As tempted as you might be by the aggressive iPhone 4S advertising campaigns splashed across the airwaves, the simple fact is: Stay Away from the iPhone 4S!! While it may seem obvious to some, it’s still well worth reminding the general public that the only reason Apple and its carrier partners are offering the iPhone 4S at such drastically reduced prices is that the next iteration of the iPhone is right around the corner.
While the marketing push has yet to be felt here north of the border, American carriers are doing their best to convince us all that the iPhone 4S is the greatest thing since sliced bread (ignoring the fact that it featured almost obsolete technology even when it was first released), slashing the contract price of the phone and bundling it with attractive rebate offers.
Now I’m not saying that the iPhone 4S isn’t right for you, but with the next iPhone only a few short weeks away what I am saying is that you should wait; compare the two phones, weigh your options, and decide from there…not to mention that following the release of the next iPhone the 4S will likely be available for next to nothing in the mobile trash bin.
The general consensus among gadget aficionados is that it’s a really bad idea to buy consumer electronics product right before a new version hits the market, but the reality is that it happens all the time. In fact, I bet we all have one story or another of us (or someone close to us) purchasing the latest and greatest gadget, only to have an upgraded version come out a few short weeks later, ostensibly leaving us holding a very expensive paper weight.
More to the point, the sales of the iPhone 4 did tail off ahead of the release of the iPhone 4S, but they were still hot sellers. In the third quarter of 2011 AT&T reportedly sold 2.7 million units while Verizon sold 2 million, an indication that while it may be obvious to some to avoid locking oneself into a multi-year binding contract a month before a newer version of the phone is released, it still happens all the time.
In regards to the iPhone 4S, there is a big push right now among carriers to clear inventory before Apple releases the iPhone 5 (or whatever it’ll be called), hence the amazing sounding deals. Sprint, for instance, has lowered its price on the iPhone 4S (on a two year contract) to $149 from $199, and has bundled the phone with a $100 gift card. Apple is reportedly matching the deal by offering the Apple Store credit of the same amount on the user’s account.
Of course all of this is designed to help you forget that sometime in mid-September the iPhone 4S will be all but forgotten, relegated to the mobile trash heap with all the other flagship phones of yesterday.
Simply put, there’s nothing worse than purchasing a phone only to see a shiny new upgraded model come out virtually the next day, not to mention that signing a long term contract gives you considerable time to regret not waiting a few more weeks to buy the phone you really want. Of course if you’re a thrifty bargain hunter who cares little for the latest and greatest technology, this may just be the deal for you.
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