dang it...why aren't used iPhone prices falling?

[rudeguy]

I figured with the mass ATT exodus, there would be a flood of cheap GSM iPhones on CL.

No such luck. There are for sure more of them on there, even some iP4's, but they are still asking $300-$600.

/me waits some more

 

[Pliablemoose]

Current iPhone owners haven't been able to get the Verizon iPhone yet, only current V customers. The real magic happens tomorrow.

Pre orders for the iP4 on V by non Verizon customers started today, with B&M sales starting tomorrow.

BTW, the best guess for Verizon customer pre sales #'s is ~500,000 sold on the first day.

We should be seeing iP4's for AT&T, Droid X's, Icredibles, Droid gen I's and II's, and a ton of BB devices show up on Craigslist in the next few weeks as people get the new phones and port their numbers...

 

[shortylickens]

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4144/...gra-2-review-the-first-dual-core-smartphone/9

I finally realized why the 3GS held its value so long. I can also understand why iPhone 4 users were so pissed.

 

[Aikouka]

iPhones, as long as they're still good enough to use, will hold their value. The 3GS might not be the newest model, but it still handles all of the same software just as well as the 4 does.

 

[Axon]

$300 isn't a bad price at all for the 4.

 

[dpodblood]

Wait till June and I bet you will see the prices drop.

 

[akugami]

I figured with the mass ATT exodus, there would be a flood of cheap GSM iPhones on CL.

No such luck. There are for sure more of them on there, even some iP4's, but they are still asking $300-$600.

/me waits some more

Apple hardware has traditionally held its value very well. I think that's part of the reason why prices aren't dropping to any large degree. The other is, as others noted, the fact that the original pre-orders were for Verizon only customers.

 

[dpodblood]

$300 isn't a bad price at all for the 4.

Oh and like he said. If you can find an ip4 for $300 you shouldn't even hesitate. I still see the ip3GS's for that much on Ebay.

 

[corkyg]

As long as there are a lot of folks who want the used iPhones, the prices will stay high. When the demand falls off, the prices will drop to meet demand. That's basic economics.

 

[gorcorps]

What mass ATT exodus? Aren't most iphone users still caught in a contract? It'll be a slower process over the next couple years as contracts expire and customers get to choose based on carrier, and no longer just by phone.

 

[kaerflog]

$300 isn't a bad price at all for the 4.

Dude, nobody is selling IP4 for $300.
IP4 that are put up for $400 are gone within the hr.
Any post you see IP4 for $300 is a scam.

 

[kaerflog]

The reason why 3GS holds their value so well right now is that all 3GS are unlockable unlike IP4.
Wether the 3gs has to be tethered or untethered, its still unlockable.
Only IP4 still on baseband 1.59.00 are unlockable and they are impossible to find.
4.1 came out in Nov and that upgraded the baseband to 2.14.00 so IP4 users have had 3 months to upgrade their software and most have.

 

[SAWYER]

Dude, nobody is selling IP4 for $300.
IP4 that are put up for $400 are gone within the hr.
Any post you see IP4 for $300 is a scam.

Not true at all, I have bought one at 300 and one at 325

 

[kaerflog]

Not true at all, I have bought one at 300 and one at 325

From CL ??

 

[SAWYER]

yes

 

[kaerflog]

I don't know where you live but thats like lightning hitting twice.
I look through CL on a regular basis in Orlando and when I was in Sacramento and no IP4 are listed in the $300 range.
The ones listed for $400 are either sold right away or some type of scam.
Buying phones is a hobby of mine and I look on CL more than you know.
Show me any craigslist listing for any IP4 thats under $400.....

 

[Vdubchaos]

Apple hype

Why would you want one anyways

 

[kaerflog]

Well, I love buying used iPhones as their is such a big market for it because it uses GSM bands.
I go back to VietNam alot so I always stockpile iphones as much as I can when I see a good deal.
iPhones are extremely popular and a status symbol in VN.
I've been hoping to see a decrease in iPhone prices too.

 

[SAWYER]

Well king of craigslist sorry none have showed up in Orlando, but I have scored twice in Jonesboro, AR

 

[RGUN]

I have to sign a new contract shortly to get a retention discount on my plan, I am happy with my current phone so I was going to pick up a smartphone to simply sell later. I wasnt sure which to go with, so I put out some feeler ads on kijiji. For a brand new sealed iPhone 4 32gb I had people offering me up to $750. At that price it doesnt matter what phone I want next, I am going to get an iPhone, sell it, buy the phone I want and keep the profits.

