Free iPhones in Japan: Should AT&T offer Americans a free iPhone?

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Free iPhones in Japan: Should AT&T offer Americans a free iPhone?

by SAM Posted February 27, 2009 01:38:07

17 answers
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+1 raves

In Japan, iPhones are now free! Softbank Mobile, the exclusive carrier of Apple’s (AAPL) smartphone in Japan, will give anyone who signs a two-year contract a free 8GB iPhone 3G. If customers prefer the 16GB model, that will cost them $118. While in America, the only free phone you will get is a cheap Samsung camera phone with technology of year 2004. AT&T; should have this promotion. I will immediately switch from T-Mobile to AT&T; just to get me free iPhone. Until then I will keep my broken, old Sidekick Slide.

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XXhellokittenXX March 21, 2009 14:26:25

Answered: Yes. AT&T should stop being cheap and offer free iPhones.
yea! thats not fair.
god March 11, 2009 23:33:30

Answered: No. Because everyone will have an iPhone and will become overrated like the iPod
No because iphones and cell phones should be destroyed.
Karadoll March 07, 2009 16:37:06

Answered: No. Because everyone will have an iPhone and will become overrated like the iPod
No. It'd only be to satisfy people's greed.

And nothing is free.
steven March 06, 2009 20:21:43

Answered: Yes. AT&T should stop being cheap and offer free iPhones.
and to the english please
oldcavpilot March 02, 2009 19:23:23

Answered: No. Because everyone will have an iPhone and will become overrated like the iPod
Nothing is 'free'.

My Bro is a Big Deal communications guy who's done lots of work in Japan. He says the Japanese 'system' is very different than ours, with different rules that thoroughly pork the user. Things like un-portable numbers; new phone, new contract, new number. Then your fees change without notice. They pay for the phones, just differently.

Nothing is free.
KP to oldcavp... March 12, 2009 23:27:16 (edited)

Your brother is an idiot. You do not need a new number with a new contract in Japan, in fact even when you change carriers you don't have to change your number. From my experience you get thoroughly less "porked" in Japan over cell phone fees than in the US. And the contract buyout tends to be much less in Japan than in the US.

And your fees do no get changed without notice. You get a contract that lays out the deals of your term.

I just took advantage of the Softbank iPhone deal, and it was an excellent deal btw. My monthly bill is half of that of my friend's AT&T; monthly iPhone bill. So who's getting porked I wonder.

Tell your brother not to get info about wireless companies from the sushi restaurant down the street which is run by Chinese immigrants.
oldcavp... to KP March 13, 2009 01:33:21

He set up the system in Japan that finds all of the people that have your phone number on their address books and changes it so that no-one who calls you ever gets a wrong number when you switch. He fixed it. Are you also an idiot capable of changing a country's communication system? Couldn't happen in the US with our 'privacy' laws.

And yes, the US companies are getting away with financial murder. But you still think things are free. You're entitled to your opinion.

The company who 'fixed' it for Japan was called Motorola. They're real morons in telecommunications. Enjoy your sushi.
CABT February 28, 2009 00:40:04

Answered: No. Because everyone will have an iPhone and will become overrated like the iPod
I had to pay for mine.
rouserbugs February 27, 2009 20:54:15

Answered: No. Because everyone will have an iPhone and will become overrated like the iPod
everyone equal. no. free, no. old fashion, you get what you pay for
SkyBluePink February 27, 2009 19:47:05

Answered: Yes. AT&T should stop being cheap and offer free iPhones.
Why not.
Carleta Tubbs February 27, 2009 16:44:23

Answered: Yes. AT&T should stop being cheap and offer free iPhones.
that would be asume if they did
+1
ajweishar February 27, 2009 15:46:06

Answered: No. Because everyone will have an iPhone and will become overrated like the iPod
This will be a non issue soon. More studies are coming out showing the effects of microwave radiation on long term users. The phones are worse than cigarettes, because the cancers occur after ten years of heavy (1-2 hours/day) use. European countries are looking at keeping them away from children under 12. The best proof of the problem is the canary in the mine test. Did you ever see any birds on the microwave towers?
faaque February 27, 2009 07:02:35

Answered: Yes. AT&T should stop being cheap and offer free iPhones.
Make them free that way more retards can have phones. If you are on T-Mobile, why not get the HTC Dream (otherwise known as the Google G1)? Way better then the iphone.
Racquel February 27, 2009 04:02:29

Answered: Yes. AT&T should stop being cheap and offer free iPhones.
I hear they still have too many bugs and they still cost way too much, both for the phones and for the service, so even if the iphone was free, the service would break most people. I had thought about getting one for my business, but with everything else that I have already discussed, I find out that they are still censoring the content that you can load onto them. Most recently a South Park app that they deamed as inappropriate.
If I am going to spend that much money on the phone and the service, I should be the only one who decides what does and does not get loaded onto it. Is apple going to control what people can have on their MACs and iBooks too?

I will stick with windows for these reasons. I cannot support a company that wants to police me after the sale. I am a grown adult.

But, that being said, if they are going to give them away free in japan, then why not here for the people who do want them? They really make the real money on the service anyway.

Give it away now!!!!!
Lynn February 27, 2009 03:21:32

Answered: Yes. AT&T should stop being cheap and offer free iPhones.
When are you greedy capitalist right wing fascists hate mongers going to stop denying basic human rights and GIVE US ALL FREE iPHONES!!!

/sarcasmoff
+1
Rowbin February 27, 2009 01:47:16

Answered: No. Because everyone will have an iPhone and will become overrated like the iPod
No, because the iPhone is a piece of shit
Linkums February 27, 2009 01:43:42

Answered: No. Because everyone will have an iPhone and will become overrated like the iPod
No, because people are still buying them without them being free.
Racquel to Linkums February 27, 2009 04:04:22

Not me! I will wait for another companies cheaper and better version that will probably be free when I sign a year or two contract
AdventPhantom .::New Holoca... February 27, 2009 01:43:11

Answered: Yes. AT&T should stop being cheap and offer free iPhones.
moderated...

		Yes. AT&T should stop being cheap and offer free iPhones.
		No. Because everyone will have an iPhone and will become overrated like the iPod