SlashGear Japan
No, that doesn’t mean that the price is huge. Actually, in comparison it seems pretty low. And considering the amount of people anxiously waiting for the Touch Pro 2 to land, it looks like Verizon has a huge one-up on the competition. And if you’re in the range of getting a new contract, or are waiting to get a contract for this phone to launch, then Verizon might have found a way to wiggle into your hearts.
The HTC Touch Pro 2 is set to land on the Big Red network on September 11, for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate. This seems like a standard price for the phone, but considering that both Sprint and T-Mobile USA are launching the same exact device for $350, after rebates, we’re pretty shocked at the news Boy Genius Report’s ninjas are revealing. Along with the mail-in rebates, you’ll also need to sign a new two-year contract, but everyone should be used to that by now. This is the reason why Verizon has a leg-up on the competition. The pricing is at that mid-range for phones, and especially considering the feature set available with the Touch Pro 2, it could look staggeringly good to someone shopping around for the best price. Of course, if you’re on the fence about buying this phone, you should read our review. That will probably sway your decision.
We can’t say for sure whether or not this is a phone to make people go ahead and jump ship from their current carrier, if they aren’t already on Verizon, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see at least a few people meander away from either of the two companies brave enough to charge that much, especially compared to Verizon’s pricing. So what do you think?
[via Boy Genius Report]
8 Responses to “HTC Touch Pro 2 Landing On Verizon With Huge $199.99 Impact”
Atlas September 4, 2009
The author is a bit clueless on Verizon’s “leg up on the competition.” A smartphone with unlimited messaging, internet, and navigation on Verizon costs $120 a month before tax or discounts for an individual plan. On Sprint, the same costs $90 a month before tax or discounts. Over 24 months, Sprint will save the average smartphone user over $720.
It’s even more amazing when you have a family plan with Sprint. 5 smartphone users with 3000 minutes, unlimited messaging, navigation, internet, etc. averages over $130 a month less than the same on Verizon Wireless. Over 24 months, that is a savings of $3,120.
The writer of the article needs to do some real “reporting” and not simply spout marketing for Verizon.
-1Atlas September 5, 2009
I stand corrected. After visiting Verizon’s website and recomputing the added cost for VZ Navigator for each phone (it’s not included in the Select plan and you have to add it by calling Verizon after submitting), Verizon’s price is $399.91 a month for 5 smartphones with 3000 shared minutes, unlimited navigation, messaging, and internet. Verizon calls are free after 9 PM and before 6 AM. They now have a Friends and Family that allows 10 non-Verizon numbers to be exempted from anytime minute usage.
For Sprint, that same plan is $229.96 a month. Sprint does not have Friends and Family, but calls are free from 7 PM to 7 AM. For $10 more, the whole plan gets a 6 PM evening start.
Sprint, with a 6 PM start, saves $159.95 a month over Verizon before tax and discounts. That totals $3,838.80 saved by buying your smartphones with Sprint rather than Verizon over the same 24 month contract.
$3,838.80 buys a LOT of smartphones from Sprint.
NeutralOkeif September 7, 2009
The commentor above needs to get his head out of his..or sprints.. a…
I’ve had a pda/smartphone since 2000. I’ve stayed with verizon because of coverage, customer service, and phone choice (I do some development on WinMo).
Your assumptions are just that–you assuming.
1. VZ Navigator is not required; especially now that VzW has stopped crippling the aGPS/GPS radio. Most thrid-party paid and non-paid GPS mapping services will work on the TP2 (as will most smartphones available as of today on VzW).
2. Veriozn’s mobile-to-mobile is free. And the Freinds and Family is limited to 5 — which is less than your “Research”.
3. As of today my “Data” account that allows me to get full data usage out of my smartphone cost me 79.99. I don’t need unlimited talk time, but if you do then you _may_ pay more with Verizon over Sprint (See 4).
4. I say “may” because VzW has far more coverage around the nation than does Sprint, so your math completely misses roaming charges.
