How long will prices hold for the i600?

[Skitals]

I dont really have a choice of changing carriers or creating a new contract as I am already in a 3 year contract with verizon. This means I have to buy the phone w/o a contract. When I go into My Account on verizon and choose to Upgrade my phone, it doesnt list the i600 as an option? I hear its supposed to. I read that the price w/o a contract is $629-$649... how long is this price expected to stay? Also, are there any other CDMA smartphones in the making that will launch any time soon?

Thanks a lot.

[Macguy59]

Since it was just released a couple of weeks ago I would be surprised to see a price reduction anytime soon. But with Christmas coming . . . who knows. I have not read about any other CDMA based smartphones for Verizon. Although the Motorola MPx200 is a dual mode CDMA smartphone. Whether or not Verizon allows it on the network is unknown.

[Skitals]

Since it was just released a couple of weeks ago I would be surprised to see a price reduction anytime soon. But with Christmas coming . . . who knows. I have not read about any other CDMA based smartphones for Verizon. Although the Motorola MPx200 is a dual mode CDMA smartphone. Whether or not Verizon allows it on the network is unknown.

Im pretty sure the mpx200 is just a regular gsm/gprs phone.

I just realized that with my plan, I CANT upgrade to the i600 :x Phone needs to be both digital/analog for my plan?! Wtf... why do they care if I cant get on the analog network? Not that I REALLY want a phone that is THAT over priced compared to other (granted, gsm) smartphones with MORE features (camera, etc) and cheaper price tags!

Seriously, verizon will never get their act together as far as good phones and prices. Although, you cant beat their service around here.

[prototype]

When news of the i600 first broke I did see is available as an upgrade thru the Verizon Digital Upgrade site. I am out of contract and it listed the phone for $629.

I recently went back to the upgrade site and the i600 was NO LONGER LISTED as one of my choices. Not sure why ... just commenting that it was there, and now it is not.

-Drew

[Macguy59]

When news of the i600 first broke I did see is available as an upgrade thru the Verizon Digital Upgrade site. I am out of contract and it listed the phone for $629.

I recently went back to the upgrade site and the i600 was NO LONGER LISTED as one of my choices. Not sure why ... just commenting that it was there, and now it is not.

-Drew

As luck would have it my 2 year contract was up the day after the i600 was released. So by doing another 2 yr contract I was able to buy the phone for $399 ($499 less the $100 instant rebate) :D

[Skitals]

Wow that is pretty lucky. We have 3 phones on our family plan. We can drop mine without breaking the contract (which is an extra $20 a month). Then I can get some gsm phone/carrier. The spv e200 looks the nicest... camera AND bluetooth. Plus it comes with WM2K3. I need a cheap plan that has unlimited internet (pop3 email, pocket ie, aim, etc)... i dont care about minutes much but unlimited nights and weekend would be nice. From tmobile this would be about $60 a month as far as I can see. Would I be able to get one of their free phones with the plan, and get my hands on an e200 and put the sim card in and fly?

Thanks... and sorry this topic has strayed from the i600. Even if I could upgrade to it, I dont know if i would want to. I went to the verizon store today and got my hands on one of the dummy models. I didnt like the keypad (not good tactile response, and buttons are all up on eachothers grill). Plus it just looked so blah. Function, but blah.

With the e200, my only concern would be scratching the screen (since its not a clamshell. Is it a replacable faceplate that you can just scarp if it gets scratched up?

Thanks

[Macguy59]

Wow that is pretty lucky. We have 3 phones on our family plan. We can drop mine without breaking the contract (which is an extra $20 a month). Then I can get some gsm phone/carrier. The spv e200 looks the nicest... camera AND bluetooth. Plus it comes with WM2K3. I need a cheap plan that has unlimited internet (pop3 email, pocket ie, aim, etc)... i dont care about minutes much but unlimited nights and weekend would be nice. From tmobile this would be about $60 a month as far as I can see. Would I be able to get one of their free phones with the plan, and get my hands on an e200 and put the sim card in and fly?

Thanks... and sorry this topic has strayed from the i600. Even if I could upgrade to it, I dont know if i would want to. I went to the verizon store today and got my hands on one of the dummy models. I didnt like the keypad (not good tactile response, and buttons are all up on eachothers grill). Plus it just looked so blah. Function, but blah.

With the e200, my only concern would be scratching the screen (since its not a clamshell. Is it a replacable faceplate that you can just scarp if it gets scratched up?

Thanks

Perhaps your questions would better suited for another forum?

[flash]

I don't know if the i600 will stay pricey but I don't see how they can expect to sell many of them unless everyone else charges a mint for their phones too. I don't see that happening. If a bluetooth camera smartphone comes out runnings WM2003 and it's $300, Verizon either has to drop the price or plan on not selling many i600's. That would be a waste of a good phone.

I was talking to a buddy today about the i600... he definitely preferred it over the MPx200 in the looks department. There's no accountin' for some people. :?

Actually I think the i600 looks pretty cool. Not that it matters -- I'm more function over form. I like small flip phones but other than that I couldn't care less.

flash

[Macguy59]

I don't know if the i600 will stay pricey but I don't see how they can expect to sell many of them unless everyone else charges a mint for their phones too. I don't see that happening. If a bluetooth camera smartphone comes out runnings WM2003 and it's $300, Verizon either has to drop the price or plan on not selling many i600's. That would be a waste of a good phone.

I was talking to a buddy today about the i600... he definitely preferred it over the MPx200 in the looks department. There's no accountin' for some people. :?

Actually I think the i600 looks pretty cool. Not that it matters -- I'm more function over form. I like small flip phones but other than that I couldn't care less.

flash

Cosmetically the x200 looks better, but the display is much brighter on the i600, has better keys IMO and I like having the SDIO slot on the i600

[aristoBrat]

The MPx200's slot is SDIO too, not that I've yet seen a post from an MPx or i600 user using it for SDIO. ;)

Having gone from a MPx to an i600 (for awhile), I was concerned about the i600's keypad too. It's a lot easier to work with than it looks. I did miss the MPx's raised blue Action button though.

Even if the i600 isn't on your upgrades screen, I don't see why you couldn't just call the 1-800-2JOIN-IN number and buy it for full price (which is the same as the upgrade price). VZW's website seems pretty weird when it comes to the i600. :?

As for the price, who knows. VZW's phone aren't the cheapest. I'm wondering if they're targeting this phone to the corporate community, where $600 isn't too much for a Director or VP that really wants one.

It's too bad that the Caller ID bug will probably cost them a lot of sales. :(