Suppose they held an iPhone launch ... and nobody came? [UPDATED with BREAKING NEWS]
DATELINE 2.13pm, Wednesday. Our Art Director just walked up Queen Street and reports the two guys who started queuing last night have now been joined by a girl, who has sensibly brought along a bean bag. So, there are now three Kiwis vying to be the first in the world to be ripped off - sorry, buy - a 3G iPhone. Our sister site Computerworld has hosted some video from last night, as our brave queuers are taunted by Aussie visitors.
Our web producer is going to brave the cold tonight to shoot some queue action, so head back tomorrow for some more footage. And visit to pcworld.co.nz at 12.01am tonight to see Scott's NZ-exclusive video review, or tune in to TV1 at 8.15am tomorrow to see Scott and his 3G iPhone on Breakfast (and from around midday on TVNZondemand).
Wait, isn't this supposed to be an entertainment handset that lets you take a few calls as you play your tunes? Maybe so, but Vodafone's 3G iPhone data plan pricing, released this morning, is not just corporate - it's Learjet corporate. $250 a month for a modest 1GB of data (on a minimum two-year contract) is the kind of lettuce you'd expect to fork out if you were a C-suite exec on some kind of ultra-premium BlackBerry plan. I feel so nostalgic for yesterday, when the leaked upfront pricing (from $199) make the 3G iPhone look so attractive. No wonder iPhone price-rage is suddenly swirling everywhere online. The NZ Herald's Your Views section had nine pages of hate comments within hours.
We don't know all the details of Aussie data plan pricing yet, but from what we do know (see the link to Ted's "eye-watering" story, below) an iPhone is going to be cheaper to run across the Tasman. One can only assume that's because Aussies will be able to buy their iPhone from a choice of three telcos (Optus, Telstra or Vodafone), while we've got one.
Our Art Director - who like many has been buzzing for days about the 3G iPhone - was going to start queuing from 11pm to buy his handset. Now - like scores posting to the Herald's site and our own Press F1 - he's saying forget it. And he's not cheap either. He says he'd have been willing to pay up to $120 for the 1GB plan (plans include voice). So who's going to turn up? People who've been about to schedule quick appointments with their bank manager. [UPDATE: and these two guys, whom PC World staff writer Jan Birkeland found on Auckland's Queen Street this Wednesday morning, having already spent their first freezing night queuing to be first in the world for the Friday launch.]
More:
American gadget-freaks eye New Zealand
Vodafone announces eye-watering 3G iPhone plans
Stuff readers overwhelmingly critical
Online petition calls for pre-pay pricing
Herald readers call iPhone pricing a rip-off
iPhone 3G pricing crashes Vodafone site
PC World Press F1ers rebel
Video: Campbell Live rips Vodafone pricing to shreds (welcome back, the John we know and love)
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Comments
A women joining the iphone queue has shaken my belief that girls are more sensible than us blokes in these matters! I hope the iPhone is worth the effort.
Posted by: Cameron | July 9, 2008 8:35 PM
It will also be interesting (for us and the Vodafone marketing people) to see the sales of IPhones in NZ versus Australia. Given that the population base is 5 times greater in Oz we should sell 20% of the number of phones sold in Australia. Anyone want to bet against my $100 that we dont come close to selling 20% of what is sold in Australia. I also fully expect that the figures will not be made available due to commercial sensitivity (read here - More likely to severely embarass Vodafone NZ)
Posted by: Dave Holden | July 9, 2008 2:36 PM
Like many I was eagerly awaiting the details of Vodafone's pricing for the iPhone, and like many readers was stunned at the details and the blatant "money grab" on the part of Vodafone. Have they not learnt anything from the intense dislike many NZers feel at the same money grab historically used by Telecom?
I was intrigued by the specs of the iPhone (read.. deserately wanted one)but after seeing the offers started to reconsider. I did some research and then went out and bought an Ipod Touch ($449)- all the same features but no phone. I have a Wifi setup at home and also in the office in Newmarket. Newmarket also has free wifi within its precincts. So now I have my blackberry (with cancelled email service due to my chagrin at Vodafone) and the Touch and I now have live internet (free via wifi) and synced email (auto checked every 15mins), calendar, contacts and all the other goodies that the Touch comes with. Oh... and yes my cellphone contract is only $40 per month. The savings on the blackberry email service will pay for the Touch in 12 months. After just 24 hours I love my iTouch, and what its costing me (Grin)
So folks.. there are other more cost effective options.
Posted by: Dave Holden | July 9, 2008 1:09 PM
iPhone? I'm waiting for the gPhone.
Posted by: Alex | July 9, 2008 11:56 AM