No huge surprises here, but it sounds like iPad 3 prices and storage capacities will be identical to iPad 2, which were identical to the original iPad. 9to5Macs Mark Gurman has the details:

We’ve gotten word that iPad pricing is going to be the same across the board as the current iPad 2 models which should be no big surprise given Apple’s history – they rarely raise prices. Even better, some countries with currencies doing better than the US dollar should expect to see marginal drops in prices.

This directly contradicts some of the zanier rumors heard earlier in the week, which included seemingly random price hikes and the bizarre exclusion of the 64GB model.

Unfortunately, if accurate, it also means there won't be a 128GB model, which some users have been hoping for. It's possible 24nm 128GB NAND Flash chips are still prohibitively expensive, even in the quantities Apple typically buys.

Source: 9to5Mac

Apple has announced some of its European launch pricing for the iPhone 4S. The countries with pricing available are the United Kingdom, France and Germany. These are the countries that will get the iPhone on October 14 with pre-orders starting on October 7. The prices are for a SIM free unlocked iPhone 4S and cell service would have to be taken out separately.

United Kingdom

iPhone 4S 16GB         £499.00

iPhone 4S 32GB         £599.00

iPhone 4S 64GB         £699.00

France

iPhone 4S 16GB         €629.00

iPhone 4S 32GB         €739.00

iPhone 4S 64GB         €849.00

Germany

iPhone 4S 16GB         €629.00

iPhone 4S 32GB         €739.00

iPhone 4S 64GB         €849.00

We will keep an eye on the major European carriers who have yet to show their hands when it comes to pricing or availability for the matter. When they do, we will let you know.

Source: Apple

Apple has announced the pricing for iPhone 4S and here's the break down:

• 16GB for $199
• 32GB for $299
• 64GB for $399

Those are the US prices and obviously there'll be some variance (and likely surcharges) internationally.

The launch begins on October 14, 2011. Which one are you eyeing?

Apple has enabled iCloud's Buy More Storage option in the iOS 5 beta beta and here are the prices:

• 5GB: Free (every iOS 5 user will get this by default)
• 10GB: $20/year (including the 5GB free, that's 15GB total)
• 20GB: $40/year (25GB total)
• 50GB: $100/year (55GB total)

So pretty much $10 a year for ever additional 5GB.

By contrast, 50GB on DropBox will run you $9.99/month (just under $120/year), though it provides a different, less abstracted online storage and sync environment than iCloud does. (It also has 100GB and 350GB+ options.)

You can cancel within 15 days of upgrade or 45 days after a yearly payment. Again, this is in the beta so it's possible pricing and tiers could change by final release time this fall.

Meanwhile, let us know what you think of the prices.

Optimus, Orange's Portuguese brand, is getting set to release iPhone 4 but the price they want for a network-locked device will make it one of the most expensive places in the world to buy one:

• iPhone 4 16Gb Black - 679,90€
• iPhone 4 32Gb Black - 769,90€

That's a 70€ price bump for those keeping score at home. If you're in Portugal let us know if you plan to cough up that much cash, or if you have ideas for a cheaper way to get an iPhone 4.

[Optimus -- though the press release seems to be gone now. Thanks Carlos!]

According to the Apple website, it appears like US users no longer have the option to purchase an iPhone at no commitment pricing.  In the US, AT&T is the exclusive carrier.  A lot of users prefer to purchase a phone at no commitment price and unlock it for use on T-Mobile (and some people just don't like contracts).  The AT&T websites still seems to be offering the no commitment price for the iPhone. Apparently you must purchase a no commitment iPhone in store. Doesn't make any sense to us either.

AT&T stated they have not made any policy changes on their end so is this just the new reality for Apple in a post Jailbreakme.com world? You can buy factory unlocked iPhone 4 in most countries outside the US now, so is unlocking still that big of a concern here at home?

I guess we'll have to wait and see if AT&T's website follows suit. Anyone seriously upset by this?

[via 9 to 5 Mac]

AT&T is getting into the iPhone 4 fun today by (hopefully!) clarifying where things stand from their pricing and availability point of view. Here's the timeline:

• Monday, June 7 – 16GB 3GS and 32GB 3GS price drop
• Tuesday, June 15 – iPhone 4 and new 3GS 8GB pre-order sales begin
• Thursday, June 24 – iPhone 4 and new 8GB 3GS launch in all 2200+ AT&T stores, eComm (consumer and business)
• Customers who purchased iPhone between May 7th and May 14th will have an extension through Sunday June 14th to receive Price Protection (get credit for price difference).
• Customers who purchased iPhone between May 7th and May 21st will have an extension through June 21st to preorder iPhone 4 in an AT&T store.
• Any existing iPhone customer eligible for an upgrade between today and the end of this year will be eligible for our best pricing for iPhone 4, $199 and $299, with a two year term commitment.
• Customers can verify upgrade eligibility at www.att.com/iphone or by dialing *639#. (ABS customers can dial *639# or visit the Premier site, https://www.wireless.att.com/business/).
• Our upgrade tools already reflects this new timeframe.

