The iPhone cheaper than a Nano?

I’ve been pondering whether to jump on board the good ship iPhone for the past year or so and have so far decided to stay firmly on shore with my trust LG.
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An iPhone in Six Months

I wrote yesterday about why I don’t intend to get an iPhone - several reasons but most to do with the nonsense cost difference between the UK and US versions.

But having spoken to an Apple expert this morning I’m thinking of changing my mind - in six months time.

Let me explain. The iPhone goes on sale in France on 29 November 2007 through Orange. Under French law mobile operators have to make a phone available unlocked, or provide a way to unlock the phone within six months of it going on sale.

So in France the iPhone can only stay locked for six months - this doesn’t mean Orange won’t still be the sole, official, retailer in six months time, they’ll still have exclusivity to sell the phone - but you will be legally allowed to put another operators sim card in your iPhone.

So in six months, on 29 May 2008 I should be able to go to France, buy an iPhone without a contract, bring it home and put my Sure Telecom sim card in it.

Alternatively - O2 in England will notice an increase in underground iPhone sales through eBay etc and decide to make the iPhone available unlocked as well - but also make a heavily subsidised version available with a contract.

So if that happens I could go to England in six months and sign up for a contract with O2 (£35 per month) and get an iPhone for something like £80 - that would bring it in line with most of the rest of mobiles sold in the UK.

Either way - good things come to those who wait.

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Not getting an iPhone

I’ve been on holiday for the past two weeks or so and haven’t fell the desire or pull of the blogosphere, not so much because I’ve had a thrilling time - but more because I went with my wife and two small children and was too stressed to blog.

Fortunately I’m now home again and can get back to my real holiday, the one that lasts for 47 weeks a year - work.

While away in England I saw posters, adverts and signs everywhere proclaiming the iPhone being on the way - it wasn’t as manic as the original iPhone release in Americaland but it was pretty heavy duty.

This annoyed me - mainly because I live in Jersey and the chance of one of the islands operators being allowed to sell the iPhone is pretty slim - but also because of the cost.

I visited the o2 site to find out just how much an iPhone would cost to buy and what the monthly rental would be - thinking maybe I could get one with a contract in the UK - I don’t make many phone calls so am not that bothered about the roaming costs.

I currently pay £25 per month for my mobile contract and that gives me something like 120 free minutes, 120 text messages and a few other bits I never use.

The cheapest o2 iPhone subscription is £35 per month for 200 minutes, 200 SMS and unlimited data (with a fair use policy). It also gives you free access to over 7500 WiFi Hotspots and visual voicemail.

This isn’t bad - it provides about the same level of extras as a mid tarriff for about the same price as most mid tarriffs but those tarriffs would also normally provide you with a free smart phone.

In this case you’d also have to pay £269 for the iPhone - this isn’t an awful price on its own, for a top iPod with phone functionality but with the £35 per month as well - it’s a bit much.

If I could pay £269 for the iPhone and then just use it on a Pay as you go contract it would be fab value - but with a £35 a month contract - it’s a bit steep.

That’s one reason why I’ve decided to get an ordinary phone and buy an iPod Touch instead - but there are other reasons.

£269 doesn’t sound too bad when you first look at it - it’s comparable with other similar products but if you take a look at the cost of the iPhone in the USA our price starts to get a bit on the steep side.

The price for the same iPhone in the USA is $399 dollars - at the current exchange rate that is £191 or £78 less than buying the same product in the UK. Even counting for VAT thats still a LOT more.

So I’m sticking to my current phone, getting an iPod Touch and holding out for the first phone with the Google Stack software.

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