I know we won't get one but...

[WuBoy]

I'd really like an explanation from Verizion as to their justification for charging $300 for the Charge. Are they trying to sabotage it or something. From a technical standpoint it is comparable to, but by most accounts inferior to the Thunderbolt. The only thing it has on the TB in that area is a better battery, but for that extra $50 you could get an extended battery and still come out on top going with the TB If everything is considered equal between the two phones, the TB still comes with a 32 GB card whereas the charge is reported to only have a 2 GB. So the TB is the better deal.

I don't understand it. Sure, there are people like me who wanted the Charge over the TB for the AMOLED screen. There are also people who like Samsung phones and would have bought it for that reason. I honestly can't see anyone paying $300 for this phone, at least not if they are well informed.

 

[Knewz]

Comparing phones is like comparing cars. Some are very comparable to each other but thousands in price difference. Most people actually "don't" buy phones for functionality. It starts with is "cool", then aesthetic, then anything it can do is a plus. Considering the actually price of the phone from the manufacturer $300 is a pretty good deal.

 

[gwlaw99]

They don't actually want people to buy new smartphones. Every time you do it costs them money. They just need to have enough options to keep people from switching carriers.

 

[Decibles]

They lose money on the purchase of the phone, but the money they make over the course of the two years that the phones are on their network for $100 plus a month.... they make good money off of smartphone users. They want us to keep buying these phones.

 

[gwlaw99]

No they want us to keep paying the same price for a subsidized phone even after our contract is up. That way they don't have to subsidize a phone, but are still collecting additional revenue as if they were.

 

[daveydog]

yah, that's not right. Should get a discount if you are off contract.

 

[WuBoy]

No they want us to keep paying the same price for a subsidized phone even after our contract is up. That way they don't have to subsidize a phone, but are still collecting additional revenue as if they were.

That's not totally true. Every generation of phones brings new functionality and capabilities. The companies charge for those capabilities. Sure they may lose money on the phones, but they more than make that back via the plans and the add-ons.

If what you're saying was true, then Verizon would have been totally happy with my wife and I continuing on with our contract the way it was because they wouldn't have to subsidize new phones. However, our upgrade to smartphones and the smartphone plans tacked on more money for what we are paying them. So they win by constantly upgrading phones and then charging people for those upgrades. It's the same deal with the whole 4G thing now. They want to flood the market with good and viable 4G devices, and they want people to buy them. That way when they switch to the tiered data plans, they'll be able to get even more money out of people every month.