So how about it US TiPb faithful, will this help soften the blow of those new tiered, capped data rates?

If you've bought [App X] for the iPhone and the developer makes [App X] for the iPad, should you get the iPad version for free?

We've seen developers like Instapaper's Marco Arment specifically making "universal binaries" so users who bought the $4.99 Pro version can download an iPhone update, install it on their iPad, and get an iPad-specific user interface (UI) as well. (Think of it as two similar apps in one handy download).

We've also seen leaked screenshots have shown "HD" or "for iPad" versions of many popular iPhone apps and games that are being released as separate, all new downloads. In many cases these HD apps offer substantial differences brought about by the bigger screen real-estate and beefier processing power of the iPad and will carry their own price tag and perhaps be more expensive than the iPhone versions due to the greater effort put into them (more pixels, more functionality).

Some users no doubt feel entitled to free iPad versions if they already bought the iPhone version while some developers likewise feel entitled to get paid for the work they put into making different versions for a different device.

Can we find some existing parallels? If you bought a Super Mario game for the Nintendo DS, you don't get Super Mario for the Wii for free. Likewise PSP and PS3 games. Of course, the differences between dedicated mobile gaming devices and their console cousins are far greater than between an iPhone and an iPad.

If you bought a Mac app like iMovie you could install it on both your MacBook laptop and your iMac. Likewise for Windows. Of course, the differences between Mac OS X or Windows running on a laptop or desktop are negligible compared to the iPhone and iPad (there's no separate version of iMovie for MacBook vs. iMac, or Microsoft Word for netbook vs. tower).

Again, the iPad falls in between.

Apple announced at launch that most iPhone apps will "just work" on the iPad, either 1:1 or pixel-doubled to fill the screen. So, developers who want an easy out can just point to that as the "free" iPad version of their existing iPhone apps. We haven't heard great things about pixel-doubling's looks, however, but free is free, right?

What about developers who invest time and money into offering something better? For the most part, however, we agree with TUAW's Erica Sadun who suggested that apps with a similar user experience between the iPhone and the iPad could be good candidates for the universal binary approach (i.e. free but tweaked for the end user). Apps that are significantly re-designed and re-engineered from the iPhone to the iPad, however, could be good candidates for the separate HD app strategy.

As to whether or not developers should offer discounts to existing iPhone users for iPad apps, that one's easy for now -- despite hints and rumors, Apple still has no "upgrade" or "discount" option available to developers. Even if a developer wanted to, they can't offer anything but a single, consistent, full price for everyone. (See the Tweetie 2.0 controversy).

We're one week away from iPad launch day, so things can still change, but until and unless they do, tell you what you think -- should iPad apps be free for existing users? And if people won't pay more for better, what incentive do developers have to make more and better apps?

MacRumors, likely using elite-ninjary, managed to gain access to the upcoming App Store for iPad's best seller list and it highlights a lot of new and interesting details on what apps and games we'll see and what their prices points will be (something we'd just been wondering about):

1. Flight Control HD - $4.99
2. Real Racing HD - $9.99
3. Labyrinth 2 HD - $7.99
4. Piano Lesson PianoMan for iPad - $2.99
5. Cro-Mag Rally for iPad - $9.99
6. Enigmo Deluxe - $9.99
7. Manic Marble 2 for iPad - $3.99
8. Otto Matic for iPad - $9.99

OmniGraphSketcher is also listed at $14.99

App Annie (via TUAW and 9to5Mac) have even more screenshots up, showing everything from OmniGraffle for $49.99 (first reported by App Advice yesterday) to Galaxy Control 2 Lite for free.

Who's been buying iPad apps to generate a best seller list before the device even ships? Either it's just a test seed, or people inside Apple and those few Mossberg-level reviewers have been dropping early review dollars. Of course, developers can change pricing at any time so who knows what prices we'll actually see on launch day and thereafter.

