Samsung Galaxy Camera on AT&T -- why this might not make any sense ...

[Phil Nickinson]

So AT&T just announced it'll carry the Galaxy Camera and offer HSPA+ data.

We don't know how much the camera will cost, whether it'll be subsidized or how much data will cost. But let's assume it'll be allowed into AT&T's "Mobile Share" shared data plans. And let's also assume that it'll be treated like adding a laptop onto that plan, at $10 a month per device. (Yes, that's me assuming. Might well be different.)

That's $120 a year to connect the phone camera to AT&T's network.

But here's the thing: If you've already got a device on that shared data plan, it'll serve as a Wifi hotspot on AT&T's network, right?. So there's no need to pay AGAIN to connect it.

UNLESS ... The Wifi has been stripped from the camera? I'm checking on that. OK. Wifi is still intact, I've confirmed.

 

[jasenjr3]

Yeah this is one of those moments when you look at Samsung and AT&T and say, why?

 

[AzD]

Erm, no. This camera needs to be $350. No data plan, no AT&T apps that you can't uninstall. Dump the cell data radio and sell this at Best Buy, amazon, etc.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Tab 2

 

[JTNiggle]

Agreed, it's asinine for them to ask people to pay for data twice, now that we're finally getting to where they're allowing us to use our data as we see fit.

I would like to be able to purchase this camera, but in offering it on AT&T, samsung is crippling they're sales by limiting the potential customers.

I'm sure samsung will have a wifi only version out in bestbuy later on and at&t just has first dibs, so it'll all work out. But if they wait too long, other choices might come along and take a slice from their pie before samsung even puts it on the counter.

I feel the same way about a tablet on a data plan though, why do I need it when my phone is right there in my pocket, only downside being power consumption on the phone while running hotspot.