Wed, 01 Jul 2009 Apple iPhone 3GS sold out, O2 cites phenomenal demand

David said on Wed, 01 Jul 2009

I guess O2 made the right business decission to rip off new and existing customers in terms of the handset price vs the USA was a good move.

William D said on Wed, 01 Jul 2009

@David = so true. My hat has to come off to them for monumentally screwing lucrative customers and getting away with it!

Andy said on Wed, 01 Jul 2009

I don't think O2 screwed anyone. If you are an existing customer, and want to upgrade then just buy a Pay and Go 3GS, and trade your old iPhone at somewhere like envirophone.com. The overall cost isn't that different from what O2 would have asked you to pay to upgrade (it they'd allowed it), and you don't have to sign up for a new contract.

David said on Wed, 01 Jul 2009

@Andy - You are missing my point, forget the contract/upgrade pricing etc, the handset itself is a rip off compared to the USA.

Qwerty said on Wed, 01 Jul 2009

I think all of this would make some sense if the iPhone was actually cheaper in the USA ($199, 24 months contract) than in the UK (£87.11, 24 month contract).

As it stands its a nonsensical and somewhat pitiful whine

O2 hasn't screwed anyone. Even the lack of a free upgrade (by far the most contentious issue isn't them screwing you - it's just nonsense having a 18 or 24 month contract on a product with an 12 month upgrade cycle) and something both Apple and the phone companies should sort out.

There's so much self-righteous indignation amongst the Mac fans. You moaning b***ards would complain about the sun coming up in the morning.

Slinky said on Wed, 01 Jul 2009

iPhone 3GS - worth every penny. End of.

G-Man said on Wed, 01 Jul 2009

Boo f***in hoo!

Here's the world's smallest violin playing just for David and his inability to afford £200 for an iPhone. I can't afford a Porsche 911 but you don't here me whining on about how Porsche are screwing me over.

David said on Wed, 01 Jul 2009

@G-Man I don't think you get the point, the £200 is not the issue here.

If the Americans were paying £200 for the phone (and yes I am well aware of exchange rates and vat) then I would have no issue, the simple fact is that they are not.

As to you and people like you, I am not a whiner, or a moany sulky bollocks, I simply disagree with being ripped off by any company.

QWerty said on Wed, 01 Jul 2009

Again, the Americans are paying $199 for a 24 month contract for an iPhone 3GS 16GB and you pay £87 for the same contract in the UK.

What exchange rate are you using where you think £87 is a rip off compared to $199?

I disagree with G-Man's attitude but he does have a point. The fact that you're moaning about "rip off britain" (which I assume is what you're getting at) when it's actually cheaper over here than in the USA suggests that you'd complain regardless.

Jason R said on Wed, 01 Jul 2009

Shame there are so many reports of discolouration and tinting screens. That and the overheating problems now being reported.

discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2048495&start=0&tstart=0

forum.o2.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=132014#132014

Mark Hattersley said on Wed, 01 Jul 2009

We also have a blog on that subject here:

www.macworld.co.uk/blogs/index.cfm?entryid=761&blogid=8

We'd appreciate comments on the heating issue placed there so we can collect them all in one place. My iPhone has always run hot, but not to the point of ever causing discolouration. We're investigating this story.

zaza said on Wed, 01 Jul 2009

I cannot understand how you all believing this story, this is a tactic the do all time. end of summer it will be also on vodafone then I want to see if they have it or not.

Qwerty said on Wed, 01 Jul 2009

Yeah. Cos every year apple releases a phone. And every year people bitch about how expensive it is. And every year it sells out.

But I don't know about you. But I keep seeing more and more people with iPhones. You don't reckon people might be buying them after all?

Nah! It's all a conspiracy theory innit. O2 out to rip us off.

Idiots.

Thomas said on Thu, 02 Jul 2009

Jesus you are bound into a contract, what other company/phone allows you to break your contract in order to upgrade early??? None. You guys got it lucky with the 2G iPhone and the upgrade to the 3G. Be thankful for that and stop complaining.

@zaza said on Thu, 02 Jul 2009

Go back to your planet, you are missed there.

Ascylto said on Thu, 02 Jul 2009

O2 haven't ripped me off.

I'm very happy with my 3g iPhone and I'll stick with it until my contract ends and they synchronise the new phone and new contract.

I'm grateful to those of you who pointed out the US $200 plus a 24 month contract -vs- £87 plus 24 mths ... a perspective I had missed.