Speculation and Rumors on upcoming phones, part 2

[cookedgoose]

Got a source? Not calling BS, but something a little more concrete is always nice.

[QE2]

I won't believe it until Tim Cook or an official Apple or VM press release says it.

[martin_j001]

....and we have a thread for speculation, rumors, etc. Which this most certainly is. Threads merged.

[billm261]

VMUSA contract? Oooo... can't wait to lock into terrible coverage and slow, buggy data!

I highly doubt there would be a contract. How VM operates in Canada or the other affiliates overseas is not relevant.

It would be interesting to know just how much Sprint actually pays for the iPhone4.
Sent from my Infuse 4G

[primetechv2]

I highly doubt there would be a contract. How VM operates in Canada or the other affiliates overseas is not relevant.

It would be interesting to know just how much Sprint actually pays for the iPhone4.
Sent from my Infuse 4G

You are aware how much Apple is pocketing when it comes to the iPhone at the expense of consumers, sellers, and manufacturers... right? Poor Sprint. Poor...us.

$400 for a dated device though? I'll buy two.

[1cewolf]

Didn't VM send out a survey a while back that asked about if and how we'd pay for a really expensive phone? If the iPhone rumors are true, this is probably what they were getting at.

It also probably means that my dream of seeing a dual-core Android phone on VM will stay just that for quite a while. Why bother when you can just sell the iPhone and make big bucks?

[Joe12304]

VMUSA contract? Oooo... can't wait to lock into terrible coverage and slow, buggy data!

I remember when VM DID have a contract option. Man I'm old.

[J Wireless]

It would be interesting to know just how much Sprint actually pays for the iPhone4.
Sent from my Infuse 4G

I forgot the figures about the iPhone 4, but the figures about the 4s said that it cost around $200-230 to make the phone. The problem is Apple charges carriers about $600-650 per phones. That's why it's said that carriers won't see a profit on an 24 month contract until month 22. If Apple gives a price break for taking old phones and putting them on prepaid, it might be worth a shot. If not, the phones will be priced too high for the prepaid market. The real question should be what will people pay more for, an iPhone or 4G on prepaid?

[Leslieann]

That's why it's said that carriers won't see a profit on an 24 month contract until month 22.

There is simply no way they don't see a profit until month 22.

[primetechv2]

There is simply no way they don't see a profit until month 22.

The only people who see a profit are Apple shareholders. And if you look at previous posts you'll see why. Virgin Mobile has absolutely no incentive to sell an overpriced and overhyped brand to its prepaid subscribers.

Sent from my N860 using Tapatalk

[billm261]

You are aware how much Apple is pocketing when it comes to the iPhone at the expense of consumers, sellers, and manufacturers... right? Poor Sprint. Poor...us.

$400 for a dated device though? I'll buy two.

It doesn't matter how much Apple pockets, it's totally irrelevant.
I'd much rather pay 400 for a dated iPhone4 which works flawlessly out of the box than 300 for a dated, overpriced, buggy Triumph.

The only people who see a profit are Apple shareholders. And if you look at previous posts you'll see why. Virgin Mobile has absolutely no incentive to sell an overpriced and overhyped brand to its prepaid subscribers.

Apple is simply riding on the demand for its products and if people are willing to pay for it what's wrong with that?
It's no different with their iPad, Lap Top, Desktop products etc.

With roughly 84% of iPhone users (vs 60% on Android) stating they would buy another is pretty compelling evidence.

"If" the pricing for an iPhone 4 could come in under 399.00 there very well may be score of people willing to pay for it.
Have you ever seen what they sell for on Craigslist or eBay?

I take no position on what is better but I do think they are a very well built and designed product that just seem to work out of the box with no hacks or modifications needed.

One could argue that you may as well go postpaid for 99.00 and use the 300 to offset the higher plan price but sadly in today's economy there are scores of consumers that postpaid is not an option.

[primetechv2]

It doesn't matter how much Apple pockets, it's totally irrelevant.
I'd much rather pay 400 for a dated iPhone4 which works flawlessly out of the box than 300 for a dated, overpriced, buggy Triumph.

> irrelevant
I'd say it's relevant when it's behind Sprint's financial woes, and the reason prepaid won't touch it due to its high price.

> buggy
Compare the iPhone to the Marquee then, or at least recall antennagate.