 

[SunnyD]

It's the stupid tax. AKA: The Apple tax.

 

[cheezy321]

It's the stupid tax. AKA: The Apple tax.

Cool argument bro.

 

[zerocool84]

I've already said this before, we won't even come close to seeing the full Verizon effect until iPhone 5 is released. People know the new iPhone comes out the same time every year so most people are going to wait.

 

[SunnyD]

Cool argument bro.

The sad thing is... I'm dead serious.

I watch my local craigslist as well as eBay and the forums just in case there are and "too good to be true" deals that I can scoop up. Frankly, iPhones simply are overpriced. You realize that people STILL value iPhone 2G's at > $100? Imagine the condition of most of those phones by now. iPhone 3G's are still valued at $200+. $200+ for a phone that's 3 generations old and has known performance issues with current iOS software?! Seriously!!! And god forbid said phone is already jailbroken. That easily adds another $50-$100 to the base price!

As a comparison, I can go out and pick up a Captivate or Vibrant without too much trouble for $200 +/- $50 (yes, I've seen them as low as $150). What phone can I compare to an iPhone 3G... how about a Droid A855. I can EASILY find those for $100, in excellent working condition with accessories. How about an HTC EVO - wasn't that last year's "super phone"? $150 no problem. DroidX and HTC Incredible, easy to find for $225 and $175 respectively.

All of these are easily comparable to the iPhone 3gs, let alone could be considered superior to the iPhone 3g, and yet the iPhone 3gs still commands upwards of $300+ on resale "value" for what could arguably be considered a sub-par product by today's standards. Why? There's only one reason, as previously mentioned: The stupid Apple tax.

 

[cheezy321]

The sad thing is... I'm dead serious.

I watch my local craigslist as well as eBay and the forums just in case there are and "too good to be true" deals that I can scoop up. Frankly, iPhones simply are overpriced. You realize that people STILL value iPhone 2G's at > $100? Imagine the condition of most of those phones by now. iPhone 3G's are still valued at $200+. $200+ for a phone that's 3 generations old and has known performance issues with current iOS software?! Seriously!!! And god forbid said phone is already jailbroken. That easily adds another $50-$100 to the base price!

As a comparison, I can go out and pick up a Captivate or Vibrant without too much trouble for $200 +/- $50 (yes, I've seen them as low as $150). What phone can I compare to an iPhone 3G... how about a Droid A855. I can EASILY find those for $100, in excellent working condition with accessories. How about an HTC EVO - wasn't that last year's "super phone"? $150 no problem. DroidX and HTC Incredible, easy to find for $225 and $175 respectively.

All of these are easily comparable to the iPhone 3gs, let alone could be considered superior to the iPhone 3g, and yet the iPhone 3gs still commands upwards of $300+ on resale "value" for what could arguably be considered a sub-par product by today's standards. Why? There's only one reason, as previously mentioned: The stupid Apple tax.

There are so many things wrong with this its laughable.

Do you truly think apple sets the price for the used cell phone market? Are you kidding me? Do they have ANYTHING whatsoever to do with the market for a used iPhone? Give me a fucking break.

The free market decides the price of a used iPhone. Person A thinks that they can sell their iPhone 3GS for $300, and they end up doing it. These prices listed on craigslist dont come out of nowhere. The iPhone 3GS is still in high demand, and its in obviously very high demand when it comes to the used market. Thats why it commands a higher price than what you think are 'superior' phones. The free market obviously doesn't think these phones are 'superior' or else they would be paying more for them.

You know why all those phones you listed are cheaper than the iPhone? Because the FREE MARKET decided that the iPhone 3GS is more valuable than the HTC Evo, the captivate, the droid, and every other phone that you named. Apple has absolutely nothing to do with it.

The price of the iPhone should not be lower just because *YOU* think it should be. You arent some special decision maker of used iPhone prices. If you dont buy it at that price, someone else will. Thousands of people in the market for a used iPhone have decided it should be sold for that much.

Are you really saying that Apple decides the price of their product on the used market?

Your argument is 'sub-par' at best, and downright retarded at worst.