Is it possible to buy iPhone 5 subsidised without contract

J

joshu

Limp Gawd
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Aug 11, 2011
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In the US is there any way to buy an iPhone 5 32GB for $399 without signing a contract? Are you required to sign a contract in store or how does it work?

Apple and carriers have probably thought about this already, but with unlocking services if you could buy an iPhone for $399 and then pay the small unlocking fee of $46 it would be awesome :p
 
Short answer is no. The contract is the price that you pay for the subsidy. Long answer?

Let's say that you decide to buy the 32GB iPhone 5 from Verizon. That's actually $299.99. There's usually an account activation fee of about $36. And even if you cancel your account on day one, you'd still likely pay for the first month, which is $90 now. You'd also have an ETF of $350.

So, total price of $300 (phone), $126 (service and activation), and termination ($350) is $776 before taxes and any other hidden fees. Buying it outright from a carrier (or unlocked from Apple based on their leaked pricing) is $750.
 
r3awak3n said:
Or look on ebay but expect to pay over 600.
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This. Also, Apple rarely allows retailers to sell their products below MSRP without prior approval. You're not going to find an iPhone significantly below MSRP without some kind of issues, ie; used and abused, defective, "fell off a tuck," banned IMEI, fake/knockoff, etc.

Bottom line is that you have two realistic options. You can either buy it subsidized on contract and deal with the contract, or you can buy it unlocked and use it on a cheaper carrier to help offset the price.
 
Short answer and long answer both: "No".
Contract and subsidized or no-contract and un-subsidized. Pick one.
 
Why would one expect to get a discount for something without anything in return. Last I checked they weren't charities.
 
So you want a 700 dollar phone, that's totally legit, in flawless condition, with no contract or anything -- all for 399? Good luck.

Your only option is the used/grey/black market if you don't want a contract, and at that point you will more than likely get a knock off fake unit, a stolen unit, or just something not on the up and up.

The whole reason people can get the phone for 199/299/399 is because they agree to a set term of service (contract) giving all companies involved the chance to make their money back for the heavily discounted product you get.

There are only a few things in this world that are free -- and high end phones are not one of them. At this point I'm guessing one of the following things:

1) under 18
2) foreign and not familiar with the USA's sometimes odd cell phone business norms.
3) retarded
 
collegeboy69us said:
So you want a 700 dollar phone, that's totally legit, in flawless condition, with no contract or anything -- all for 399? Good luck.

Your only option is the used/grey/black market if you don't want a contract, and at that point you will more than likely get a knock off fake unit, a stolen unit, or just something not on the up and up.

The whole reason people can get the phone for 199/299/399 is because they agree to a set term of service (contract) giving all companies involved the chance to make their money back for the heavily discounted product you get.

There are only a few things in this world that are free -- and high end phones are not one of them. At this point I'm guessing one of the following things:

1) under 18
2) foreign and not familiar with the USA's sometimes odd cell phone business norms.
3) retarded
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I like the part that talks about #3.
 
collegeboy69us said:
So you want a 700 dollar phone, that's totally legit, in flawless condition, with no contract or anything -- all for 399? Good luck.
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Yes, and it is called the LG Nexus 4, and is actually $349 :D A brand new, top of the line world class smartphone, is totally legit, flawless condition in the box, no contract needed, no commitment.

Who the hell would buy a new iPhone 5 at around $700, over a new Nexus 4 for $349, needs their head examined.

And I am not just picking on Apple, all other high end brand new smartphones off contract are very expensive; Galaxy SIII...Note II...One X+...all selling for around $650/$700. I have to give Google credit, the brand new Nexus 4 off contract is $349, half the price of every other new smartphone, and the N 4 is just as good, just as high end, sure it's missing LTE and 32GB storage, but for $349 off contract, heck, that can't be beat.

The best deal in my mind is the Nexus 4 off contract, no commitment for $349, and setup on Straight Talk for $45/Month = unlimited minutes, unlimited text, and 2gb data. Does Apple sell unlocked iPhone5 yet to work on Straight Talk ? But the phone itself would be like $700+ ?
 
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Zorachus said:
Yes, and it is called the LG Nexus 4, and is actually $349 :D A brand new, top of the line world class smartphone, is totally legit, flawless condition in the box, no contract needed, no commitment.

Who the hell would buy a new iPhone 5 at around $700, over a new Nexus 4 for $349, needs their head examined.

And I am not just picking on Apple, all other high end brand new smartphones off contract are very expensive; Galaxy SIII...Note II...One X+...all selling for around $650/$700. I have to give Google credit, the brand new Nexus 4 off contract is $349, half the price of every other new smartphone, and the N 4 is just as good, just as high end, sure it's missing LTE and 32GB storage, but for $349 off contract, heck, that can't be beat.

