Poll: Did Sprint drop the ball on pricing??

[bbrown13]

I would like to have seen this phone cheaper. Especiall for us "Premier" customers. I'm still going to get it day one and pay the extra $10 a month even though 4g is not in my city (yet). This will also be my 1st android phone, so why not go with the best out. There is still time. Sprint throw in some free swag. Movie, Game, something. Oh yeah, the 16G sd card is worth a few bucks too.

 

[Q-fugee]

Forbes hath spoken:

Why Sprint/Samsung’s Epic 4G Phone Costs $50 More Than The IPhone Or EVO - Elizabeth Woyke - Mobilized - Forbes

Actually, Forbes hath repeateth Sprint's spineth.


--Qfg

 

[f1nzup]

Lately, every new phone that has come out hasn't been able to keep up with demand, so I think any risk Sprint is taking here is minimal. They will be pocketing an extra $50 for every phone sold, and my guess is that the Epic will initially sell out anyway, so the extra cost will not have hurt them anyway.

And as supply catches up with demand then they will begin to lower the price. The other thing to consider is that maybe supply won't be that great for Sprint to begin with because the phone is ultimately being released on all four carriers, so that's alot of inventory for Samsung to keep up with.

I think at the end of the day this will not be a problem for Sprint at all.

 

[CrackberryMike]

Forbes hath spoken:

Why Sprint/Samsung?s Epic 4G Phone Costs $50 More Than The IPhone Or EVO - Elizabeth Woyke - Mobilized - Forbes

Actually, Forbes hath repeateth Sprint's spineth.


--Qfg

They say the extra $50 accounts for their lower plans..............but if they sell well, you can bet the big boys (Verizon and AT&T) will quickly adopt $249.99 as their new competitive price point ceiling.

 

[Ilmater]

OK, to all of you that keep saying that the Droid 2 is the same price, does it matter to you that it was pretty thoroughly beaten down by Engadget just now?

Droid 2 review -- Engadget

 

[messiah143]

The Samsung Galaxy S Epic 4G will have a game pre-loaded in it which is called Asphalt 5.

 

[aaronwe]

Why I left Sprint for ATT

Pricing the Epic $50 more than the Evo? That seems perfectly reasonable for a phone with a slide-out keyboard, better graphics, and (hopefully) better battery life.

The bigger issue is Sprint's handset pricing for current customers compared to the cost of switching providers.

I was a 7-year Sprint customer who just bailed for AT&T (of all companies) because I picked up a Captivate for me and an Aria for my wife for the grand total of $80 on Amazon 2 weeks ago. And it's even cheaper now.

Sprint has no phone that's comparable to the Aria (Hero 2, I'm looking at/for you), and compared to the Captivate (now $50 online), is the Epic really worth $200 more for a keyboard, front-facing camera, and WiMax? It just didn't pencil out.

Considering we don't use our voice plans much (550 shared is fine for us), and the vast majority of the time we're on Wi-Fi instead of 3G, it was quite a bit cheaper for us to go with AT&T's monthly plans as well.

Sprint's pricing is great for heavy phone users who are frequently out of Wi-Fi range. For our usage habits, they ended up being quite a bit more expensive, especially when you added in the 4G surcharge.

 

[Ilmater]

Yah they did, they priced the phone higher then any other phone on the market right now including the iphone and droid 2. Im sure its a nice phone but you can't over charge the public at a time when the economy is bad. I ordered the Evo because to the $50 did not seem worth while just for a better screen and a keyboard.

How about better battery life? More storage space? Better processor for 3D games? If you have a DLNA TV, you can wirelessly stream movies to your TV.

Lots of things that make this a better phone than the EVO. I think the EVO is a great device, but this is worth every penny of the extra $50 for me.

 

[scheets973]

more megapixels does not = better images. everyone should know this by now.

and its hardly a mini keyboard. it is perhaps the most robust keyboard of any phone to date- 5 rows. i would consider the pre (which i currently have) to have a mini keyboard.

@ creamy and happy.... Why are you comparing my comment to the EVO only. Why not something like the Droid or Droid 2?????? YES I understand that the EVO camera is not as good, I owned and EVO.

Sprint does not have as many new devices now as Verizon, ATT and is bringing the EPIC out for more money for what I believe to be a SLIGHTLY lesser device.

Nevertheless, to each his own and I hope for sprints sake the phone is a winner.

 

[tlds]

I think they did miss the ball. The Epic sounds like a good phone and I was thinking of getting one. I have been waiting for WP7 but when I saw the Epic I had given up the wait. Now, I'll wait.

 

[gbm85]

I was considering getting this for my wife. She gets her upgrade September 1, the day after launch. With the Epic at this price, though, she's going to get an Intercept. $150 less for the phone, and $240 less in service charges over the next two years (no $10 fee on the Intercept). Sprint just screwed themselves out of almost $400 from me.

