Every year or so I update my MacBook(s), as necessary and I’m always able to sell my fairly well maintained laptops for about 3/4 of the actual price, ensuring I essentially get a nice, big discount on a new MBP. Joel “To The” Johnson found out that the iPhone 3G market works quite similarly, selling his abused 16GB 3G for $300.
I just sold my iPhone 3G—a well-worn 16GB model that was listed with a nice, big picture of the crack in the plastic up around the headphone jack, and isn’t unlocked—for $300 on eBay. I’m a bit shocked, frankly. You can pick up the same model brand new at AT&T for $99, or $200 for a 3GS, with a two-year contract.
Most interestingly this wrests an iPhone 3G from AT&T’s vicious claws, resulting in a grey market iPhone that lives free in the wild.
So I guess that means that I could upgrade to a 32GB 3GS and I’d only have to shell out an extra $200, right?
If I do that, do I have to re-up for another 2-year contract or can I just complete the one that I’m in the middle of right now?
you have to get a new 2-year contract. yeah, i wasn’t pleased either.
You can do what I did, at least here in the UK. I bought the 3GS pay-as-you-go, and swapped the SIM for my (still 8 months to go) contract one. Sold the 3G for £300 ($495) to subsidise.
The 32GB 3GS cost me an additional £238 ($393), and this time next year I’m sure it’ll sell for more than that if I want to upgrade again (I’ll be out of minimum terms then too, and qualify for upgrade pricing).
Drop the Sara Palin ads in my RSS feed!!
I sold my 8gb iphone 3g for $300 2 days before they announced the 3GS!!! Suckers born every minute.
Isn’t it $499 new though if you don’t qualify for upgrade pricing? $300 sounds like a steal, as I got $495 for my 16GB today.
I just sold a 3GS to some guy in italy for $819 and my 3G for $380 to a UK guy!
Oh yeah? I just sold mine to some guy in Ghana who promises to give me $10000 if I cash a western union check from him!