iPhone 3GS: O2 Has No Upgrade Sweetener, Whingeing Twits Revolt
Recession be damned – it’s that time of year when people fortunate enough to already own the sexiest phone on the market complain that they can’t yet have the newest one.
O2 has retained UK exclusivity on the new handset – which packs faster chips, a better camera with video, a compass and the same 3.0 OS upgrade existing owners can get from June 19 – but it’s introduced a heftier pricepoint, with the new 16 Gb and 32 Gb handsets respectively about twice and three times as expensive as the current 8 Gb on a £35-a-month, 18-month tariff…
But, unlike the previous jump from iPhone to iPhone 3G, O2 is not offering a rebate to upgrade; instead, owners must either buy themselves out of their contract or move up “when it’s time to upgrade; it’s usually the last month of your contract“. And it will even take an extra £15-a-month tethering “bolt-on” to use a new feature that lets the handset be used as a modem.
That’s brought cries of #O2Fail in Twitterville (the Bourgeoisie’s direct-action tool of choice), and a petition (actually an, err, twitition; oh dear) to get O2 to change its mind.
This is rubbish! I can't see why they won't let existing Iphone 3Gers upgrade. Most of us would be willing to pay a small fee, but having to buy out your contract seems shortsighted, especially since turn by turn Sat Nav will probably only be feasible on the new handsets. Thus, phone companies are limiting software developers, temporarily at least, from tapping into the millions of Iphone users who might be interested in such products. Apple should 'ave a word me thinks!
I'm surprised that O2 aren't taking advantage of the opportunity to tie customers in for another 18 months like they did last time. Also, Im sure Apple would rather maximise the number of people that can buy the phone, not limit it in this way.
Bajsmun: O2 ARE taking advantage of the opportunity to tie customers in for 18 or 24 months. Unless, of course, you spend upwards of £450 and buy it as a PAYG handset.
OS3 will be available from 17 June, not 19 June and I can't really side with current 3G-ers wanting to get out of their contracts early. You signed up for 18 months, you pay for 18 months. Who do you think you are, trying to dodge the rules, a member of parliament?
For me, the deal isn't trying to get out of a contract early – the deal's the tethering.
O2 have a guaranteed £35 a month from me; and now they want another £15 a month for using my iPhone as a modem, for which I get 3GB of data. This is the iPhone that they're already got the subsidy for, and I'm also on a nice long contract.
Alternatively, I could go to an O2 store, ask for a free broadband USB modem, and a new SIM card, and thus incur a large amount of cost for O2… for exactly the same monthly charge.
Someone's taking the piss. And it's not me.
Rob: OK angry man let us, and by that i mean you, not jump to the wrong conclusions about my view. I have no intention of weaseling out of a contract, in fact i would gladly extend it a further 18 months if it meant i could upgrade. I'll pay the initial price again like other people taking a new iphone contract and everything. I really don't see what the problem would be with that as o2 get me contractually for an extended period and I pay for an iphone. If you think that's such a crime perhaps you'd like to explain why rather than riding on the back of some banter about politicians.
What is the point of having an 18 month contract for a phone that is updated once a year. My contract runs out in December which means I will be 6 months behind then another iphone will be releasead in June and I will have to wait until the next one comes out the year after before I can get out of my contract.
It will be like when I was a kid suddenly ellessi is in fashion by time I convince my mam to buy me one it's out of fashion.
I get bullied
I go on a murder kill rampage
It's all a vicious circle
I agree with Kev (except for the murder rampage) – it's completely stoopid to have the mismatch between iPhone updates (1 year) and minimum length of contract (18 months).
My contract runs out in December. I then have the choice: upgrade for another 18 months, meaning I miss out on the 2010 iPhone update as I would only be 6 months into a contract. Or wait until this time next year to see what the next iPhone (the 3GTi?) has to offer.
Yes, I knew it was an 18-month contract, but (maybe naively) I thought that when the next model appeared that O2 would have some sort of option for upgrading to it – not cost-free – I just figured they'd want me to spend over a hundred on a new phone, maybe a BIT more for an early upgrade, and also to tie me in for another 12/18 months contract. But no.
I don't mind buying myself out of the 6 months remaining of my iPhone 3G SUBSIDY, but not the whole contract – I'd be buying myself out of a 6-month contract with O2 in order to replace it with an 18-month contract with them. I'd be double-paying for 6 months! Ain't happenin'.
Therefore: O2 only get my money for the next 6 months, and I don't now buy an iPhone 3GS that I would otherwise be happy to buy. Doesn't sound like clever business, not to mention bad customer relations and brand loyalty-building.
I blame partially O2 for being so short-sighted to not see this would happen, but mostly Apple for renewing their phone every year that they know is available via a monopoly by a subscriber basis (at least with O2 here and AT&T in the USA) that has a minimum 18 month contract and so: doesn't allow people that are presumably loyal to the iPhone to buy their new product.
I do think that the iPhone has redefined the mobile business quite a bit (look at all the imitations appearing) and to a degree people DEMANDING to have the latest (and relatively unchanged when you look at it) version as soon as it is announced is also new. I'm a bit of a gadget-holic and it didn't used to bother me if a new Nokia appeared mid-contract.
I'll try to enjoy the 3.0 software upgrade, then decide what to do in December. But this hasn't exactly warmed me to the idea of sticking with O2…
Are people mad? There is a reason O2 won't let you upgrade early, they know they have you by the short and curlies. You are in an 18 month contract, which 12 months have passed leaving 6 months left. Your options are to buy yourself out of a contract and pay O2 6 months line rental and for arguments sake £275 for a new phone. Then take out another 18 months contract, effectively paying O2 double line rental for 6 months – (O2 WIN).
OR
Keep your existing contract and phone for another 6 months, repaying the initial phone subsidy then take out another 18 month contract and pay O2 £275 for the phone and miss out completely on 2010 phone (O2 WIN)
OR
Keep your existing contract and phone until end of contract not upgrade and wait 6 months for 2010 phone paying 6 months line rental off contract whilst you wait (O2 WIN).
If you want an iPhone you have to buy into the monopoly that O2 have in the UK, they know it and it's about time you all woke up and knew it too. Apple and O2 are big bad companies like every other who's only purpose is to make lots of money; and you know what, they are very very very good at it.
I have an HTC TYTN II on o2, HTC have brought out a new handset recently but I know that I have to wait until my normal upgrade time to get a new phone.
Why on earth do iPhone users thing they are so special and deserve preferential treatment? Pipe down and wait your turn like everyone else.
The probelm for me is i asked before i took out the contract 1.5 months ago should i wait. i was told no.
Now im in a 24 month contract with a new phone coming out in a week and a bit..