4G upgrade will be free (WSJ interview with Jha)

[ckeegan003]

Motorola Executive Defends Tablet Price Tag - Tech Europe - WSJ

Not only does he say the 4G upgrade will be free...

?We felt that our ability to deliver 50Mb/s would justify the $799 price point. It is 32GB with 3G and a free upgrade to 4G. Being competitive with iPad is important. We feel that from the hardware and capabilities we deliver we are at least competitive and in a number of ways better [than the iPad].?

...but he actually mentions a "Google Music and Video service" as well.

In a seeming slip of the tongue, when asked about what he meant by an ecosystem, he said it was made up of three parts: apps, developers, and services. ?Google?s mobile services -? and that includes music services, video services ?? Then correcting himself he said, ?There will be music service, there will be video service.? Google has never officially acknowledged the existence of a music service.

Good stuff...

 

[FluxTZ]

So the premium on the initial cost is because it will be able to provide 50Mb/s once you get the free 4G upgrade.

Hmmm.... still annoying that you'd be paying month-to-month with VZW just to keep the 4G service post-upgrade though.

 

[ckeegan003]

Hmmm.... still annoying that you'd be paying month-to-month with VZW just to keep the 4G service post-upgrade though.

Right, it would make far more sense for them to give away their 4G service for free.

 

[ottscay]

Actually, I was expecting an announcement at the MWC keynote, so I presume negotiations are still a work in progress since we haven't heard anything about it.

 

[qnet]

That makes sense and I wondered if it would be a free upgrade. I'm back to being excited and happy about this thing now.

 

[frenzy757]

makes sense to me and makes the prices fine to me....an extra $70 to future proof my tablet? Fine by me....

I am sure most ipad owners would gladly pay an additional $100+ if that means they get a free retina display if/when it comes to the ipad.

 

[Live2ride883]

I was expecting to pay for the 4G upgrade, but yea I'll take it for free.

 

[TreyDaPrince]

This is good news I like to hear. To me the price was already worth it, now it's even better.

 

[jasbur]

does anyone know what this upgrade is? Are they cracking open the xoom to put a new chip in? are they giving us a dongle that plugs into usb?

 

[ckeegan003]

does anyone know what this upgrade is? Are they cracking open the xoom to put a new chip in? are they giving us a dongle that plugs into usb?

I don't know the specifics of the upgrade, but they have stated it will be internal.