# iPhone prices



## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

My god these things are expensive aren't they.

My contract is up for renewal and there is no offer from Vodafone to keep me as a customer. With the iPhone 4, it's "This is the price, take it or don't". 

For no offer, I'll go to O2 and speak to my missus without using up my inclusive minutes.

I only use data (well an amount worth a damn) when i'm on Wifi anyway. For normal use, the 3G is turned off to save battery life.


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## Stumper (Apr 5, 2009)

The only decent way to get a deal on an iPhone seems to be to buy it via a cashback website like Quidco.
They've had deals on there recently offering anything up to £140 cashback for new contracts. I did this with my last contract which ends next month and I'll do the same with my next one!


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## RP84 (Sep 3, 2007)

How much do you want to spend a month ?

Have a look at the 3 offer and about £100 cash back from quidco


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## jamest (Apr 8, 2008)

Why don't you look at other phones which are often better at a lesser price if you feel the iPhone is too expensive?


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

02 won't play ball on discounts either, Tescos's contract is quite good in what you get on a monthly allowance, all of them seem to work out around the same costs over the commitment period. 

Tesco contracts are 12 months although there is a reasonable offer on 18 month contracts with 02. DOn't forget to recycle yourt old phone and with 02 you can use reward vouchers from PAYG top ups towards them.


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## CTR De (Feb 10, 2011)

my wife just got the iphone 4 from 3 and she paid £69 upfront for the phone ,unlimited internet ,2000 minutes , 2000 texts ,unlimited 3 to 3 minutes for £35 a month


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

jamest said:


> Why don't you look at other phones which are often better at a lesser price if you feel the iPhone is too expensive?


iTunes and App store.

It's as simple as that.

I'll keep my 3G if i can't get the price i want and get a 4 S/H if it comes to it.


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## davies20 (Feb 22, 2009)

Maybe its because of where i live....But i wouldnt go with 3, signal is up and down like a whores knickers & tbh, i think there CS is pretty poor.


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## BAXRY (Aug 11, 2009)

Gruffs said:


> iTunes and App store.
> 
> It's as simple as that.
> 
> I'll keep my 3G if i can't get the price i want and get a 4 S/H if it comes to it.


I agree right now there isn't a better smart phone than an iPhone, you really do get what you pay for with apple. The apple customer service is second to none.

I hated my HTC so much I had it for two months and went and bought my 3GS cash over a year ago and never looked back.


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

Not necessarily the phone itself.

iTunes, App Store, Mobile me etc means that as a couple, we can organise our life so much easier.

It's just all set up to be convinient (why can't i spell that word?). Which is why they sell.


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## Sypher (Jul 16, 2008)

Apple set the prices so there is very little room to move for any of the networks. If you use a lot of data O2 will not be your best choice, they have recently reduced data limits for new customers and their 3G coverage can be described as poor at best.


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## Ninja59 (Feb 17, 2009)

three have the best prices i went with vodafone when my upgrade was due (my old one was with them) i looked at three and the prices were less yes but the network and CS when reading left something to be desired i have never had much of a problem with voda so for that i stayed and am willing to pay the extra fiver or so a month.

All networks are reducing data limits some are even down to 250mb not 500mb so be careful! i turn my 3g off on mine so it cannot do anything lol it moans like hell but its worth it only allowing wifi connection. 

I did think of going sim only but even with vodas price the phone + contract over the same period worked out about £15 - £20 more. I shortened the main contract with the iphone for now to 18months adding an extra £5 but after 18months the phone is going SIM only contract and i am quids in. 

I really dont see why everyone has to have the latest phones and tbh whilst yes i am a techy having done my degree a new must have phone appears to come out every 5 minutes which to be frank i cannot be bothered with no more


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

Gruffs said:


> Not necessarily the phone itself.
> 
> iTunes, App Store, Mobile me etc means that as a couple, we can organise our life so much easier.
> 
> It's just all set up to be convinient (why can't i spell that word?). Which is why they sell.


I was chatting with my mate who has become a fanbouy over the last few years, and whatever features are arriving in September excited him, a lot of the sync features are available now and always has been, I regularly sync my calendar online.

That said , if you want one you will have to pay the going rate, there is no reason for them to discount them :thumb:


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

Avanti said:


> I was chatting with my mate who has become a fanbouy over the last few years, and whatever features are arriving in September excited him, a lot of the sync features are available now and always has been, I regularly sync my calendar online.
> 
> That said , if you want one you will have to pay the going rate, there is no reason for them to discount them :thumb:


Sorry, I'm giving you half a story.

