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iPhone 3G - Is It Worth the Hype?

By Seow Tein Hee & Sutlej Soin - 21 Aug 2008

The Co$t of Owning an iPhone 3G in Singapore

The Co$t of Owning an iPhone 3G in Singapore

"Just one year after launching the iPhone, we're launching the new iPhone 3G that is twice as fast at half the price," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO.

According to SingTel, consumers will have to commit to a 2-year plan to enjoy reduced iPhone 3G prices. The following table has the details:

SingTel iPhone 3G Price Plans
Price Plan Monthly Subscription Bundled Outgoing Minutes Bundled SMS Bundled Data Handset Cost (8GB/16GB)
iFlexi Value S$56 200 500 1GB S$348 / S$508
iFlexi Plus S$95 500 500 2GB S$49 / S$208
iFlexi Premium S$205 1500 1500 3GB S$0 / S$0

These 2-year contract price plans for the iPhone 3G are the first of their kind to incorporate bundled talk time, SMS and data. The plan also includes free incoming voice and video calls. A pertinent question would be: how much would you have paid after the two year period as a result of owning an iPhone 3G? We did the math for you, based on the different price plans. Mind you, they do not include additional charges of exceeding the bundled talk time minutes or SMSes.

iFlexi Value: S$1344 (S$56 x 24 months) + S$348(8GB) or S$508(16GB) = S$1692 (8GB) / S$1852 (16GB)

iFlexi Plus: S$2280 (S$95 x 24 months) + S$49(8GB) or S$208(16GB) = S$2329 (8GB) / S$2488 (16GB)

iFlexi Premium: S$4920 (S$205 x 24 months) + S$0(8GB/16GB) = S$4920 (8GB/16GB)

Apple had introduced the iPhone 3G as "twice as fast at half the price". By lowering the price, Steve Jobs hoped that the affordable iPhone 3G would win over even more users. The way we see it, that hope was confined to the United States of America, and not the rest of the civilized world. Given the numbers above, it's altogether too clear that signing up a 2-year plan at this stage isn't at all value-for-money, unless one already happens to be an intensive mobile user to begin with. What's more, SingTel doesn't provide the option to pick up a unit without an operator plan, as the iPhone 3G is only available from them via specific plans.

And that's the sum of this exclusive preview. If this has whetted your appetite for the iPhone 3G, be on the lookout for the September issue of HWM which provides you with the full review of the iPhone 3G in all its glory, coming to a newsstand near you in the following weeks.

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