iPhone 5: How Much?!

Like many people I have been eagerly awaiting the iPhone 5 announcement. I’m no fan boy but I do love my iPhone and don’t go anywhere without it, and I really love having new tech. I’ve been out of contract on my iPhone 4 since January, sitting on a price effective O2 simplicity rolling contract while I wait for Apple to do their thing. I chose not to get the 4S, realising the 5 would probably be out before Christmas which would hopefully show more improvements than the small jump on that occasion. In the mean time I would happily continue to use my 4.

And the announcement came yesterday. We all knew it. The phone is different. A different size, new screen resolution, better camera, new processor, maps have changed, wifi is stronger, and so on. Apart from the annoyance that to continue to use my fabulous Bose Soundock I’d have to buy an adapter as the new connector won’t fit, I’m happy with what Apple have unveiled. There are loads of blog posts all over the web for and against the new spec – I’ve read loads of them and have concluded that I do indeed want one.

So I hopped on the apple website to see if the all important numbers have been announced yet. They have. From £529. £529. From £529. Ouch.

The mobile networks haven’t given us their contract pricing yet (I suspect they’ll have to do that today as you can pre-order the pay as you go one from tomorrow), and I would consider a new contract if the phone was at the right price. I’m more than happy to pay good money for good things, but £529?

I’m not surprised. Not at all. But the actual number when it’s written down seems very high. It’s more than a new iPad. More than it’s going to cost to have my aircon condenser unit replaced on my car today.

And that’s “from”. The 64GB one, that I would want (need) will be more still.

To be fair, I’ve actually got no idea now what the iPhone 4 was at launch on pay as you go. And I can’t remember what I paid for mine on the 18 month O2 contract I went for. But It wasn’t over £500. Was it?!

Sorry Apple, but unless the contract deals are really good, I suspect you have priced me and many other people out. So I’m disappointed. At the moment – I’ll reserve total judgement until I see the full list of prices of course.

I still want one.