Will O2 UK Give Early iPhone 4 Upgrade like AT&T?
The UK release date for the new Apple iPhone 4 smartphone has been suggested to be June 24 but no price has been set as of yet for the UK.
We will keep you updated on release dates and price, what we would like to know is will O2 and Carphone Warehouse allow existing customers an early upgrade just like AT&T are giving its customers.
Every year since 2007 I have got the new iPhone, my contract has quite a while to run and if O2 releases the iPhone say in late June early July will they allow me an early upgrade.
If this does not happen you can mark our words we an many of O2 iPhone and Carphone Warehouse customers will not be happy, Apple allow AT&T to do this so what is stopping O2 and Carphone Warehouse following suit.
Do you think O2 and CW should allow existing customers the early iPhone 4 upgrade, please post all your comments below.
Comments
39 thoughts on “Will O2 UK Give Early iPhone 4 Upgrade like AT&T?”
i hope so!! they should reward the customers that choose to stay on their networkl and who like me purchase every year!!
I really hope so. I'm currently in a 24 month contract which began last October and i'll be bitterly disappointed if I have to wait 16 months to get the iPhone 4. Besides, I don't see why they are so afraid to offer this. It's not like they are going to lose any business!
Get a life you signed a contract you muppet if its 18 months you can upgrade 3 months early. I know they upgraded previously early for Iphone customers but it upset alot of other customers with the them and us distinction.
If yo dont like the contract you shouldnt have taken it.
The economy has changed and iPhone is not exclusive anymore. Get over yourself
Ohh shut up. All is possible. Pessimistic people like you should be banned from these forum.
Pete – how very narrow minded and ill thought out of you (and others siding with, well, I'm not sure who you're siding with other than your own bitter logic.. So you reckon it'd be ok for U.S. iphone owners to get an early upgrade but not U.K? Or for Apple to not repeat their previous marketing strategies? Or for them to risk losing customers to tougher competition (that you yourself allude to)?
If you're right then Apple are as dumb as you – but I don't think that's possible… Also, let me take a wild guess that you were one of those 'other customers' who got upset with Apple's previous early upgrade policy?
If you think long contracts like the 2 year one are purely designed to keep people tied to a network, think again: Apple can project the rough timescale they expect for the next phone upgrade and they know that anyone tied in for another, say, year will feel their best option is to upgrade and tie themselves into another long contract in the process – apple product owner for life, not just 2 years. Also, apple NEW and BEST IN MARKET RIGHT NOW product owner – the marketing is very well conceived if you think about it.
If, in the unlikely event of the upgrade not being made available, I, and I suspect many others, will have the luxury of considering alternate, and newer by then, phones – you reckon Apple don't know this? Anyone thinking that people buying into a 2 year contract DESERVE to keep that phone for the contracts life are just naive to think it was an impulsive and now remorseful decision – make no mistake, I fully expected the next generation iphone to come out before my contract ended – I took the informed risk of projecting that apple would allow early upgrade, and if not, I still get the benefits of the o/s upgrade on my current phone for the remainder of my contract which, if I have to see through to the end will allow me to choose, say, an android phone and all the flash compatible, fully google compatible elements that will bring – to be honest, if they offer the upgrade, I'll probably take it (happily buying into apple's clever marketing strategy- if they don't, I'll wait 9 months and probably opt for whatever android phone has superceded iphone's functionality by then…
defiantly need a an early upgrade!!
They better! I've got exactly 6 months left
Seriously?? The early upgrade strop again??
Why should iPhone users be allowed an early upgrade just because a new iPhone has been released?? You signed up to an 18 or 24 month contract FFS!!!
People like you that give iPhone users a bad name.
are you trying to be purposefully dense???
simple reason for this is brand loyalty. If you have already paid £179.00 one year ago and been paying around £40.00 a month it's really a no-brainer … after all you are still locking yourself in for another 2 years.
coming from a person who has upgraded his iPhone yearly since launch, so yes i think they will have an upgrade price, probably around £200 … or do i also give iPhone users a bad name?
i heard that in the us the iphone 4 will be $199 but i the uk it will be 495 pounds
Josh, your a complete Muppet!