Also unknown is whether another App Store leak, this time from MacStories.net, shows Apple is once again moving forward with that Explicit Apps category, or if they're still just mulling things over. Both Top Explicit Paid Software and Top Explicit iPad Software were spotted, however, and while currently empty, no doubt some developer somewhere is already hard at work on {Random Sexy App} HD.

Again, the earliest we'll know anything for sure is April 3 when the iPad goes on sale, and that's only the beginning...

How much will you pay for iPad apps? Steve Jobs said the iPad was a new category between the iPhone and the laptop, so will iPad software be a new category between the two as well?

PC software for Windows or Mac can range from free to well over a thousand dollars for a suite -- looking at you Adobe CS5 -- or more. iPhone apps on the other hand have raced to the bottom, with free being common and cheap being the biggest alternative. Most apps hover around $0.99. Only a few apps dare go over $5, let along $10 or more.

Apple might have given us some indication with the pricing they announced for their iWork productivity apps for iPad. On the Mac, iWork is bundled at $79 for a single license and $99 for a 5 license family pack [Apple Online Store link]. On the iPad, the apps won't be bundled. Pages (word processing), Keynote (presentation), and Numbers (spreadsheet), will each be sold separately for $9.99. There's no single or family license; just like with iPhone apps (or iTunes DRM content) you'll be able to install them on up to 5 authorized devices.

By contrast, iPhone and iPod touch productivity suites currently cost $14.99 for QuickOffice [iTunes link] or Documents to Go [iTunes link]

So, roughly, $99 gets you 5 Macs with iWork while $30 gets you 5 iPads with iWork, and puts the price scale for iPad apps significantly higher than iPhone apps (200%) but significantly cheaper than Mac apps (30%).

We'll know more when we start to see what third party developers charge for Mac/Windows apps they bring to the iPad, and for iPhone and iPad touch apps that are ported over as well.

In the meantime, let us know what you think. Edge cases aside, what would you consider a fair price for a quality app on the iPad?

AppAdvice claims to have gotten a sneak-peak at the iPad iBookstore and says the prices for bestsellers aren't nearly as high as we expected -- in fact they mostly match the $9.99 loss-leading price Amazon pioneered with its Kindle.

1. Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang By Chelsea Handler – $9.99
2. The Help by Kathryn Stockett – $9.99
3. The Silent Sea by Clive Cussier & Jack Du Brul – $9.99
4. Missing (under negotiation?)
5. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith – $9.99

27 of the top 32 hit the $9.99 price point. This type of negative price pressure brought on by competition between Apple and Amazon is why Random House is, according to theFinancial Times, staying away from iBooks for now. Though the New York Times says independent distributor Perseus Books Group has signed right up with Apple despite pressure from Amazon.

In talks with publishers, Apple has said it would not let other retailers sell any book for a lower price than the price in its new iBookstore. Several of the larger publishers are seeking to renegotiate agreements with Amazon and other e-book retailers to mirror the deals with Apple.

Given what's happened with the "race to the bottom" for video game prices on the iPhone, it's likely going to be tricky to catch that sweet spot between competitive and cannibalistic. I guess we'll see what happens come iPad launch on April 3.

Apple has announced pricing for their new iPad tablet device, and it comes in two flavors, WiFi 802.11n only, and 3G enabled (via AT&T in the US).

WiFi-Only Pricing

• $499 16GB
• $599 32GB
• $699 64GB

3G-enabled Pricing

• $629 16GB
• $729 32GB
• $829 64GB

Wifi version will be available in 60 days, 3G version in 90 days.

[Image via GDGT]

Bell Mobility has just announced that their new GSM/HSPA network, shared with previously-CDMA frenemy Telus, has gone live! What does that mean? Yesterday, Rogers and their Fido subsidiary were the only place to go for Apple's iPhone (or a BlackBerry Bold if that's how you roll). Today -- technically as soon as Telus announces -- you have your choice of 3.5 carriers (Fido is still Rogers).

So this means massive competition, price wars, and a huge win for consumers, right?

Eh... not so much. Like Orange UK, multiple carriers seems only to mean multiple non-competitive pricing plans, as each one wants as much as they can get, and don't feel any pressure to compete -- yet.

Hardware prices are the same, up to $299 for the iPhone 3GS on a 3-year contract, with service plans ranging from $45 for 100 minutes, Fab Five, 500MB, night/weekends 9pm-7am to $95 for 500 min, Fab Five, 2GB, nights/weekends.

(Along with $6.95 system access fee, monthly e911 fee, $2 paper billing option, $35 activation fee, and other nickel and diming...)

