WTF: Why are iPhone 3GS's being bid up to $300 on ebay?

[PaperclipGod]

Wasn't walmart selling them a little while ago for $100? And since then the new one was released... so... derp?

 

[AtlantaBob]

These are the ones that don't include a contract agreement -- so, if you don't want to, you don't have to pay the ~ $2K over the next two years that you would have to with a new 3GS.

 

[nonameo]

These are the ones that don't include a contract agreement -- so, if you don't want to, you don't have to pay the ~ $2K over the next two years that you would have to with a new 3GS.

IIRC prices are the same with or without contract, main advantage I can see is having more flexibility with plans... but with a phone like that, you're going to want a decent data plan anyway.

 

[Aluvus]

Rage-bidding due to the silly iPhone 4 antenna design?

 

[Ika]

isn't that a decent price as far as off-contract phones go?

 

[AtlantaBob]

IIRC prices are the same with or without contract, main advantage I can see is having more flexibility with plans... but with a phone like that, you're going to want a decent data plan anyway.

That's interesting! As someone who currently has a crappy no-name AT&T phone, but who might (cross your fingers, please!) have a nice-fully loaded employer-paid phone in the next few months, I would be interested in a non-contract relatively-recent iPhone to bridge the gap....

Picking friends up at the airport without being able to check their TRUE flight status (as opposed to what the airlines say) is getting old, quick!

 

[TridenT]

IIRC prices are the same with or without contract, main advantage I can see is having more flexibility with plans... but with a phone like that, you're going to want a decent data plan anyway.

That is assuming you go with the same iPhone plan. You can go without a data plane. You could also have the phone on something like T-Mobile.

 

[Skeeedunt]

Unsubsidized/no-contract iPhones go for ~$599/$699 at launch. You can't compare eBay/CL prices to the $199/$299 subsidized prices.

 

[Adrenaline]

I have actually thought about this as well. The only thing I can think of is that the phone would have no contract or could be unlocked to use with T-Mobile.

 

[RiDE]

You can only use EDGE on T-mobile if you use an unlocked iphone, 3g wont work. ATT does sweeps every so often that automatically adds a data plan once they see that your using an iphone.