How low can you go? iPhone 3G 8GB refurb now available for $79, 16GB for $129

By on Jul 10, 2009 at 3:45 PM
Retail July 10, 2009

When Apple announced that the iPhone 3G would drop in price to $99 with the introduction of the 3GS, it was a big deal. It wasn’t much of a surprise of course as we had been expecting the iPhone to dip below $100 for quite some time already, but a big deal none the less. As was also expected, AT&T has just issued its first round of refurbished iPhone 3G models since the price cut and the prices, though not nearly as reduced as we’re used to seeing, are lower still: $79 for an 8GB model and $129 for a 16GB model. This poses the question, is the iPhone 3G any more attractive at these price points? Of course the real barrier for many is the additional cost of ownership over two years — a minimum of $1,680 plus taxes and fees on an individual plan. We know that lines up well with flagship phones from other carriers but a $79 handset isn’t competing with flagship phones anymore where cost and demographics are concerned. After all, $79 phone is what people spend on a phone when they don’t care what phone it is; the cost of owning said phone will likely come in at just over half of what an iPhone will cost over two years. What do you guys think — is an $80 iPhone 3G a great buy or is AT&T wasting its time with these new lower price points?

[Via TUAW]

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34 Comments

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  • Frank Castle

    Outside of a compass and video editing any recent smartphone can do everything an iPhone can. Apple may have a better developer / AppStore at the moment but there has been studies showing people rarely use said apps and adoption is less then 2% with only 100 apps actively used.

    Apple at any point could push out code to brick your jailbreak and unlock code mod so how messed up is that.

  • at&t4lyfe

    Not buying a phone cause too many people have it. Means your probably someone who is a tool. If that many people have it they cant all be wrong the way I look at it. At&t plans are identical to verizon excluding the new fav 5 feature verizon offers for an additional cost. As far as Im concerned T-mobile and Sprint can afford to offer these great plans because they no longer compete for the same market share that Verizon and AT&T do. If anything that has been evident over the past years.

  • JakeyBoy

    cost of ownership varies…Zach never re-ran his numbers from the last cost of ownership posting…

  • Crunch

    Just saw this on Premier. $80 for REFURB 8GB 3G’s, and $99 for BRAND NEW 8GB’s. NEW! They have the 3GS in all flavors, but currently no 16GB w/o the S.

    It keeps getting better. :D

  • Adam

    @ Frank -

    LOL! Dude, you know nothing

    I heart apple and att :) Both because I love their products and service, and because they pay my paycheck

  • Greg Gebhardt

    I di not care if they give me a hundred dollars to get the iPhone, until is grows a keyboard and gains push email, it is nothing but a toy for me and not fit for my business needs. I will hold my Bold and be waiting for the real next phone, the Onyx!

  • chip

    people will buy the $79 phone. Some people are all about buying refurbs and dont mind if it only saves them $20.

  • MarinerMB

    God I loved this comment! LOL…you might be on to something!

  • bill

    this is BS, these are probly those iphones that are from china which are fake iphones, otherwise I would buy them.

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