If you're planning to hook your iPhone up to Ma (Canadian) Bell, let us know what you think of the pricing, and what you choose!

Orange UK is set to break O2's iPhone exclusivity... if not their price points with the announcement of their pay monthly, pay as you go, and for business plans.

What did we notice off the top? Depending on how much you pay on contract or up front, your iPhone hardware cost can go down to as little as free or climb to as much as £539 for an iPhone 3GS on PAYG. (Also, PAYG plans named Monkey, Dolphin, Canary, Racoon, and Camel? Where's John Cleese to "spokesperson" that when you need him...)

Unlimited internet and Wi-Fi, however, carry a "fair usage policy of 750MB/month" proviso, which looks rather pathetic next to unofficial US caps of 5GB. Good on them for not hiding it, but placing that paltry figure anywhere close to "unlimited" probably means they shouldn't use "unlimited" to begin with.

Not much in terms of cutting O2's pricing though. Maybe Vodafone will feel a bit more daring?

If you're thinking of going Orange, check out the full pricing info and let us know if it's what you expected, better, or worse?

[via 9to5mac]

Telus looks to be launching the iPhone along with their new GSM/HSPA network on November 5, 2009, with BGR reporting pricing that's pretty much spot on standard:

same as it is for Rogers (and Bell, for that matter) with the 3G going for $99.99/$599.99 and the 16 and 32GB 3GS going for $199.99/$699.99 and $299.99/$799.99.

And Telus has dropped their presser to make it all nice and official like.

So, any Canadians been waiting for their iPhone on Telus?

[via BGR, and congrats on the new site look!]

TiPb, among others, has been hearing rumors for months now that Bell and Telus' new GSM-based HSPA+ network would be up and running by November, and that the iPhone would follow along immediately there after. Nice to see some confirmation via Canadian stalwart, the Globe and Mail, however:

Bell announced Monday that it will launch national service in November on the $1-billion next-generation wireless network it has been building with Telus, months ahead of schedule. The project extends the two companies' existing third-generation (3G) networks to include the same technology standard employed by Rogers, the nation's largest cellphone company.

No comments from any of the carriers or Apple, of course, and it remains to be seen what if any downward pressure competition in Canada -- like in the UK -- would put on iPhone pricing for consumers.

Our question: Bell and Telus will have HSPA+ but no EDGE (to our knowledge), so if an iPhone on Bell or Telus couldn't get a 3G signal, what exactly would it fall back on? EVDO/CDMA is not an option...

The PSPgo is Sony's answer to the iPhone in a post-App Store world, but unfortunately it looks like charging more for poorly ported games is the question. Gizmodo explains the obvious -- to everyone but Sony -- problem:

You see, PSP Minis can't have any network or online features. Nor can they support camera peripherals (a major focus of DSiWare innovation) or DLC. Kotaku just reviewed iPhone port Hero of Sparta. On the PSP it costs triple what you'll pay at the App Store. Their review? "Simplistic controls, muddled graphics and abysmal sounds turn what was a fantastic iPhone game into a oddly disjointed Playstation Portable experience." Kotaku's review of Tetris was much better. But you know what? Tetris costs twice as much on the PSP as it does the iPhone.

Just like ATRAC and rootkits (ouch, we know), we're beginning to wonder if anyone at Sony will ever get this brave, new, post-iPhone world?

TomTom has finally gotten around to revealing the price point for their much anticipated iPhone car kit, which provides its own GPS as well as iPhone charger, loud speaker, and hands-free dialing.

TomTom car kit for the iPhone will have a recommended retail price of EUR 99.99 or USD 119.95.

The TomTom car kit will be available this October and will be sold separately from the TomTom app. It will be compatible with the iPhone 2G, 3G and 3GS.

When you add in the price of the TomTom iPhone app, that more than $200 for the combo, not exactly a bargain compared to a stand-alone GPS device. Then again, this saves you having to carry around a second device just for GPS, so does convenience trump cost, or does TomTom need to rethink their business model here?

Could they offer a second version of the TomTom app -- one that only works with the car kit -- at a greatly discounted price for those who shell out for the car kit? More importantly, should they?

[Via GPSTracklog via TUAW]

Will the third generation iPod touch, widely expected to be released at Apple's next Music Event in September, weigh in at 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB, and be position at $199/$299/$399?

Whether Daring Fireball is making the logical assumption based on Apple's previous behavior and iPod touch price points, or they're privy to something a little more concrete, that's what Gruber is saying in response to the Zune HD's pricing of 16GB/32GB for $219/$289.

