G+_Marlon Thompson Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 Yes I'm thinking of buying this phone and I don't think it's overpriced. Just heard HTC is not even considering doing this, guess who is going to continue being the major android cellphone maker http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2419049,00.asp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Tom Gehrke Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 Considering the retail price for a Galaxy S3 was between $550-600 through Verizon last month (depending on the color of all things), $650 for an unsubsidized S4 seems, if not reasonable, then at least relatively inexpensive. I'm seeing unlocked S4's in other places for $700-720. Unlocked HTC Ones for $750+. I think people get used to the subsidized prices which causes this sticker shock when closer-to-true-costs are made public. I'd certainly be considering it myself if I hadn't gotten an on-contract S3 from Verizon this past summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Alan Reinhold (Wizetux) Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 The problem isn't the unlocked sticker price, at least not for me. The issue is that I can pay this price up front, but that doesn't get me a cheaper plan from the carrier. The plan is still the same price no matter if I take the subsidized phone or the unsubsidized phone. So if I pay for the unlocked, I end up paying for the phone twice. No point in it. It isn't the issue with the American consumer, but the carrier plans that make most of us not want to pay for 200+ for a phone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Tom Gehrke Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 I'm confused. I didn't think the carriers factored any subsidies into the plan costs. The plan is the plan. I paid extra for the devices I used (the subsidized price). What my carrier (Verizon) gets is a "guaranteed" revenue for the term of my contract. If I break the terms and leave early, I have to pay an early termination fee which I've always taken to mean how the carrier makes back what they didn't charge you for the device up front. I'm probably just being dense so please don't take this as me being argumentative. I'd like to understand how this actually works. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Alan Reinhold (Wizetux) Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 Tom Gehrke You are correct. At least for the US carriers. They don't care whether you buy the phone outright or on subsidies. The price of the plan is the same. So, why would I pay an extra 300 dollars for a device if I don't get any incentive for doing so? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Marlon Thompson Posted May 16, 2013 Author Share Posted May 16, 2013 Alan Reinhold and Tom Gehrke you two also need to help me out, but here is the situation for me, where I live the S4 costs over $700 US but its unlocked which also means that if I travel I can pop in a sim card when I travel, I can also change my phones on my contract plan without having to sign up for a new plan just use what ever device I have. Having that freedom is important to me. Do the AT and T subsidized phones also offered that ability Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Tom Gehrke Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Wow... sorry guys. I got no notifications from Google+ that this conversation was continued or that I had been mentioned twice since my last comment. :/ At any rate... Alan Reinhold The incentive is that you aren't locked into a contract, the bootloader is unlocked and you're getting your OS updates directly from the source. That cost of the hardware really is pretty much on par with what it should be. Now whether or not the $300 difference between subsidized/unsubsidized is worth what you get for that...? Obviously that line will be different depending. I think it's worth it and it sounds like you don't. We're probably both right. :) Marlon Thompson If I understand the question correctly (and I haven't had my first cup of coffee yet so...) you're asking if you can take an AT&T subsidized phone and pop in a different SIM from another carrier as you would when traveling and have that phone work? If so, I think the answer is "yes" as long as the bands the network you are travelling to is supported by the hardware in the phone. I think that depends on the phone itself at that point (e.g. a "world phones" vs something else). I'm kind of out of my depth here so if I misunderstood the question or got it wrong, someone feel free to knock me back on track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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