Marcelo Claure, Town Hall Meetings, New Family Share Pack Plan, Unlimited Individual Plan, Discussion Thread

[jamesinclair]

I was told that decoupling phones from service by ending 2-year contracts would push the market to lower phone prices.

And here we are with a "starting at $999" phone.

[WillM]

17 minutes ago, jamesinclair said:

I was told that decoupling phones from service by ending 2-year contracts would push the market to lower phone prices.

And here we are with a "starting at $999" phone.

0% interest for 24 months is still a subsidy. If you charged interest or if carriers offered no financing at all then you would see some change. 

[Johnner1999]

28 minutes ago, jamesinclair said:

I was told that decoupling phones from service by ending 2-year contracts would push the market to lower phone prices.

And here we are with a "starting at $999" phone.

And it has... 

 

a moto e4 is practically free 

 

it also allows companies to produce a premium product like iPhone X and note8 

[kg4icg]

48 minutes ago, jamesinclair said:

I was told that decoupling phones from service by ending 2-year contracts would push the market to lower phone prices.

And here we are with a "starting at $999" phone.

Apple has been raising pries for the last couple of years, did you believe otherwise? Also bumped up AppleCare for the iPhone X to $199. Kind of laughing at the flub on the live stream where face ID didn't work right. 

[dro1984]

Nothing else expected from Apple.  They make a decent phone... but I will not fall victim to their financial eco system.   I refuse to have to turn everything I own into an apple product.   

[Johnner1999]

39 minutes ago, kg4icg said:

Apple has been raising pries for the last couple of years, did you believe otherwise? Also bumped up AppleCare for the iPhone X to $199. Kind of laughing at the flub on the live stream where face ID didn't work right. 

FaceID didn’t fail on the demo 

 

Samsung has been increasing its prices prior to Apple. 

Note both brands still at under $700 

[Trip]

This isn't really iPhone specific, but the iPhone announcement did make me think of it.

 

Do these devices that use facial recognition, do you also need a PIN to access the device?  If not, I would never, ever use this technology.  The only thing stopping a police officer from an illegal search is... well, nothing.  They hold the phone up to your face and the phone unlocks itself.

 

- Trip

[Johnner1999]

14 minutes ago, Trip said:

This isn't really iPhone specific, but the iPhone announcement did make me think of it.

 

Do these devices that use facial recognition, do you also need a PIN to access the device?  If not, I would never, ever use this technology.  The only thing stopping a police officer from an illegal search is... well, nothing.  They hold the phone up to your face and the phone unlocks itself.

 

- Trip

It’s no different than touchID — pin is still required after reboot or failed attempts or five presses of the power button.  Which is what occurred during the demo... faceID didn’t even try to unlock as the message stated on the phone  

 

You need to open your eyes as well. 

 

Also so this isn’t using a photo like Samsung and google have done.  It’s closer to Samsung iris scan but instead of inspecting your blood vessels in your eye.  Apple uses your whole face and creates a 3D key. If you have ever used the Microsoft Kinect - It’s the same system but more modern.  Apple bought the company that developed it. 

[RedSpark]

19 minutes ago, Trip said:

This isn't really iPhone specific, but the iPhone announcement did make me think of it.

 

Do these devices that use facial recognition, do you also need a PIN to access the device?  If not, I would never, ever use this technology.  The only thing stopping a police officer from an illegal search is... well, nothing.  They hold the phone up to your face and the phone unlocks itself.

 

- Trip

You can enable a Cop Block for Touch ID in iOS 11: https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/17/16161758/ios-11-touch-id-disable-emergency-services-lock

I imagine the same is possible for Face ID.

[RedSpark]

30 minutes ago, Johnner1999 said:

FaceID didn’t fail on the demo 

 

Samsung has been increasing its prices prior to Apple. 

Note both brands still at under $700 

Exactly. It worked like it was supposed to.

The device had been sitting for too long without being unlocked or it had been rebooted prior to the demo.

In such cases, the passcode is required for Face ID.

Given that, Apple didn't have the device properly prepared for the demo run of show to work with the demo. Fault of the Apple event staff. No way for the presenter to know this ahead of time.

[Steve Dean]

26 minutes ago, Trip said:

This isn't really iPhone specific, but the iPhone announcement did make me think of it.

 

Do these devices that use facial recognition, do you also need a PIN to access the device?  If not, I would never, ever use this technology.  The only thing stopping a police officer from an illegal search is... well, nothing.  They hold the phone up to your face and the phone unlocks itself.

 

- Trip

From the information that I have read and listened to, you have to directly stare at the lenses for the phone to unlock and will not unlock if your eyes were not open.  Even if the officer did that, would this not classify as an unlawful seizure and be thrown out of court?

