iPhone too expensive for UK market and unlocked in Germany
MacNN has a good article on the iPhone being too expensive for UK market which I couldn't agree with more.
When Apple brought the iPhone to the UK it seems they didn't do any research on our mobile/cell phone market. They took the model they used in the USA and moved it over here. For anyone not familiar with our model its simple.
- No phone (with contract) costs over £200 ($400), My Nokia N95 cost £70 this year when I renewed my contract. The iPhone is £269.
- The more expensive the contract the cheaper the phone. For example my N95 on a £20 per month contract would of been about £199. If I went for a £40 contract the phone would be free. The iPhone is £269 regardless of contract price.
- 80-90% of all contracts are for 12 months. I know that companies are bringing in 18 months but it's not de-facto for now
- UK is on 3G
Its because of these reasons that everyone I know isn't keen on getting one. Actually the reason most of my friends are quoting is, "it'll be free with a contract soon". Or "it'll be on Vodafone next year", little do they know O2 have a 5 year contract to sell the iPhone in the UK.
The reason I'm not getting one (and I am so sorely tempted) is that this also isn't a new Apple product. 2nd generation models will be out year, expect a new model come Q3 or Q4 at the very latest. Just as the U.S contracts are running out. And that no doubt will have 3G and all the other feature that anyone could need.
Though I don't doubt that iPhone will do well and I suppose that my point is that they could of done so much better.
BTW there is still a chance that running an unlocked iPhone might not be breaking the law afterall! After Vodafone obtained a restraining order against T-Mobile over they iPhone selling practices it looks like T-Mobile will actually sell unlocked iPhones in Germany
no 3G on iPhone, bah not worth it
price? wow huge, not worth it
etc...
so I went for a N95 on 12 months contract,
and yeah the phone was free
but I deeply regret it
honest, I should have waited few months and just buy the iPhone
on contract and yeah paid the price of the device too
ultimately it would have been a much much better experience
now that I got an ulocked iPhone, I can compare and here some thoughts
so for the price of the phone, it definitively worth it as it's not only a phone
it's an iPod too, just that single feature of being able to listen to music
and have it fade out when someone call you is a killer must have feature
and I can guarantee I'll never switch back
3G on a N95 work great, I tested and used it a lot, even in a middle
of a big lake, being able to get 400K speed is quite nice,
but there is a catch, the data plan,
it's pretty easy to get screwed big time by the data plan
or lack of it depending on the carrier you're using,
afaik only one UK carrier provide a good one T-mobile;
basically what I'm saying is only an unlimited data plan is worthy
if you plan to use 3G, if you're on a limited data plan (what most of the carrier propose by default)
and if you're a powerfull user be prepared to have a huge bill that would
certainly cover the cost of few iPhones.
Yeah 3G is overrated, the technology is there in europe, not the data plan!
Also if I go to compare a N95 head to head with an iPhone,
the iPhone win on many points, here are few of them:
- camera, N95 (4MP) / iPhone (2MP)
based on that the N95 look better, but wait
when you're taking pictures you need storage
N95 got a mere 512MB, iPhone got 8GB
(yeah I know a N95 8GB do exist for that same reason)
put on top of that the software to take pictures, etc.
sorry the iPhone win
- battery life
if I use a little too much my N95 I almost need to recharge it
after 4/6h of use, and that is really frustrating,
I can play all day long with the iPhone and I still have battery
when I get home.
the culprit ? 3G, even if you don't use it
and I will stop there as it's already a way too long comment :)
note that i don't say the iPhone is perfect, comparing to the N95,
I can see a lot of room for improvement, like custom app,
life on a non unlocked iPhone must be a little flat, but
the user experience is definitively there and I think for a good price.