[miffed]

Availale for pre-order

http://shop.vodafone.co.uk/shop/catalog/compatiblePlanListView.jsp?dependantSkuIds=sku2200 038&phoneType=post&skuType=phoneSku&selection=&initialFilters=flt_paymonthly&_requestid=850570

[hecatae]

pre-order and get free vodafone to vodafone calls for life of contract, as on twitter

[gorilla]

To be expected really.
Going forward, RIM and Android and the rest could really hurt Apple by releasing cheap smartphones that perform reasonably well. The reason I have an iPhone is that the competition was poor but now, I'm not in contract, have an unlocked iPhone and am just waiting for a decent handset to come out. I'm in no rush to get a new handset and I will not be committing to a 24 month contract either. I can't see the point of having the iPhone if you're not offering something competitive and at this point it's hard to see why Apple didn't just launch the handset on all networks - they're all more or less the same.

The next version of the iPhone is going to have to be more than just faster hardware and version 4.0 firmware or else it's broad appeal is going to wane. It's just too expensive.

[Ben]

I'm not impressed by the tariffs. At all. At £35 on 18mo they're giving away half the inclusive minutes of O2 and Orange. Surely that's a problem?

Anyway, yeah, couldn't really care less at the moment given the strength of the SIM only tariffs. Will be interesting to see what happens when a new iPhone arrives, and how quickly the networks pick it up and price it.

[solo12002]

so after all the talk on here and from vodafone, its been all talk no real action and no better price pland. Who in hell would sign up for a 2 year contract just to get an iphone which is likely to be replaced with a newer model within a year.

The only winers here are appple who have all the networks screwing everyone for the same price.

[Ben]

For now, at least, it seems enough people are willing to pay the high prices to keep everyone on the supply side happy. That should change over time.

I still maintain that the iPhone is worth every penny, but then perhaps I use it differently to many.

[gorilla]

Totally agree with solo, the consumer has been totally shafted. I'm at the stage where I will be saving to buy an unlocked handset and will only use a sim only tariff from now on. Should work out at about the same price...fingers crossed, but with more flexibility.