o2 Causes Controversy With iPhone Fans
Well, after a series of good announcements from Apple at this year’s WWDC event in San Francisco, it seems Apple/o2 have stirred up massive controversy. With purportedly huge upgrade fees for iPhone 3G users to upgrade to the new iPhone ’3G S’, it doesn’t look like there’ll be many people queuing this time round!
On first reports, handset cost (on my tariff) works out to about £170. I don’t mind that due to the massive 32GB storage plus the new hardware features, but with the requirement to pay upwards of £250 to end early the existing contract seems lunacy….I certainly won’t be queuing up at 5am this time! (Not that I did before, mind you……../ahem)
There’s a torrent of despair running through the vestibules of Twitter and the like, with very unhappy o2/iPhone customers venting their spleens about this mad pricing. Time will tell if o2 are prepared to rethink their strategy on this one…..
A short update for you:
Apple have now launched the 3.0 software upgrade for current iPhone 3G (+original iPhone) customers. This includes a whole host of updates and new features, including cut/copy/paste, voice recorder, MMS, landscape keyboards across all apps, and many more.
AT&T, the cellular provider for iPhone customers in the United States, issued a press release earlier this evening (UK time) announcing that they will be continuing to subsidise existing iPhone 3G customers, enabling them to upgrade to the new 3G S handset without financial penalty.
There has already been massive outrage by current iPhone users in the UK due to o2′s announcement that UK users will pay upwards of £200 purely as an upgrade fee. This will severely limit the amount of people who will actually go and pay for the new handset on launch day, this coming Friday.
My question is, why does o2 continue to irritate the whole of the iPhone populous by having these ridiculous restrictions. It’s in Apple’s AND o2′s interest for its users to upgrade, signing up to a further contract. So why, when Apple are naturally going to be bringing a new handset out each year, do o2 continue to demand 18 month contracts. Give us 12 month contracts instead! Then everyone’s happy!
Let’s just hope o2 takes a leaf out of AT&T’s books and stops this silliness, and give a little bit of faith back to the loyal Apple/o2 iPhone users to make us stay with you. You’re not doing yourself any favours PR wise, are you? Let’s face it.
Here endeth the rant….
Rather quite good topic
Thanks Lera
)
£200 ouch that’s an outrage indeed! Thing is I’d be happy to restart an 18 month contract with O2 if I could upgrade to the latest IPhone.. didn’t realise that it had increased to 32GB either!
Yep, it’s certainly not been made easy for us loyal Apple lovers! I agree, I’d happily renew a brand new 18month contract to get the new handset….
Alas, not to be though….
Perhaps, I shall agree with your phrase
Which phrase Peter?
)
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