipping
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TUAW (or The Unofficial Apple Weblog) is a website devoted to tips, reviews, news, analysis and opinion on everything Apple.
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