Apple has just announced the biggest thing since The Beatles (on iTunes, at least): the iPhone 4 is coming to Verizon.
Buzz has been surrounding the iPhone and Verizon for the past two years but nothing was announced until earlier this month. The iPhone 4 is going to be released on Feb. 10 under conditions that are still not exactly spelled out by Verizon. Should consumers eagerly wait for Verizon stores to open that day, or should they wait until the deal is clearer and possibly better?
While new and shiny technology is always exciting, consumers should probably be aware that, while Verizon has announced the cost of the iPhone—between $199.99 and $299.99 for 2-year plans and $649.99 to $749.99 full retail price, the company has yet to state the cost of a data package for the iPhone.
Verizon’s website vaguely references the data package, but a real answer is elusive. The company’s FAQ reads, “Customers will also be required to activate a data package, pricing will be announced at a later date.”
If the pricing is similar to other smart phone data packages, it will be $15 or higher, as initially priced on the Verizon website, although the cost of a package for the Blackberry with unlimited email and web is $29.99 per month according to Verizon’s online shopping assistant. This price does not include a phone plan itself, which can run up to $69.99 for unlimited calls.
For a buyer who can afford the phone itself, standard monthly fees, and a data package plan, the iPhone is a good choice. Otherwise, buyers might want to hang in there until prices go down.
According to the company’s FAQ, they have conveniently covered all the bases of the iPhone. For example, people who purchased a smart phone for the holidays and weren’t aware of the iPhone release are “eligible to receive up to a $200 Visa debit card when they purchase an iPhone 4 at full retail price.”
With a full retail price of $649.99 or $749.99, a $200 Visa debit doesn’t seem like too much of a bargain. Also, while the iPhone has strong consumer loyalty due to branding and marketing by Apple, it does not come recommended by professionals.
In July, Consumer Reportsmagazine stated that it could not recommend the iPhone 4 in several articles, citing signal loss issues when an area on the left side of the phone was blocked by a hand or finger. While Apple grappled with this issue and made recalls, the iPhone 4 has still not received the stamp of approval from Consumer Reports.
Verizon’s iPhone is different from AT&T’s, so the signal loss issue might be fixed, and Apple went to great lengths to give customers a free case for the faulty iPhones, but Consumer Reportsfurther criticized Verizon for releasing a mid-year replacement when the release of a new iPhone is expected in the summer.
While buyers can’t base every decision on the magazine, which recommends waiting until a newer iPhone comes out to make the purchase, they have to weigh the options. Owning the newest technology may be important to some people, but maybe not when they are paying for a new phone, a calling plan, and an undisclosed amount for a data plan. On top of that, consumers will have to pay a trade-in fee to get the newest iPhone in the summer.
The verdict: You can probably survive for six more months without buying the latest iPhone.