Originally Posted By: hybrid8
Originally Posted By: Dignan
It's the "no contract" thing that will get difficult, as I'm sure you know. "Cheap" and "off contract" have never gone together with smartphones, sadly. More like "off contract" and "ridiculously overpriced to support the on-contract price."


Off contract iPhones don't support the contracted ones. They simply allow Apple to make nearly as much money per handset. On-contract phones go for $199 at point of sale and then bring in another $800 or so later. Off contract phones sell for $700 to $1100 right off the bat.

Apple gets paid either way. I suppose the situation may be different with other companies, what with their low margins and comparatively low revenues.

I think you're misunderstanding me (and nothing you said applies only to the iPhone). What I mean is that the off-contract price seems designed to discourage buying it. I wasn't making a statement of fact or anything, just pointing out that you're not going to find an off-contract phone (at least not new) for a small amount of money.

In other words: sheesh, can't you let ANYthing go?
_________________________
Matt