iPhone Monthly Service Charges Unveiled

(AP)  AT&T's service plans for the Apple iPhone will cost $59.99 to $99.99 a month, the companies said Tuesday.

The monthly fee is on top of the phone's price — $499 for a model with 4 gigabytes of storage and $599 for one with 8 gigabytes. The phone is slated to go on sale at 6 p.m. local time Friday at Apple and AT&T stores as well as Apple's Web site.

Apple claims the iPhone — which combines the functions of a cell phone, iPod media player and Web-surfing device — will be easier to use than other smart phones because of its unique touch-screen display and intuitive software that allows for easy access to voice mail messages, the Internet, and video and music libraries. AT&T is the gadget's exclusive carrier.

The $59.99 monthly plan includes 450 minutes of voice time; a $79.99 plan includes 900 minutes; and a $99.99 plan includes 1,350 minutes. All three offer 200 text messages, unlimited data services, minutes that roll over month-to-month and mobile-to-mobile calls. There also is a $36 activation fee.

Customers will be able to activate their wireless service from home through Apple's iTunes software, the companies said.

Skeptics question whether even the most innovative product can live up to the iPhone's lofty expectations. Scrutiny of the product is so great that any small disappointment could send Apple's stock plunging, analysts say.

Apple shares fell $2.69, or 2.2 percent, to $119.65 Tuesday. Shares of AT&T gained 21 cents to $39.29.

Andy Hargreaves, a Pacific Crest Securities analyst, said Apple shareholders have run the stock up in anticipation of the iPhone's release, and they don't feel it will go much higher after the product is available, he said.

"I think expectations are very, very high and some people are taking some money off the table ahead of the launch," WR Hambrecht analyst Matthew Kather said.

[dan_shields-2009]

Verizon Wireless Is Absolutely The Best Service Provider Out There, and The iPhone Is Just Some Attention Hog, and LG RoX

[tbweb]

zoe20006,,,

I paired my Mac Book Pro to my 8525 via Bluetooth and suft the web that way! Why buy the high speed data card and pay an extra fee? Just get the unlimited Internet Data Service for the 8525, thats what I did, the speed is acceptable on the high speed 3G network and you save a lot of money too! :) There is no need for theEXPRESS/AIR CARD, don't waste your money!

[edjohn66]

I buy the hype. Apple puts out the best hardware and software on the market. There is no reason to think that the iphone will be any different.

I want one!!!!

[caco58]

I've been an Apple customer since 1989, but I will not buy the first iPhone, because Apple will come out with a different version and the first maybe obsolete in a year or two. You may not be able to upgrade either. Just have to buy another. Take my advice, sit back and watch a little while, don't get caught up in the hype.

[tbweb]

Do I have anything good to say about my new Mac Book Pro Core Dou? Yep! When I went back to the computer store the salesperson put the Mac Book Pro Core Dou and the Mac Book Pro Core 2 Duo next to each other and ran the same programs, I could not tell any difference in speed, they both ran the same! Hmmm, I don't know if thats good news or not since Apple claims the newer Mac Book Pro Core 2 Duo is faster, I could not tell and calmed down! :) Just a marketing gimmick? Maybe its faster when it does certain things. I am completely happy with my Mac Book Pro Core Duo. I also could have cheated and returned it since it was within 30 days and then re-purchased the newer model but there was no difference in speed to the naked eye so I didn't bother! The Mac Book Pro blows away any other computer on the market, seriously, using the software package Parallels for the Mac I'm running Windows XP Pro and it actually runs faster than on a PC! On the Mac you can run multiple Operating Systems at the same time and share data between them with ease which is unheard of for a Mac, the only limitation is hard drive space. For example you can run Mac OX X, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Linux or any and all operating systems at the same time and switch back and forth between them with ease! So the Mac is cool and I'm completely happy with it! I still think I got burned though!

[tbweb]

Be careful dealing with Apple, once you buy something you can't return it unless its defective! I purchased a new Mac Book Pro Core Duo, and less than a month later Apple released the newer Mac Book Pro Core 2 Duo with a faster processor! I could not switch or upgrade, I feel like I got burned. :( I was upset with the salesperson because they knew the new computers were on the way but wanted to sell their stock, so be careful!

[tbweb]

The biggest disappointment I have with the iPhone is that this very expensive device will not use AT&T's new high speed network(3G) but will instead be released using the old recently acquired (Cingular) slow speed Edge network! Its my understanding either the Firmware or Hardware on the new iPhone will not support the high speed new 3G network which is very fast. I'll wait for the next version of the iPhone that uses the new high speed network and by that time all the bugs and glitches from this first release will be worked out. I don't know who made the stupid decision to release the iPhone on the slower network "only" but many who buy it will be disappointed as they crawl along on the slower Edge network. In my view in order for the iPhone to really shine it "must" be on the new faster AT&T network. Just my $0.02

[olebd]

Seems too expensive for me. I'll wait a couple years for the bugs to be worked out and for the price to coome down.