30.Nov.2009 To iPhone 3GS or not…

I have a lot of friends who’s contracts are comin up and are facing the similar question, whether to get an iPhone on contract or not. Everytine I hear this I always advise them to not do it. Not because I have anything against the iPhone 3GS (I have one myself). It’s because they’d be tying themselves down with 18-24 month contacst in Nov’09 when the next version o the iPhone will land June/July 2010 (judging on past track record of a device a year for the last 3 years!)

There was a huge backlash from 3G owners when the iPhone 3GS was released, they were only 1 year into a 18/24 month contract and were not offered subsidies to move to the new iPhone. This was not the fault of o2, it was the release cycle of Apple. To subsidize the older device meant offering longer contracts.

Bearing this in mind, I got an iPhone 3GS on PAYG the day it was released. I did his in order to not be locked in when the newer iPhone comes out. If I was wanting a new iPhone right now, I would certainly wait for the day of a new release rather than lock myself in with an ultimately older device.