I hate being price-gouged.
This time, I’m tempted to not buy the latest iPhone. At least that’s what I’m saying today, while I’m angry. I’ll probably succumb to the temptation, however. But I won’t be happy about it.
Since that day five years ago when I stood in line all night long to buy that first edition iPhone, I have purchased every single upgrade.
But I am close to my limit. That’s because Verizon and Apple want to charge me $849 for the 64GB iPhone 5, instead of the $399 they are charging first time buyers, or those out of their two-year contract,
On the Apple site, there’s a little box you can use to see if you are eligible for the price break. My phone isn’t eligible until June 13, 2013.
That means if I want the iPhone 5, I will be price-gouged.
Apple and Verizon are being short sighted here. I would gladly buy a a new phone for $399. Apple would have sold another. Verizon would sign me up for another two years. That means they know I’ll be with them until at least 2014.
But the fact that they expect me to pay $450 more than what they are gladly selling the iPhone 5 to new customers really cheeses me off.
In the past, Apple and its wireless provider partners have announced the same dual pricing schemes, only to later reverse the policy and allow the lower cost for any customer. Maybe they’ll do the same thing with the iPhone 5.
That may be wishful thinking.
Nevertheless, I know myself. Ill cave. I’m sure I’ll be ordering the iPhone 5, which runs on the 4g TE etwork. And I will stick with Verizon. The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network is currently in more markets than all other U.S. wireless providers’ 4G LTE networks combined. The company continues its roll-out of 4G LTE and has committed to introducing the service in 400 markets by year-end.
Customers purchasing the iPhone 5 on Verizon will also want to purchase a Share Everything Plan beginning at $40 monthly access and $50 monthly account access that includes unlimited voice, unlimited text, picture and video messaging, and a data plan that can be shared with up to 10 devices on a single account.
And, customers wanting to use FaceTime on their iPhone 5 can do so using any Verizon Wireless data plan allowance.
I’m just hoping they waive that steep upgrade price for current in contract customers.