I have a 3G but SWMBO currently doesn't have an Apple phone. My Calanders are all synced on the phone (I run several Office, Manufacturing, Ordering, Personal etc.)

We both use Graphics heavy programs me with photography and her with her graphics teaching and we are looking to a Mac for the home as she has PCs at the school and being current on a Mac as well would be a bonus to her. I can photoshop on anything so the Mac is no bother to me.

So, with our Mac (flavour TBD) and if i upgrade my iPhone and give her the one i have now. All the home stuff can be up to date and organised and we can both see instantly what is going on.

Apple may have 'sucked us in'. But it works. I'd rather be stuck in something that works then use something that doesn't work so well just so I'm not trapped in. If that makes sense.

They are just so expensive. It's an observation more than anything else. 
Quidco have £120 cashback offer with a free iPhone 4 16GB for £35pm that looks the best i have seen.

I don't really want to pay £35 but that means the phone costs a bomb.

At the moment, it's a toss up between how much SWMBO wants my phone and going SIM only on the contract and keeping the 3G i have. It's a bit tatty but never mind hey.


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## Avanti (Jan 17, 2006)

Gruffs said:


> Sorry, I'm giving you half a story.
> 
> Apple may have 'sucked us in'. But it works. I'd rather be stuck in something that works then use something that doesn't work so well just so I'm not trapped in. If that makes sense.


I understand the sucked in, when the boss was announcing the ip4 , I was drooling, not really at the phone or ipod touch, just the way he has a nack of making something that was always there sound exciting, they say the ios5 is very android like , very android like! so Apple had fallen behind the way a little with what works and what does not, I do like my ipod touch but it didn't inspire me to swap to the ip4, got myself a wildfire yesterday and so far, I sort of wish I had spotted it before getting my ipod touch, all the OS systems though are a learning curve


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## Rick_1138 (Jan 24, 2008)

I am in the same sort of boat.

I am allowed to upgrade on the 16th of July but my contract ends on august 16th.

O2 offer diff rates but most obvious for me Are £35 or £42 a month, but they want £170 or £100 respectively for an iPhone 4 16gb!!

However if I went to say phones 4 u I can get a White iPhone 4 16gb with 900 mins and 3000 txts with 500mb data, for free handset and £42pm on O2!!! Or I can get the same deal with vodafone or orange for £35pm again free handset.

So it would work out cheaper if I bought out my last month contract, walked to Phones4u and got a new contract through o2.

Surely if I state this to O2 retentions dept they wouldn't make much difference.

Has anyone found O2 any good at matching their advertised deals elsewhere as I would happily stay with them, just grates a bit being asked for £170 for no real reason!


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## ardandy (Aug 18, 2006)

I pay £10 p/m on a 1 month long contract basis after paying £500 for the phone itself.

Over 18 months thats £680 but I'm not in a contract and can swap networks at will. That was nearly a year ago now.


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

I got mine free 600mins unlimited texts and 500mb data for £35 per month through Mobiles.co.uk.

However, having had the iPhone 4 for a week now, the only real benefit over the 3G is the speed. For what i use it for, it's now completely adaquate. So, in two years time, I'll be cancelling the contract and going to PAYG. I don't need any more than this from a mobile device.


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## MarkH (Dec 10, 2006)

If you don't want a contract fork out £500 buy one new and pay £10 a month to Giffgaff (o2 signal), 250 mins unlimited text and net!!!


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## Ninja59 (Feb 17, 2009)

it does not work though if you do the figures it takes longer than a lot of contracts to make the money back so if i do what i am planning in that time of a) running my contract b) then switching to sim only i start making more back than going sim free.

Okay you can switch at will but the problem is you have already forked out a huge amount for the phone.


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## MarkH (Dec 10, 2006)

Ninja59 said:


> it does not work though if you do the figures it takes longer than a lot of contracts to make the money back so if i do what i am planning in that time of a) running my contract b) then switching to sim only i start making more back than going sim free.
> 
> Okay you can switch at will but the problem is you have already forked out a huge amount for the phone.


Would be interested to see some figures on this?


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## Dixondmn (Oct 12, 2007)

if Vodafone upgrades dept arent playing ball, call them and ask to speak to the customer Saves dept.

If they still won't offer you anything, just buy a better phone from a different manufacturer.... maybe even get one you where can remove the battery if you need to... honestly who thought of that should be shot.