The best deal in my mind is the Nexus 4 off contract, no commitment for $349, and setup on Straight Talk for $45/Month = unlimited minutes, unlimited text, and 2gb data. Does Apple sell unlocked iPhone5 yet to work on Straight Talk ? But the phone itself would be like $700+ ?
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Nexus os $359 only in States mate, in Europe, LG demands 599 euro for that phone. WHich is a damn robbery. It costs same as any other top quality smartphone here. Only you in States got great price :)
 
MorgothPl said:
Nexus os $359 only in States mate, in Europe, LG demands 599 euro for that phone. WHich is a damn robbery. It costs same as any other top quality smartphone here. Only you in States got great price :)
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Oh, I did not know that. I thought Google was selling it for that cheap loss of a price worldwide, that sucks for all the Europeans and Asians, not getting that deal.

Well if all phones are around the same price, I would chose the Note II.
 
Zorachus said:
Yes, and it is called the LG Nexus 4, and is actually $349 :D A brand new, top of the line world class smartphone, is totally legit, flawless condition in the box, no contract needed, no commitment.

Who the hell would buy a new iPhone 5 at around $700, over a new Nexus 4 for $349, needs their head examined.

And I am not just picking on Apple, all other high end brand new smartphones off contract are very expensive; Galaxy SIII...Note II...One X+...all selling for around $650/$700. I have to give Google credit, the brand new Nexus 4 off contract is $349, half the price of every other new smartphone, and the N 4 is just as good, just as high end, sure it's missing LTE and 32GB storage, but for $349 off contract, heck, that can't be beat.

The best deal in my mind is the Nexus 4 off contract, no commitment for $349, and setup on Straight Talk for $45/Month = unlimited minutes, unlimited text, and 2gb data. Does Apple sell unlocked iPhone5 yet to work on Straight Talk ? But the phone itself would be like $700+ ?
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You won't get any argument from me -- I'm under contract for my Galaxy Nexus via verizon. Love the nexus phones, and love the modding I've done to it (both hardware and software)

The last iphone I had was a 3G (ages ago at this point) and why anyone would pay 700 for a phone that's only "guaranteed" to be cool/hip/whatever for about 6 months is total crap.

I have another year left before I can see about upgrading - by then I'm sure there will be some sweet tech available in the droid community. Straight talk is alluring -- however my 20% off via my employer makes Verizon easier to swallow.
 
collegeboy69us said:
why anyone would pay 700 for a phone that's only "guaranteed" to be cool/hip/whatever for about 6 months is total crap.
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The thing is, unless you NEED to be on AT&T/Verizon for better coverage, you're paying the $700 for that phone whether you buy it subsidized or not. Case in point, I live in Seattle where T-Mobile coverage is better than AT&T. I'll use the Galaxy Note II as an example since it is a phone that is or will be available on multiple carriers.

I can buy it subsidized on Verizon or AT&T for $300 on a 2-year contract. My monthly bill will be at a minimum
-$90 for Verizon (unlimited talk/text, 1GB data)
-$90 on AT&T (450 minutes, unlimited text, 3GB data)

Or, I can buy the international unlocked model, and I can get:
-$50/mo for 500 minutes, unlimited text, and unlimited data throttled after 2GB on TMO, no contract
-$70/mo on AT&T for 500 minutes, unlimited text, and unlimited data, no contract

So, I'm going from $300 for the phone, but tiered data with more expensive plans, or $680 for the phone with unlimited data (potential throttling unless I pay more), and cheaper plans. Adding in the cost of the phone, 2 years of service would cost:

-Verizon = $2,160 for 2 years of service, $300 for phone, $2,460 total
-AT&T = $2,160 for 2 years of service, $300 for phone, $2,460 total
-TMO = $1,200 for 2 years of service, $680 for phone, $1,880 total
-AT&T off contract = $1,680 for service, $680 for phone, $2,360 total

And for shits and giggles, on TMO you can add unlimited talk or unlimited data (no throttling) for $10 a month each, bringing the total for everything to $2,360 after two years.

So again, unless you NEED specific coverage from a carrier, paying $700 for the phone outright can save you a lot of money over paying "only" $300 for the phone up front. I know that you meant this more in comparison to the price of the $349 Nexus 4, but for some people, that phone simply is not an option. Some people will want an unlocked phone that supports AT&T or T-Mobile's LTE bands. Some will want more storage. Some will want WP8 or iOS. I do agree that anyone considering an unlocked phone should look long and hard at the Nexus 4, but it's not for everyone.
 
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