Android is a massive leap forward for the mobile industry
Linked by Thom Holwerda on Thu 5th Apr 2012 22:35 UTC
Google Google's CEO, Larry Page, has just published a letter titled "2012 Update from the CEO". It's a state of the union-sort of thing, mostly filled with the usual stuff of how great Google supposedly is (we'll decide that for ourselves, why thank you). There's one bit in it, though, that caught my eye - something that puts Android's supposed fragmentation issues in a rather different light.
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Panajev
Member since:
2008-01-09

A lot of people buy smartphones thanks to carrier subsidized plans here (Italy).

Edited 2012-04-06 18:07 UTC

Reply Parent Score: 3

JAlexoid Member since:
2009-05-19

Those also include iPhone starting at €0.

Reply Parent Score: 2

Neolander Member since:
2010-03-08

Those also include iPhone starting at €0.

Provided that your monthly phone bill goes above €60 and that you stay at the same carrier for 24 months ? ;)

Quickly parsing the website of Orange France, the historical reseller of Apple stuff here, you can "buy" a slightly outdated iPhone 4 for €49, as long as you take it with a plan costing €66 a month for 24 months. Which means that over the course of your contract, you pay your carrier €49+1584=1633.

Conversely, if you take it with a more reasonable phone plan at the same carrier, it's more like €379+477.6=856.6 for the same 24 months.

And if you choose to go to the new French carrier, who explicitly separates phone billing and phone plans, you pay €527.07+479.76=1006.83 for something which includes a phone plan that is significantly more high-end than the first one I mentioned. Goes to show why plans with a phone included in the contract should be outlawed.

It is almost always better to accept the fact that the things you buy cost a price and to choose a plan (the part which is the most expensive and the most useful) before choosing a phone, rather than to fall for the trap of carrier gambling.

Edited 2012-04-07 07:40 UTC

Reply Parent Score: 1