 

[Aero]

Dude, it's the same R&D. It's the same phone. It's the same bunch of developers in NJ making builds for the Galaxy S series. It's the same factory in Korea doing the manufacturing for all of them. They do minimal customization for each carrier and each phone's nuances..

"Dude" it is not the same R&D for 4G Wimax. The phone has it and samsung is responsible for making sure it works perfectly. Thee are brand new issues unique from the entire galaxy line including basic like added HEAT from running 4g say an hour straight, whcih can destroy a device or permanently harm a screen, to simply fitting the extra chip in an ultra miniaturized device

You do realize even the antenna needs tuning differently?

It is a whole set of new costs pre sale and post sale compared ot other galaxies

 

[jfenton]

Well...the number of store in my area with available reservations is dropping by the hour....and there was 20 something of them listed originally.

I've got a feeling that Sprint will have no problem selling these.

Had an EVO and returned it....this phone can't be as disappointing as that one was for all it's hype...and I was coming from a BB.

 

[Aero]

I was considering getting this for my wife. She gets her upgrade September 1, the day after launch. With the Epic at this price, though, she's going to get an Intercept. $150 less for the phone, and $240 less in service charges over the next two years (no $10 fee on the Intercept). Sprint just screwed themselves out of almost $400 from me.

Respectfully you are an outlier (not liar, outlier, meaning your are atypical) and sprint didn't screw themselves in the least in your case.

Consider that you could also say you decided to go with another company's $30/month plan instead of anything with Sprint becasue of the Intercept's costs.

I don't know about you by the WAF on my purchase would drop through the floor if I got a 4G phone and my wife got an intercept!

 

[gbm85]

Respectfully you are an outlier (not liar, outlier, meaning your are atypical) and sprint didn't screw themselves in the least in your case.

Consider that you could also say you decided to go with another company's $30/month plan instead of anything with Sprint becasue of the Intercept's costs.

I don't know about you by the WAF on my purchase would drop through the floor if I got a 4G phone and my wife got an intercept!

I am sticking with Sprint, sure. Any way you slice the cake, though, Sprint is missing out on almost $400 by trying to weasel out a measly $50. And considering the results on this poll, I highly doubt that I am an outlier.

May I suggest that your situation is atypical, in that most of our wives probably don't even know, let alone care what 4G is. Also, the Intercept is certainly a capable phone, and I'm sure it will suit her just fine. For reference, when I told her that her upgrade was coming up... she asked for a Pixi

 

[drizek]

Also, the intercept is pink.


Actually, she might have been better off with the pixi. The intercept is very laggy.

 

[miamithrice]

Well...the number of store in my area with available reservations is dropping by the hour....and there was 20 something of them listed originally.

I've got a feeling that Sprint will have no problem selling these.

I have observed this as well. Made a reservation early thursday morning and just checked the reservation availability and a few local stores are already unavailable. I have a feeling this phone will move. This is a niche phone for a niche market and the market will respond. Of that I am confident. It's certainly not for everyone though, and I like it like that.

 

[Sebrina]

Would it really be that simple? Very interested in doing this if so.

You have to wait a month before you can cancel the line and not have to return the equipt so add 70 to your total, you're better off buying it.

 

[Aero]

May I suggest that your situation is atypical, in that most of our wives probably don't even know, let alone care what 4G is. Also, the Intercept is certainly a capable phone, and I'm sure it will suit her just fine. For reference, when I told her that her upgrade was coming up... she asked for a Pixi

I will make a friendly disagreement there. All the market studies show women on average are only slightly less aware or informed on this, meaning a good number of women are as focused on it.

Also both men and women are to one degree or another motivatred in part by status of having the newest thing. Did you know that high end men and women's watches are dropping in sales before the economic turn down? the mobile handset is replacing them as a status indicator.

Also, the intercept is pink.

That is a primarily girls in high school targeting. Phone colors are aimed at a very young demographic.

 

[MissJennell#IM]

I will make a friendly disagreement there. All the market studies show women on average are only slightly less aware or informed on this, meaning a good number of women are as focused on it.

Also both men and women are to one degree or another motivatred in part by status of having the newest thing. Did you know that high end men and women's watches are dropping in sales before the economic turn down? the mobile handset is replacing them as a status indicator.

That is a primarily girls in high school targeting. Phone colors are aimed at a very young demographic.

I agree. Women are just as in to electronics and gadgets as men. If my husband (ex now) were to try and give me an intercept I would beat the living daylights out of him. Who the heck would want an intercept over the epic? That's ridiculous. It is overly laggy and not as good a phone. I also agree that the pixi is better than the intercept. I can't believe anybody would want the intercept over the epic. If you are settling for a phone because of $50 then what else are you settling over. Lol. It's $50! That's not much. Give up coffees for a week. Don't go out to dinner for one night. Give up 2 nights at the movie. It's really not as bad as everyone is making it out to be. Granted I know that everyone has to be pissing and moaning about everything. I mean it is the way now a days.