Apple has previously said they don't tell the networks what to charge. The high monthly cost of an iPhone is due to the high cost of the handset and the networks need to see a return on it.

I'm pretty sure that is correct, with a small profit margin for the provider. Which furthers the question, why are we still waiting for UK pricing information.

The new phone has entered the US at the same price point as the previous models. It's not exactly rocket science to just use the existing pricing structure and not screw around with the tarifs.

Unless that is the UK get screwed over and end up being charged a premium for the new phone simply because they think they can get away with charging what they want for it.

I would expect to see the 16gb at £459 and the 32gb at £559,give or take a tenner.

I just don't know what the deal is with witholding this information. We now only have two weeks to make a decision and sort out the funds required. Luckily I have been saving since January and hopefully have enough for the 32gb, but not everyone is going to have had the forsight or have been lucky enough to put a bit away each month.

Believe it or not, I'm sure there are some people out there that didn't have a clue a new iphone was coming and this week is the first they new of it. Some of them are due an upgrade and will be wanting to know where they stand.

I should think the other phone manufacturers are getting a bit cross at the delay in pricing as it also means that people are holding off buying another model phone until they know how much the new iphone will set them back compared to something already available on the market. Most of us who have been interested in the new phone for some time are going to get it no matter what, but for some it is a decision that can easily be swayed by pricing. Once they see the iphone is too expensive for them (they should really know that by now though) they will go for another make and model and that is a sale that one of the other manufacturers could have clocked up a week or two earlier.

I'm sure the whole market for phones and new contracts must go very stale at the announcement and lead up to a new iphone release. Why would the providers want to stagnate that market any further by being so slow to make announcements?

i agree with most of what you said above-however i do need to know pricing as i can sell my 3gs to fund it but if its something silly like 500 or more even on a contract then i cant get it-so knowing the price will determine if i can afford it or not


seems weird as u say that theyre holding off on pricing noones going to go into a contract with another phone till they find out the iphone pricing so therefore they might lose out on some sales

My thoughts are - The higher £400-£550 prices are for the hand set out of contract ie PAYG. the upgrade cost / new contract cost will be from around £80 - £250 depending on tariff and length of contract.

Yes, I should have made that a bit clearer regarding the £450 and £559 prices I was estimating at was for my own circumstances, which is to buy the phone out of contract and continue with a Simplicity iphone SIM at £15 a month.

The in contract prices will be pretty much what they are now.

Unless Apple are able to sell the phone to the providers at a lower price point than the 3gs. In which case their is a possibility, if the providers don't get greedy, that they can retian the current profit margin they get from a 3gs sale and offer the new phone at a slightly lower price.

I'm not deluded, I don't see this happening, but it is a slight possibility if Apple have found a way of reducing manufacturing costs for the new model.

I'd assume apple would want a set price for the iphone and then the networks add in the charges for the tariff thats required. So why all the networks have to be the same doesn't make sense.

Some networks charge 15 pounds on payg for unlimited text and internet with some free minutes included. This must make some profit for the network otherwise they wouldn't do it. Add in the fact that this wouldn't be payg and the the contract would be 24 months so thats even more of a profit.

If the new iphone is 45 per month then that leaves 30 for the iphone spread over 24 months and thats 720 pounds for the iphone. thats quite some premium.

ps It doesn't look like my 12pm suggestion for price tarriffs is right hmmmmm

That time was established to be the time you can text to find out if/when you are eligible for an upgrade, not for the actual prices to be released.

well im not being optimistic i can see them getting greedy and wanting something stupid like 300 plus tie u into a contract

so did anyone get text for their early upgrade deal?

You don't necessarily need inside knowledge, it makes sense for them to all charge a high price as that would maximise their profits. I could explain this in more detail but don't want to bore you with needless economics

but needless to say, I'm 100% sure we won't see something like a £20 a month 12 month contract with a free phone (unfortunately)

i assumed that they would want to announce everything at the same time otherwise it just looks messy. Well thats just my opinion. To the networks it really doesn't matter they will announce it when they choose.

I wonder if the entrance of three into the mix might even delay it further. they do seem to try to undercut other operators which won't go down well with o2 and vodafone etc.

It would be interesting so please feel free to post. my previous post gave my view of the breakdown and why it shouldn't be as high as it is but if theres a genuine reason why apple charges more then do please explain.

It just might, as Three are the only company to have announced that they will announce prices on the same day as Apples pre order date of 15th June:

http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/10/i...arting-june-15

Sadly this may mean we have another five days to wait for all the other networks to make a move. Although Three is last to the market with the iphone, they have recently improved their 3g service so that it is now rated as the best out of all providers (I read this somewhere after tests were done, can't remember on what site though). It would be very interesting to see how many customers they manage to pull away from the other networks. They already have me keeping an eye on them due to their transparency over when they will be issuing their pricing structure.

I spoke to O2 yesterday who confirmed that the pay out offer as quoted on O2 (£240 in my case) does not include the phone.

They are saying that you can get out of your contract at £20 for every month of your contract left and then start a new contract with the iphone 4. The prices etc will be the same as a new customer or upgrader. Which as we know has not been released yet.

I don't see anywhere in the article where it states three won't announce tariffs until the 15th maybe i've missed it.

I would hope we'd get prices before the weekend if three do leave it till the 15th then perhaps we will be suprised by a last minute hum dinger from the upstart ! lol

I doubt many people would pre-order with a network unless their prices are announced beforehand so, by 3 saying they are accepting orders from 15th I think you can assume they will announce prices on or before that date.

If pre-orders start on the 15th I would like to have a look at tariffs at least the day before.

OK, I see your point. Pre order date does not mean they won't release their pricing structure before then. However, I bet they don't.

But three are the only company to advise even their pre order date. We don't know yet that when or if we will be able to pre order on any of the other networks.

So, so far we know for sure that we will know what Three's pricing will be on 15th. I don't see the other networks letting this slide without them too rolling out on that day.

Maybe I should have said we now have at most 5 days to wait until we find out.

I agree and really hope the info comes in plenty of time not just a day. 5 days is hardly plenty of time though, so every hour the networks faff around and delay is an hour less we have to make an informed decision.

New tariffs, from 24th June, can be found here ... http://shop.o2.co.uk/new-iphone/tariffs.html but don't mention the initial handset cost.

PAYG ftw this time I think

:O No longer unlimited Data!!!

I bet they have stopped unlimited data due to the Ipad and people abusing tethering

Disappointing to say the least

I just hope Vodafone don't reduce theirs from 1GB a month, I don't use that much but I like to know I have enough.

Normally 750 (even 500mb) would be fine for me. But with the multitasking Spotify would blow through that limit quickly