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Thread: Mobile phones & tablets thread
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28th June 2013, 08:10 #2981
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Originally Posted by airshifter
I'm in the position now where I own an iPhone and use iOS daily and have done since October last year, so can address criticisms made here that I either don't agree with or perhaps agree with. For my needs it works and well. I didn't have a problem with the pricing of the iPhone because here in the UK the price was the same as the latest Samsung flagship phone of the time. I don't know how its priced elsewhere in the world but here the iPhone is in line. When I was ready to upgrade I very nearly bought the S3 as was discussed earlier in this thread. They were the same price on upgrade. I waited for the iPhone 5 to be released so I could judge them side by side and I chose the iPhone on two things. I preferred the interface of the OS for its simplicity and I preferred the handset because it was smaller than the Samsung. Two of my major needs addressed. My needs may well change in October 2014 when I am able to upgrade and perhaps by then I will be labelled as an Android fan instead. You have to love the internet. I'm not brand loyal in any sense of the word. If I like something I buy it regardless of what is written on it and generally if I can afford it. Same with anything.
Another amusing fact from this thread I wish to bring up. In the last 4 months I have recommended the Sony Xperia Z, Samsung S3 and S4 to people I know who have asked my advice on new phones. Of course I've mentioned the iPhone as a consideration but having discussed these peoples needs in a more mature level than could ever be had on this thread, it was clear their needs were very different to mine. Not everybody chooses to own the same phone and life would be pretty boring if they did. We can only share our opinions and experiences and make recommendations based on that. If I were biased, I wouldn't be in the business of doing such things and to be honest I think I have been pretty open here without resorting to bashing devices I have not used for any period of time. I don't feel I should be forced to pick sides just because a few guys on a forum feel its easier to do. I can't see the point in limiting my future purchases by slating a company who really doesn't have any impact on my life as a whole. Its counter-productive IMO. Anyway I'll join you here airshifter by having a bit of a laugh about all this and move on. Cheers.
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28th June 2013, 08:31 #2982
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Originally Posted by airshifterOriginally Posted by airshifter
And carrying a device doesn't automatically make you unbiased. There have been a lot of negative things said about Apple, Android and WP in this thread. Where have you defended the other two? But Apple, Apple is a different story.
Originally Posted by airshifter
The bone to pick always had been with company's exorbitant prices, not the consumer. The consumer can buy whatever they like. You lot have been trying to justify those prices saying Apple is a "luxury" brand for the last two years. This is no longer true. Apple has had to bow to market pressure, because guess what, the consumer has finally decided with their wallets. And not just millions of consumers, but phone review websites have long been criticizing Apple's pricing. The result? 1. Budget iPhone offering. 2. What was once a $200 difference on Amazon between the two major flagship devices from Apple and Samsung, is now only $50. And if the trend continues, I expect it to go even lower.
You can go back a page and see which posts actually led us here. And if you don't wanna read "negative" opinions on a brand you love? Exercise your right to freedom and add me to your ignore list. Much smoother day for you I promise!
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28th June 2013, 08:51 #2983
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Apple's rumoured budget iPhone is still going to be a £400 device if you believe TechRadars prediction. They are making it more affordable, but its not going to be Nexus 4 level pricing. I think Apple are still maintaining their price range whilst satisfying an element of the market. The spy shots of the iPhone 5S show it looks very similar to the iPhone 5 and will bring an incremental update regarding internal hardware and my guess is this will be their next release. I've intrigued by the suggestions Apple have been forced down this route because of 'consumers have decided with their wallets'. Apple and Samsung's stock dipped last month due to a slow down in sales, but surely that is the market as a whole rather than one brand? Both companies have seen a rise in demand, just not the same peak they experienced in the first quarter. The phone market always goes through periods like this because people are keeping phones for longer these days on 24 month contracts.
Apple unlike their competitors release less hardware, so deal with demand over the course of a 10 month period approx. Samsung have released several models this year alone, therefore comparing the two flagship models is difficult. I don't think either company is struggling in terms of sales to be honest. I think Apple has undergone a management restructure and perhaps their philosophies have changed in terms of how they approach the market. You can't stick to the same business model forever. There is no shame in reaching out to consumers and offering a little more, and after all Apple are still the most profitable company coming out of all this. All very positive for the big players..
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28th June 2013, 09:19 #2984
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I hope the techradar rumors aren't true, because after all it is going to be a watered down version of the flagship iPhone, and £400 is just too much for that IMHO. That won't be clever strategy by Apple, firstly because the device will already have words like "budget" and "cheaper" associated with it. It won't have quite the same charm as the iPhone 5. Second, I read it is made out of polycarbonate and not aluminum. Competitors will surely offer devices with much better value for money in the same price range.
As for the iPhone's price drop, it is now priced much closer to other flagships, which is fine by me. And yes, I think it is because consumers have spoken with their wallets. The sale of Android flagships has shot up quite considerably. At least 10 people I know personally have switched from Apple to Android, which is quite huge IMO, and that I think is because HTC, Samsung and Sony have done a good job this past year of "blinging" up the ads and dangling a nice carrot in front of them with all kinds of flashy features. Besides the HTC One, Galaxy S4 and Xperia Z are very potent devices.