What world are you living on? that sells Iphone 4 for $199 and then in the UK £495… Like think about that for a second. Why would anyone buy it over here in ht UK when they can buy it in the US for £142 @ today's exchange rate or if you actually think about it for a second maybe the phone going to be sold for £150 when you upgrade ( The exactly the same as Iphone 3GS ) when it was released or at most £250 – £300 depending what size…
Brian – learn to spell.
The US Apple store says "starts at" $199. So it'll be $199 if you take out the most expensive contract, with the price rocketing up as you take lower contracts, if history is anything to go by.
It's the same as with previous iPhones (and most other phones) – the iPhone 3G was free in UK if you took it out on an expensive-enough contract (£75 a month on O2).
So, Josh, you partially heard right. Those in the US will be able to get it for $199, but probably not on PAYG or a cheap monthly. I'm not aware of any reliable source that's provided a £495 price tag in the UK. Even then, I wouldn't be surprised if (for example) someone compared the contract US price (lower because of contract payments) with the UK PAYG price, for no other reason than because they like to sow confusion and annoyance.
Half a grand is an awful lot of money by anyone's standards, especially in these times
Gareth Beavis from Techradar.com is reporting that O2 have said that they will be offering an upgarde offer for a limited time. O2 added that they were going "To make it as easy as possible for existing O2 customers to get their hands on the new iPhone4" furter details will be announced in the next couple of days.
i was thinking to upgrade to the blackberry as im due an upgrade but i think ill wait for the iphone 4 as its only weeks away before it comes out hope its a decent tariff though !!!
paulb323; “People like you that give iPhone users a bad name.” – do iPhone users have a bad name?
I get an upgrade on the 1st of July what beautiful timing 🙂
It'll be about 500 on PAUG. The $199 price is based on a two year contract which will be pretty similar to UK prices I'd imagine…
I agree though. If you get a 24 month contract you know what you are signing up for. I'd be apprehensive to take an early 6 month upgrade that is being rumoured – this will mean you could be in a 30 month contract with same phone!
There's nothing wrong with having such a tech lust, it means Apple is doing its job right. I signed a 24 month contract the day the 3GS came out, my first iPhone. I'd waited through all the previous generations for the few things that I thought were lacking (camera flash, case design etc), but it still wasn't there so I thought I should just go for it and do without the rest. I had no idea a year later they would suddenly sort all this stuff out, so now, yeah – of course I want it, I *hope* they do an early upgrade option, but I don't *demand* it. I took a gamble and in a way I lost, if I bet on a horse and it didn't come in, I wouldn't expect to get my money back, but if they offered, then great! Worst case, the phone that I've enjoyed for the last year will give me joy for another year, then I can get the v4, or possibly the iPhone 4S or 5 will be due out then. Win, win really.
What the hell? Why can't we want an early upgrade? For a £50 a month contract, I'm entitled to want the best, jeez. We live in a materialistic world full of materialistic people, that's why these gadgets are constantly produced, I'll admit it, I love material things. That's why I have an iPhone to begin with, big tvs, consoles etc. So I'm not gonna feel bad cause I want the new iPhone 4 that's being advertised everywhere and boasted about being so great, over some tossers here trying to take some moral highground over a bit of metal and plastic
"So I'm not gonna feel bad cause I want the new iPhone 4 that's being advertised everywhere and boasted about being so great, over some tossers here trying to take some moral highground over a bit of metal and plastic"
– Or even some metal and glass, as the case maybe?! ;o)
So for those that DIDN'T upgrade last year, and went with the more expensive option of buying a PAYG so they could upgrade this year with no contract, we will be punished for using our brains as we now have lost money…??? A little unfair i think, you signed a contract and knew the length, if they added the total outstanding to a new contract would be a fairer way of doing it, and not punishing the people that went to the expense of making sure they had the ability to upgrade this year with no penalties…!
Phone 4 Coming to O2
Special upgrade deal to be offered to in contract customers
O2 will launch iPhone 4, the thinnest smartphone in the world with the highest resolution display ever built into a phone on 24th June.
To make it as easy as possible for O2 customers still in contract to get their hands on a new iPhone, O2 will offer a limited time special upgrade offer. Further details will be announced in the coming days.