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## Stumper (Apr 5, 2009)

Rick_1138 said:


> I am in the same sort of boat.
> 
> I am allowed to upgrade on the 16th of July but my contract ends on august 16th.
> 
> ...


If you go through Quidco amd mobiles.co.uk they're offering £120 cashback on iPhone 4 upgrades on O2 at the moment :thumb:


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## Ninja59 (Feb 17, 2009)

MarkH said:


> Would be interested to see some figures on this?


okay buy an iphone which even at best lets just take the 3GS £428 an just for simplicity take a rolling 30 day contract with vodafone is £20.50 a month. 3k texts, 500mb, 300 mins.

18 month contract £59 for the phone at £36/per month. same level of service as above minus the contract length.

so the first one

rolling contract 30 day contract - 18 months to make it fair - £369 + £428= £797

normal contract - £648 + £59 =£707 (this is based on voda's latest prices)

erm... yeah


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## ardandy (Aug 18, 2006)

Remember though when they first came out they were £500 (as they are now) and contracts weren't as cheap as they are today, 1 year on.

When I figured it out it was about £30 cheaper over 18 months.

Another thing I went for is that you're not tied in for 18 or more often now 24 months. Handy with a phone that comes with a 1 year warranty.

At the end of the day they get their money whichever way you do it, pay up front or pay over 18 months. I like the choice of been able to change tariff when new offers come out etc. Money's tight all of a sudden? Sell the phone and cancel the contract and thats it.

Easier to sell as it's unlocked too.


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## MarkH (Dec 10, 2006)

If you take the giffgaff sim card 250 mins, unlimited text and net, it's £10 a month, making the 18 month total £620 ish.


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## Ninja59 (Feb 17, 2009)

ardandy said:


> Remember though when they first came out they were £500 (as they are now) and contracts weren't as cheap as they are today, 1 year on.
> 
> When I figured it out it was about £30 cheaper over 18 months.
> 
> ...


Well my figures say otherwise and were a deciding factor in the route i took i nearly went down the same route as you buying the phone etc. being a student but simply got told by apple no and go to your network provider as the subsidy is greater.

End of the day going down the main contract route works out cheaper based on those figures at the point i worked the figures out.

On that point there is a few variables in there though i agree esp the 30 day rolling contract piece.

I agree on the other point of being able to shift the phone on and the warranty though.

Have noticed even since i changed the contract price has increased by £1 a month but lowered the phone price from voda by £10. :lol:They will win somewhere somehow as said though you just have to stack the cards more carefully in your favour to avoid being stung


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## dann2707 (Mar 25, 2011)

MarkH said:


> If you take the giffgaff sim card 250 mins, unlimited text and net, it's £10 a month, making the 18 month total £620 ish.


Yup that's what I did. Bought the phone outright (Samsung Galaxy S) for £280 and £10 a month. Think that equates to £520 for a "24 month" contract if you will. My sister is paying double that on her contract but she does have an iPhone 4. Works out so much cheaper and you are not tied down with paying a big sum every month as you don't actually have to pay the £10er.


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## MarkH (Dec 10, 2006)

I have to admit giffgaff are good, if anyone wants a sim card let me know and I get a brucy bonus for it , but there are loads of other sim card deals out there that are good

http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/vod...5-usually-15-50-12-months-half-price-l/966364

http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/t-m...-500mb-data-any-other-booster-for-7-76/964964


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## calum001 (Nov 18, 2010)

never heard of GiffGaff before but just had a look and ordered a sim card, almost looks too good to be true but worth a shot as my 2 year contract on my iPhone 3GS ran out the other day so can cancel my contract at any time !

EDIT: sorry mark would have but just ordered one before i seen your post ! 

what are they like for data usage (i take it the unlimited is still 'fair usage') ?


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## MarkH (Dec 10, 2006)

If anyone else wants a giffgaff sim card let me know :thumb:

With regard to the net, I don't know of anyone that has been charged I think it is pretty much unlimited!


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## ardandy (Aug 18, 2006)

Ninja59 said:


> End of the day going down the main contract route works out cheaper based on those figures at the point i worked the figures out.


They didn't a year ago though.

I'm guessing when the new one comes out it'll be the same.


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## anthonyh90 (Mar 30, 2011)

with regards to the net on giffgaff if you use the credit to get a goodybag then it is truly unlimited. one month i used over 10GB of data and didn't get charged a penny extra for it.


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