For your third paragraph henners, I quite like Apple's new business model of listening and responding to the consumer and the market more. Fact is some consumers don't buy phones on contracts. And if an iPhone 5 is in the same price range that I'm looking at, truth be told, it suddenly goes high up in the list and becomes a very viable option! Apple had to slash prices sooner or later.
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28th June 2013, 10:03 #2985
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Originally Posted by CaptainRaiden
Originally Posted by CaptainRaiden
Your point about friend of yours moving from iPhone to Android is always going to be subjective. I know a couple of people who have dumped their iPhones in favour of other platforms, but also know a fair few people who have come the opposite way. Most people I know aren't into gadgets and devices like we see discussed here. they have whatever they are offered or they feel is cool at the time. I know people who say they have always fancied an iPhone and upgraded to one without really going into the details, something I would never contemplate doing. Our entire sales division were on Blackberry until December last year and now they all have iPhones and iPads. My wife's company have come the same way because the iPhone is cheaper on a business rate and they have the advantage of being able to monitor and lock certain aspects. I don't feel either of our experiences tell a true story of the way the market is going because its a lot vaster than our immediate group of friends.
Originally Posted by CaptainRaiden.
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28th June 2013, 10:17 #2986
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People also said there's no way they'd ever make a cut price iPad Mini either - and yet I have one.
The 'cut price' iPhone will be a good thing IMO, Apple can no longer rely on the premium market as the competition there is fierce, better to use the guts of an iPhone 4 to make an iPhone model which everyone can own.
My wife is looking to upgrade her 3GS, I've suggested she wait until the Apple announcement in the Autumn to see if this cut price iPhone comes along.
The iPhone 5 is still £529 for the 16GB and £599 for the 32GB so its come down a little in the last 8 monthsPlease 'like' our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/motorsportforums
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28th June 2013, 10:31 #2987
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Originally Posted by henners88
Originally Posted by henners88
I mean who the heck wants to buy the new 6.4 inch Xperia Z?? Not me! But I have already heard people considering it.
Originally Posted by henners88
Originally Posted by henners88
For example, where I am right now, to get an iPhone 5 32 GB, you pay €294 upfront, and €65 per month for two years. - https://www.vodafone.ro/shop/telefoa...e-5-32gb-negru (Chrome should translate the page)
And even then you don't get quite the contract you get in the UK - Apple iPhone 5 32GB black - Buy Apple iPhone deals on a Vodafone UK | overview
I believe UK providers some will even give you the handset for free? Of course, contracts in other countries will get better over time, but right now for someone outside the UK and US, it makes sense to buy a sim-free handset. Another big perk is that they are not locked by the network, and if you are someone that wants to tinker around with OS reinstall, especially with Android, it's easier and you're not breaking any law.
The iPhone 5 is only about £40 or £50 pounds extra over the S4 on Amazon, whereas the iPhone 4S was at one point a full £150 more expensive than the Galaxy S3. The gap between the flagships has reduced by over £100, so yes, things have changed for the better, as the market has become exciting and opened up more options for the consumer.
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28th June 2013, 10:41 #2988
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Originally Posted by Mark
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Apple-iPhone...words=iPhone+5
The price drop may not be major in the UK or US, as they have always been Apple's strongest markets. But they have further dropped prices by £50, and even £80 in some second and third world countries to place it competitively in the same ballpark as its direct flagship competitors.
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28th June 2013, 11:19 #2989
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Originally Posted by Mark
iPhone 5 - Buy new iPhone 5 SIM Free or Pay as you go - Apple Store (UK)
I have a feeling this price drop is from selected third party retailers rather than Apple directly.
Originally Posted by CaptainRaiden
Another beauty about the UK mobile market is the ability to negotiate a contract. I never accept the pricing on a website or what a phone operator offers me. The market is so saturated and they are all desperate for your business. They will bend over backwards to get your custom and you often get money off handset prices and free bolt on's added if you haggle in the right way. I understand abroad in some countries they are very much fixed on what they offer. I know people who approached their carriers when the iPhone 5 came out and managed to get 50 quid knocked off the handset price. It all depends who you speak to and the way in which you do it. When I am due to upgrade and say for example I want to iPhone 6 or 7, whatever it'll be called. If they offer me an upgrade price of £250 for the handset, I'll try my luck and get it for closer to £200. It can be done. At the end of the day these sales advisor's work in call centres and have targets to meet. As long as the sales sheets are balanced between customers they have figures to play around with. the iPhone doesn't have to be a silly price if you buy it in the right way.
Originally Posted by CaptainRaiden.
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28th June 2013, 11:42 #2990
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Originally Posted by henners88
Originally Posted by henners88
Try doing that in India or Romania, and you will be told to either get the contract at its set price or F*** off.
I think we saw this one coming, didn't we?
F1 Guru Adrian Newey leave Redbull