Breakdown of iPhone Costs: it's cheap!

[jphawkins]

Here is the breakdown of costs with tax (sales tax is 7% where I live). Notice that NONE of the cool technology such as video, WiFi, REAL internet, and the touchscreen is included in the pricing at the bottom.

8 GB iPhone - $640.93
$39.99/month data plan* for 2 years - $1026.94
$59.99/month Voice plan* for 2 years - $1540.54
+ Sync cable and iTunes - $0.00
---------------------
Total cost of iPhone: $3208.41

*-both tentative

Now let's look at my current costs of the phone that I have
Moto RAZR V3 (@ 99.99) - $106.99
$59.99/month Voice plan for 2 years - $1540.54
$19.99/month data plan for 2 years - $513.34
---------------------
Total cost: $2160.47

+ 8 GB iPod Nano - $266.43
+ Moto PhoneTools and sync cable - $53.49
+ TI-83 Scientific Calculator - $106.99
+ Magellan GPS eXplorist 200* - $160.48
+ Push-IMAP email service $19.99/month for 2 years - $513.34
---------------------
Total cost of RAZR and other features: $3261.20

So for $50 less, you can have widescreen video, WiFi, a touchscreen, the REAL internet, a better camera (RAZR has a 1.3 megapixel compared to iPhone's 2.0), cool image editing on your phone...and oh yeah, it's all ONE device, instead of 4 devices with a piece of software and an internet service.

*While Google Maps can't tell you where you are, surely you can find a road sign . Also, Google Maps has much more detail to it's roads..so it evens out.

If a scientific calculator is not around in the first 2 weeks when the iPhone is out, i'll make it myself. There are many out there and it will be very simple to 2.0 it up. I'd much rather someone else do it, though .

The Push-IMAP price was the lowest from a well-known service that I found. I saw much pricier ones.

Anyways...there's my real-life scenario.

 

[ColsTiger]

Here is the breakdown of costs with tax (sales tax is 7% where I live). Notice that NONE of the cool technology such as video, WiFi, REAL internet, and the touchscreen is included in the pricing at the bottom.

8 GB iPhone - $640.93
$39.99/month data plan* for 2 years - $1026.94
$59.99/month Voice plan* for 2 years - $1540.54
+ Sync cable and iTunes - $0.00
---------------------
Total cost of iPhone: $3208.41

*-both tentative

Now let's look at my current costs of the phone that I have
Moto RAZR V3 (@ 99.99) - $106.99
$59.99/month Voice plan for 2 years - $1540.54
$19.99/month data plan for 2 years - $513.34
---------------------
Total cost: $2160.47

+ 8 GB iPod Nano - $266.43
+ Moto PhoneTools and sync cable - $53.49
+ TI-83 Scientific Calculator - $106.99
+ Magellan GPS eXplorist 200* - $160.48
+ Push-IMAP email service $19.99/month for 2 years - $513.34
---------------------
Total cost of RAZR and other features: $3261.20

So for $50 less, you can have widescreen video, WiFi, a touchscreen, the REAL internet, a better camera (RAZR has a 1.3 megapixel compared to iPhone's 2.0), cool image editing on your phone...and oh yeah, it's all ONE device, instead of 4 devices with a piece of software and an internet service.

*While Google Maps can't tell you where you are, surely you can find a road sign . Also, Google Maps has much more detail to it's roads..so it evens out.

If a scientific calculator is not around in the first 2 weeks when the iPhone is out, i'll make it myself. There are many out there and it will be very simple to 2.0 it up. I'd much rather someone else do it, though .

The Push-IMAP price was the lowest from a well-known service that I found. I saw much pricier ones.

Anyways...there's my real-life scenario.

You put a lot of work into that. Unfortunately, I don't think you can compare your current situation with the average cell phone user. Of course the average cell phone user is probably not going to be looking at a $600 phone anyway.

 

[jphawkins]

You put a lot of work into that. Unfortunately, I don't think you can compare your current situation with the average cell phone user. Of course the average cell phone user is probably not going to be looking at a $600 phone anyway.

What exactly would be the difference? Average person spends around $100 on a phone. Now the typical person might not get the $20 data plan, however that is one feature that the iPhone has. Forget the voice plans...they cancel each other out. I'm simply showing the features of the iPhone compared to getting the same with another phone.

Also...this is not MY personal experience. I have a 30GB video iPod, and I'm on a family plan

 

[ColsTiger]

What exactly would be the difference? Average person spends around $100 on a phone. Now the typical person might not get the $20 data plan, however that is one feature that the iPhone has. Forget the voice plans...they cancel each other out. I'm simply showing the features of the iPhone compared to getting the same with another phone.

Also...this is not MY personal experience. I have a 30GB video iPod, and I'm on a family plan

At&t's goal is to increase their data plan businesss. So far, no matter how hard they've tried, people haven't gravitated to using the internet on their cell phones. Other than corporately paid blackberry accounts, most people don't see the value in paying of internet on a phone. While I'll probably pay it anyway, most people are going to get scared away by agreeing to a $40/month data plan if it turns out to be the case.