Look VzW is far from perfect, I’ll be the first to admit it. But I’m not any company’s fan-boy, except my own. As it stands, the mere fact that VzW’s TP2 is $150 for first time customers, and $200-300 cheaper for existing customers IS a ‘leg up’ for this consumer.
It is nice you tried to use facts and math, but you made way too many assumptions — and you could certainly use a lesson in hubris.
NeutralAtlas September 9, 2009
If anyone goes to both the Verizon Wireless and Sprint sites and configures their phones the same way as I describe, they will find my words are true.
If you want either company’s respective:
- 3000 minute family plan
- Unlimited data
- Unlimited Navigator
- Unlimited messaging
- 5 smartphones of your choice
You will find my numbers are accurate. Verizon offers Friends and Family (10 for Family plans, as I described above and 5 for individual users), but has evenings start at 9 PM and days start at 6 AM. Sprint’s evenings start at 7 PM and its days start at 7 AM.
What’s the issue? Can’t you either read or do what is required to compute this by yourself? Even the author agreed with my words!
As for “roaming,” both companies include roaming in their plans the exact same way. Looking at the maps for both companies, including roaming (for free), they look identical for each. Did you know that Verizon roams on Sprint and Sprint on Verizon? They share CDMA.
Remove your head from that smelly place you have it.
-3Okeif September 16, 2009
“Over 24 months, Sprint will save the average smartphone user over $720.” Your words…
I pointed out, and I can further prove the “average smartphone” user(individual) would benefit under VzW with the price position of the TP2, as oppossed to Sprint. Savings of atleast $60(US) over 24 months –not a whole lot, but reality isn’t always so fantastical.
http://www.wmexperts.com/compa.....uch-pro-2s
Now, Sprint may have a leg up with the family plans — and really, all US carriers should offer unlimited _talk_ minutes, since airtime is really just a blow-up profit-cow for them.
BUT, you show me your “average family” that REALLY needs a smartphone, not just a media-centric(or whatever) “cool” phone, much less 5 members of _any_ family who all need HTC TouchPro2’s (business-centric) and I’ll show you how you redifined euphemisms for assuming.
Let me try rephrasing my parting words to you a different way, Atlas: try and learn that you don’t know ‘all’ or ‘everyone’ or ‘everything’, and even if you do, don’t let your pride carry you away..
+2Evan Selleck September 5, 2009
Well, without a doubt, you are right. Math always wins, especially when you look at the overall cost, broken down over the length of the two-year contract, in addition to purchasing the phone. However, it might be a safe assumption (I could be wrong), that some, if not many people, consider the initial cost of the phone a deal breaker when looking at either extending their contract, or even getting a new one. A price difference of $150 will make a lot of people take a second look at Verizon, rather than Sprint or T-Mobile.
While Sprint’s network may be amazing, and it may not be, many people trust Verizon (if for anything else, they have money to boot around for advertisement), and that also goes a long way. If you look at how many people own an iPhone, and utilize AT&T’s obligatory plans for that device, then obviously initial pricing plays a big part, rather than overall cost. It is not debatable whether or not the Palm Pre on the Sprint Network is more cost-effective in the long run, against the comparable iPhone plans on AT&T, but look at the numbers.
But thanks for the comments.
+3jstpgms September 10, 2009
Sprint trolls need to shut up right now.
+1Atlas September 16, 2009
To Okeif,
The WME article was written by someone who, although updating the site twice, admits he knows nothing about math. He doesn’t update it for the free Sprint Navigator option, with makes Sprint look $240 more attractive than his numbers show. Also, he is only looking at the least expensive plan to get the phone, so he figures someone with that phone would only want 300 minutes, if that was available. In the end, he’s not practical and can’t add.
Looking at that author’s numbers, corrected to include the cost of Navigation for T-Mobile and Verizon ($10 /month * 24 months), Verizon costs $2,240, Sprint costs $2030, and T-Mobile costs $1,910, but both Sprint and Verizon will have provided 50% talk minutes for that price differential over the 24 months.
Sprint gives the best value there, when the math and the table are done as they should be. And yes, the Navigation counts, just as an included new Prius would have to the author if included for the base price.
-2