[RedSpark]

Sprint's Coverage Map got an update today!

https://coverage.sprint.com/IMPACT.jsp

[RedSpark]

Just now, Steve Dean said:

From the information that I have read and listened to, you have to directly stare at the lenses for the phone to unlock and will not unlock if your eyes were not open.  Even if the officer did that, would this not classify as an unlawful seizure and be thrown out of court?

You have to stare at it with open eyes and then swipe.

Perhaps the forced stare plus the swipe would be violative as an unlawful seizure.

[jamesinclair]

2 hours ago, WillM said:

0% interest for 24 months is still a subsidy. If you charged interest or if carriers offered no financing at all then you would see some change. 

Thats certainly one innovative way to move the goal posts.

 

2 hours ago, kg4icg said:

Apple has been raising pries for the last couple of years, did you believe otherwise? Also bumped up AppleCare for the iPhone X to $199. Kind of laughing at the flub on the live stream where face ID didn't work right. 

Nope, and thats why I said otherwise. Removing the subsidy was just a price hike for the consumer.

[Johnner1999]

How is it a price hike? Granted it use to be $649.99 at 16gb with 3.5” 

vs

$699.99 at 64mb with 4.7”

 

samsung has similar 

[greenbastard]

7 hours ago, kg4icg said:

Apple has been raising pries for the last couple of years, 

This is absolutely false. The latest iPhone always started at $649 MSRP. This is the first year in which the iPhone started at $699 (while they did bump the storage memory, everyone and their Mamas know memory is cheap)

[kg4icg]

1 hour ago, greenbastard said:

This is absolutely false. The latest iPhone always started at $649 MSRP. This is the first year in which the iPhone started at $699 (while they did bump the storage memory, everyone and their Mamas know memory is cheap)

I guess you don't need to ask the UK why MacBook prices are 200 plus more then everyone else being charged, and Apple care being 199 for iPhone X, raised from 129, which was raised from 99. And don't go looking for band 71 on the new phones, it isn't there. Everything on the fcc certification site came out today. 

[kg4icg]

Something else to think about with Apple. 

 

[jamesinclair]

7 hours ago, Johnner1999 said:

How is it a price hike? Granted it use to be $649.99 at 16gb with 3.5” 

vs

$699.99 at 64mb with 4.7”

 

samsung has similar 

 

Used to be $199 on a 2-year actually.

Now it;s $999

[JustinRP37]

1 hour ago, kg4icg said:

I guess you don't need to ask the UK why MacBook prices are 200 plus more then everyone else being charged, and Apple care being 199 for iPhone X, raised from 129, which was raised from 99. And don't go looking for band 71 on the new phones, it isn't there. Everything on the fcc certification site came out today. 

UK prices have changed much more because Apple pegs its prices to the USD. After Brexit both the Euro and Pound lost value relative to the USD so Apple of course raised their prices, in some cases more than the exchange rate amount. The price raise for AppleCare was when they changed to AppleCare + where they cover two incidences of accidental damage (something that previously required out of warranty repair). And the further price increase for the X, makes me wonder how much that faceID system costs. Also, historically, Apple and other manufacturers have not increase prices with inflation, the iPhone 8 is the first iPhone price increase. But it isn't just Apple the that has increased prices lately, go look at the Surface lineup at Microsoft or Samsung even.

Band 71 won't be supported by the iPhone 8 or iPhone X, but Apple has historically done an absolutely amazing job at creating world phones that work on just about every network there is. Just pickup the Sprint or Verizon model and you can pretty much take that phone to any network worldwide. 

I do not get Apple bashing nor any other cell phone bashing. People use what they like plain and simple. 

[JustinRP37]

20 minutes ago, jamesinclair said:

 

Used to be $199 on a 2-year actually.

Now it;s $999

But but they unbundled the prices to make it seem like you were getting a much better deal for a few years! /sarcasm. Of course the carrier planned on making more money this way, they aren't benevolent!

[Johnner1999]

35 minutes ago, jamesinclair said:

 

Used to be $199 on a 2-year actually.

Now it;s $999

But you aren’t comparing like for like. 

 

That $199 price includes a 2 year service contract and more importantly higher data/voice fees.  

And that was the base phone which was $650-699... 

 

im confused by the bashing here   I thought this forum was above that?  

 

 

[Johnner1999]

1 hour ago, kg4icg said:

Something else to think about with Apple. 

 

What’s the issue? It’s a premium brand.  

[kg4icg]

Paying extra for what android includes a standard, oh the Sheeple runs deep.

[JustinRP37]

5 minutes ago, Johnner1999 said:

What’s the issue? It’s a premium brand.  

I don't get it either, but as I consumer of all things tech, Apple still has hands down the best customer support. I have never had much success with dealing with other companies, but Apple has replaced multiple things out of warranty for me from batteries to iPad keyboards. Yes even they aren't perfect, but I am still satisfied when things go wrong.