> flawless
That's just downright biased.

[billm261]

> irrelevant
I'd say it's relevant when it's behind Sprint's financial woes, and the reason prepaid won't touch it due to its high price.

> buggy
Compare the iPhone to the Marquee then, or at least recall antennagate.

> flawless
That's just downright biased.

It's only one component of stress on Sprints current financial condition. Add to it the cost of it's current EVDO capacity & speed upgrades, network vision initiative, Clearwire, as well as it's high cost of borrowing due to junk bond status and it's not hard to see why they are where they are.

Even Verizon and AT&T took a hit on it's margins due to the 4s but at least they had margins to hit.

All it would take is for Sprint to re box (or order new packaging) for the phones they are already under obligation to buy. There's no risk there above what has been already established.

If Metro PCS can sell a 349.99 phone I'm sure there will be buyers for the iPhone4 @ under 399.99. Why won't prepaid touch it? Because prepaid customers are too cheap or can't afford it? I may have bought into that a few years ago but seeing what people are paying for phones to be able to use ST BYO SIM, T-Mobile prepaid, and other MVNO carriers refute that. Actually, GSM devices seem to be commanding good money and getting harder to come by around here.

I never owned a Marquee but have owned 3 iPhones (3GS GSM4 CDMA4) and 3 Triumphs. The later of which shouldn't be put on the same shelf space. It may not be the OS of your choice but is accordong to the numbers and many with insane loyalty. The death grip issue is still being debated as over rated.

And no, it's not biased. You buy an iPhone and it works out of the box. No need to root it to make it work half way decent.
I'm partial to Android and all we can do with them but the vast majority of consumers simply do not care. They want to buy something and use it.

[vmobi]

It's only one component of stress on Sprints current financial condition. Add to it the cost of it's current EVDO capacity & speed upgrades, network vision initiative, Clearwire, as well as it's high cost of borrowing due to junk bond status and it's not hard to see why they are where they are.

Even Verizon and AT&T took a hit on it's margins due to the 4s but at least they had margins to hit.

All it would take is for Sprint to re box (or order new packaging) for the phones they are already under obligation to buy. There's no risk there above what has been already established.

If Metro PCS can sell a 349.99 phone I'm sure there will be buyers for the iPhone4 @ under 399.99. Why won't prepaid touch it? Because prepaid customers are too cheap or can't afford it? I may have bought into that a few years ago but seeing what people are paying for phones to be able to use ST BYO SIM, T-Mobile prepaid, and other MVNO carriers refute that. Actually, GSM devices seem to be commanding good money and getting harder to come by around here.

I never owned a Marquee but have owned 3 iPhones (3GS GSM4 CDMA4) and 3 Triumphs. The later of which shouldn't be put on the same shelf space. It may not be the OS of your choice but is accordong to the numbers and many with insane loyalty. The death grip issue is still being debated as over rated.

And no, it's not biased. You buy an iPhone and it works out of the box. No need to root it to make it work half way decent.
I'm partial to Android and all we can do with them but the vast majority of consumers simply do not care. They want to buy something and use it.

Until the next iPhone 5 is launched Sprint prepaid will be limited to an iPhone 4. After the iPhone 5 is introduced then Sprint prepaid will offer the iPhone 4s. It would be no surprise to see them launch the iPhone 4 on VM and then see the iPhone 4s on Boost within a few months.

I would rather see the new iPad on VM's BB2Go service.

Sent from my HTC_A510c using HowardForums

[primetechv2]

lAnd no, it's not biased. You buy an iPhone and it works out of the box. No need to root it to make it work half way decent.

By "work out of the box" you must specify -- to even run it you have to divulge personal information, and to install any app, even free ones, you must have a credit card handy. I would hardly call that statement accurate... A bit like Apple advertising, but not accurate.

And, naturally, a credit card is probably the last thing somebody who's jumped on prepaid for certain unspecified conditions, should be using. Possibly that's one of the reasons Virgin Mobile has chosen the Android platform- you don't need to have a credit card to use it.

I would rather see the new iPad on VM's BB2Go service.

Again though, hardware is awfully expensive. Why wouldn't they just remake the Peel for the iPad and use the delightful Peel plan they already have in place? Let prepaid users blunder into spending all the money on the device themselves.