The real price of an unsubsidized iPhone 3G

**gadgetmonger** · 06-12-2008, 02:50 PM

Here is an interesting find on Engadget. They managed to take a look at the unsubsidized prices for the iPhone 3G in Europe and it is astounding. The cost is about 499/€569 ($773/$881) which is roughly about P34,500/P39,500 for the 8GB and 16GB models respectively. Although alarming, it is a price you would expect from a smartphone of similar specs.

Engadget link:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/12/u...569-in-europe/

**Sponsor** · 06-12-2008 02:50 PM

**jaijin** · 06-12-2008, 02:57 PM

Well, that's right. NOKIA releases such expensive phones and depreciate faster that Sony Ericsson introduce new models. And even the 1st gen iPhones cost 60K when it first came out sa Greenhills, then went down to 42K after a few weeks. but actually, the iPhone's price is going up again.

**rafaelc378** · 06-12-2008, 04:41 PM

He's not talking about price depreciation.

He's talking about the cost price of the 3G iPhone. If the telcos weren't subsidizing the iPhone, this is how much you would pay to get one.

**itnetad** · 06-12-2008, 04:44 PM

I'd rather stick with my first gen iPhone thats too overpriced

**rdy0329** · 06-12-2008, 06:01 PM

At least please make it unlocked?

**aragorn_109** · 06-12-2008, 06:25 PM

This was just based on the pricing of one telecom company which happened to be based in a high-end country such as Italy. To label it as the "real price" of an unsubsidized 3G iPhone seems premature. Definitely it's higher than the $199/$299 but should probably not reach $773/$881. Let's wait for the prepaid schemes of the other companies from around the world.

I think the violent reactions are coming from all over because most people thought the $199/$299 pricing scheme is similar to the 1st Gen iPhone ($399/$499) in which you could simply pick it up from an Apple Store and choose not to activate it. But that's not the case here.

**gadgetmonger** · 06-12-2008, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by aragorn_109

This was just based on the pricing of one telecom company which happened to be based in a high-end country such as Italy. To label it as the "real price" of an unsubsidized 3G iPhone seems premature. Definitely it's higher than the $199/$299 but should probably not reach $773/$881. Let's wait for the prepaid schemes of the other companies from around the world.

I think the violent reactions are coming from all over because most people thought the $199/$299 pricing scheme is similar to the 1st Gen iPhone ($399/$499) in which you could simply pick it up from an Apple Store and choose not to activate it. But that's not the case here.

I suppose given that fact that government taxes might drive the price higher in some countries but I don't expect it to vary much because remember that Apple products are priced similarly around the world wherever they are officially sold.

**jaijin** · 06-13-2008, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by rafaelc378

He's not talking about price depreciation.

He's talking about the cost price of the 3G iPhone. If the telcos weren't subsidizing the iPhone, this is how much you would pay to get one.

The whole thought of my previous post was that even if the 3G iPhone would cost as much as other high-end phones, it's still worth the extra buck because most high end phones, previous and present, cost more than the "Real Price", and has equal or even less features than the iPhone, such as safari as www.device and iPod as MM device, and in part, the other companies' depreciation rate, not the depreciation rate of phones in general.

But you have a point, as i have missed out on elaborating.

**keyboardstyli** · 06-13-2008, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by aragorn_109

This was just based on the pricing of one telecom company which happened to be based in a high-end country such as Italy. To label it as the "real price" of an unsubsidized 3G iPhone seems premature. Definitely it's higher than the $199/$299 but should probably not reach $773/$881. Let's wait for the prepaid schemes of the other companies from around the world.

I think the violent reactions are coming from all over because most people thought the $199/$299 pricing scheme is similar to the 1st Gen iPhone ($399/$499) in which you could simply pick it up from an Apple Store and choose not to activate it. But that's not the case here.

I think that the violent reactions are "more often than not" coming from arrogant/ignorant consumers that either just want to complain or they just don't care to read (nor understand, dare I say dumb) about what's actually going on (or if it's the case re: signing the dotted line & giving your hard earned money on an iPhone contract purchase as well), as the case might be.

**antski** · 06-13-2008, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by itnetad

I'd rather stick with my first gen iPhone thats too overpriced

The price of the 1st gen iphone was probably susidized in some way as well. They just didn't expect that majority of the units will be unlocked and used outside the US. Right now they have a better plan with regards to activation so they are confident on subsidizing more of the cost.