To support the launch of iPhone 4, O2 has created http://www.o2.co.uk/iphonelatest a dedicated website for the latest news and updates where customers can hear details ahead of the new iPhone going on sale.
O2 has a unique history in supporting the iPhone in the UK over the past three years. Customers benefit from great value tariffs, including access to thousands of public Wi-Fi hotspots, an intelligent network developed with insight from the iPhone in mind, the expertise of O2 Gurus in store and iPhone specialists in customer service, as well as unique features such as Visual Voicemail.
"Apple has once again raised the bar with the iPhone 4," said Ronan Dunne, UK Chief Executive of O2. "With 3 years' experience in selling the iPhone we are well placed to support the new device with the best overall experience, including making it easy for new and existing customers to get their hands on one."
Thankfully my Iphone contract has just ran out, time for an upgrade 🙂
i have five months remaining, my contract does not state that i will be eligible for an early upgrade if apple are to release a new device before the 18 months are up. Also new tarrifs are now 24 months long, apple are certainly not going to wait two years to release a new device and o2 cannot be expected to allow upgrades one year in advance. i doubt we will be able to upgrade early. i will simply buy a new phone on payas you go and probably wont bother upgrading for another year or atleast when the next apple iphone is released.
So the iPhone has been out for 3 years now, i think the majority of people who would and can get one already have one. So if they dont offer an early upgrade will there be enough of a market to support it without early upgrades? Thats the question O2 and other providers should be asking, unless they already know the answer to be no, thus explaining why AT&T is offering an early upgrade.
I have 12 months left on my 3GS contract on O2 and if no early upgrade is available, ill be changing to Vodafone since they have better coverage and faster internet. So considering other operators have not had the iPhone for very long, i think its one of the best options O2 has to keep the customers already tied into the contracts, in the contracts.
I think it will be very unfair if they allow early upgrades. With the last revision, there was no early upgrade option which meant I have had to wait a year for my new phone because I was in an 18 month contract (with 12 months to go when the last iPhone was released).
can confirm its £20 per month remaining
Last year I was 1 year into a 2 year contract when the 3GS came out. O2 let me upgrade from the 3G (without even extending my contract) at a fair price. If they make people wait, then they run the risk that once the contract is up, the people will move to a different network. I think they’ll offer a reasonable deal especially as they no longer have exclusivity.
It's got nothing to do with The Carphone Warehouse as to whether you can upgrade early or not, so I don't know why they are mentioned in this article? It's O2's decision and no one else's. Why not ask the same question to Orange and Vodafone, as they now sell the iPhone as well?
I guess if I were in a contract I might ask the question but to be clear I wouldn’t expect anything – why should I when I signed a contract.
As for me I really should get pref treatment. I skipped the 3gs in the hope that iphone 4 would be a leap forward and have been paying full whack for 2 years now. So why should someone who has only recently got an iphone get a similar deal to me?
I've got a feeling they will offer all existing customers the chance to upgrade, however you will have to pay a higher fee for the phone based on how far you're into a contract.
I'm 6 months into a 24 month contract, and i anticipate I will have to pay around £150-200 to get the iPhone 4 whilst handing in my old phone.
My iphone contract’s up and i’m on a monthly rolling contract so i could upgrade to iphone 4.
I really want to know what they’ll be skinning me for my upgrde even though i’m due one?!?
does anyone know if orange will have an early upgrade?
I have an iPhone 3gs and it’s cheaper to trade it in elsewhere & get £250 then ugrade the contract.
you can buy out your iphone contract and get an upgrade between 24th june – 24th july. example – i have 15 months left of my 16gb 3gs contract. to get an upgrade i need to pay o2 £300, but I can sell my 3gs back to o2 for £220, therefore meaning for a measly £80 i can get a sick upgarde. check out o2 website – http://shop.o2.co.uk/new-iphone/earlyupgradeoffer….
I dont think it's fair to be honest. I have been with t-mobile for 12 years and wanted to join o2 on a monthly contract with the iphone 4, but have to wait untill mid-end july because of all these friggin upgrades!
wqrfwe