# US and International iPhone prices - you've got to be kidding, right?



## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

I've just been looking at the iPhone 3 & 4 on the Apple websites, both the US and UK ones. (I live in the UK).

On the US site the 8Gb iPhone 3Gs is $99 - that's about £65. Add VAT which we have to pay on everything coming into the UK it comes to about £75. On the UK site however the same phone is a whopping £499! That's about six and a half times the price compared to the US.

Also, on the US site the 32Gb iPhone 4 is $299 - about £200 + VAT = £235. On the UK site it's £599 - more than two and half times the price.

If you're in the US, would _you_ pay $630 for an iPhone 3Gs or $900 for an iPhone 4? Because those are the equivalent prices to what we're being asked to pay.

Does anyone have any insight as to why there is such a _huge_ price discrepancy?


----------



## Pushka (Oct 30, 2009)

Don't come to Australia then.  We are even higher.


----------



## bce (Nov 17, 2009)

My guess would be that while the US price is the subsudized two year contract price, the UK price is not.


----------



## Cardinal (Feb 24, 2010)

Yes, Oogle Pringle is correct, AT&T subsidizes the phones.  If I loose my iPhone 4 and want to replace it, that will cost me around $600.


----------



## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

Well, we paid $599 I think it was for the original iPhone, which was unsubsidized, when it first came out and before the price drop.  And if I could've gotten a factory unlocked phone here for that price this time around--which again, my understanding is that the UK phones are just that--I very well might have done it.  

Now, would I actually recommend it at that price?  No.  Right now, there are too many hardware/software issues with this new design.  Once the bugs are worked out in another couple of months, it might be worth the price.

(Yes, I hit on an issue with mine...Bluetooth with my headset sucks!  And it's a common problem, apparently.  Sigh.)

FWIW, your contract options and pay as you go plans all beat the hell out of ours.  Most UK folks are appalled to see the rates we pay for data plans here, and that there's no prepaid options whatsoever.  Plus, of course, we're locked into AT&T with no other choices...


----------



## Neo (Mar 30, 2009)

VictoriaP said:


> FWIW, your contract options and pay as you go plans all beat the hell out of ours. Most UK folks are appalled to see the rates we pay for data plans here, and that there's no prepaid options whatsoever. Plus, of course, we're locked into AT&T with no other choices...


Plus, the US is the only place in the world where you don't only pay to make a call or send a text message, but actually also pay to RECEIVE either... Seriously!!!!!!


----------



## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

Neo said:


> Plus, the US is the only place in the world where you don't only pay to make a call or send a text message, but actually also pay to RECEIVE either... Seriously!!!!!!


Ouch! That only happens to UK users when they go abroad. Your caller pays the cost of the call/text as though you are still in the UK and then you pay the rest for the phone co to send it to you in Timbuktu or where ever you are.


----------



## Someone Nameless (Jul 12, 2009)

Pushka said:


> Don't come to Australia then. We are even higher.


Honestly, I don't know how y'all do it. I came there last year and it is amazing how expensive everything is!!


----------



## anivyl (Nov 12, 2009)

aye but if you check those prices, those are for an unlocked and uncontracted phone. when the iphone 3g first came to australia, it was virtually free on a $79 plan with one of the telcos. After a while, there was an option for a free agent phone... which honestly, I prefer. Those plans will eventually lead you to a... what... $2k phone bill at the end of 2 years.


----------