(Though currently the second gen 8GB iPod touch is $229, not $199...?)

Since the iPod touch has two NAND Flash slots for the iPhone's one, it typically gets double the upper-range of storage for the same year's iPhone. Thus, the 32GB iPhone 3GS almost certainly means a 64GB iPod touch this September.

If accurate, then, there goes Microsoft's purported pricing advantage, storage-wise. (If the iPod touch does indeed have built in camera and video capability, or other so-far-unleaked features, it could again be a case of Microsoft shipping a spectacular Zune, 1 or 2 years too late...)

WMExperts (via Crunchgear and Gizmodo) rounds up the latest on Zune HD, linking up the above hands-on video, and news that it might just drop at $100 lower than the iPod touch. In other words, Microsoft to Apple: "it's broughtn'ed".

Now, there's no getting around the Zune HD being an OLED iPod touch two years too late, much as the original Zune was a Wi-Fi squirting iPod classic two years too late. At even $100 discount, can Microsoft compete with a 3rd generation iPod touch, rumored to include a camera, perhaps video recording and sharing, and a 65,000+ strong App Store?

Meh. They'll get some iPod rebels and budget conscious adaption, no doubt, and that's probably all they intend. A strong #2 in the music player market, much like they're going for against Google in the search/advertising space, is likely enough for them now. Understandable, to be sure, but we'd still rather see a mind-blowing Windows Mobile Phone with Zune-like interface and hardware specs, Mobile Xbox gaming, and awesome Windows integration.

But we've been wanting that for years...

Yeah. Ouch. But that's what BGR's Canadian ninja are reporting. These are Best Buy inventory prices, but it's hard to imagine Rogers/Fido stores charging less what with the exchange rate and typically Canadian shipping overages added.

Any Canadians (besides me) lining up for an off-contract iPhone 3G S this Friday? Does the price change things? How about those of you getting the full subsidy? Happier now?

There's a "budget" smartphone category that has so far revolved around devices like the Palm Centro, BlackBerry Pearl, and a host of Windows Mobile devices like the Samsung Jack -- basically scads of devices aimed below the fat wallets of enterprise.

Typically these devices are small to the point of being cramped, with tiny keyboards or work-arounds like T9 or SureType, and are low-margin for manufacturers -- sold more to grab new users, bolster market share, and create brand awareness than to serve as mobile computers for the internet age.

Well, Apple has just shot a cannonball through the heart of that smartphone category -- the iPhone 3G at $99.

At least that was our editor-in-chief, Dieter Bohn's reaction when we spoke following the big WWDC 2009 Keynote. And I think he's right. Here's why:

Come next week on AT&T (and Rogers and other carriers that match the price point), for $99 you'll be able to get a full-on 8GB iPhone 3G running iPhone 3.0 software.

That's not an iPhone nano or mini, not a stripped down, poorly built, cramped, barely functional budget smartphone, mind you, that's the same phone that until last Monday's WWDC Keynote was arguably one of the most advanced mobile computers on the planet. It's the lower storage version of the hardware that shipped over 10 million units and has 50,000 apps ready to run. Never mind Apple branding and a super-slick user experience.

For $99.

Whether or not the price point remains, or it lasts only as long as current supplies, this has to send Palm, RIM, HTC, and others into panic mode. Palm, for example, has show quarter after quarter losses on the Centro even in the budget category, and Apple will still be making margins on the iPhone 3G.

Will this put downward pricing pressure on next generation devices like the Centro-replacement, webOS-powered Palm Eos? Will it force RIM to offer BlackBerry Tour-like features at Pearl-sized prices? And even if they do, with multiple form-factors and networks at play, can they achieve the economies of scale and maintain realistic margins at that price point? For companies like Palm, whose financials are still shaky at best, these become critical questions.

Which brings us to the elephant in the budget smartphone room:

If Apple is selling the iPhone 3G at $99, what does that do to premium devices like the Palm Pre, BlackBerry Bold, HTC Touch Pro 2, etc.?

Certainly not everyone, but just as certainly some budget-conscious people who were considering a new premium smartphone might just decide to save themselves a hundred -- or several hundred -- dollars and get an iPhone 3G at $99 instead...

AT&T (via Macrumors) has posted the above video in hopes of clarifying how customers, new and existing, can get a brand new iPhone 3G S come next Friday:

On launch day (June 19th), two lines will form at 7 a.m. local time at the AT&T retail stores. Customers who had pre-ordered from retail stores will be able to pick up their iPhone 3GSs at that time, while customers who wish to purchase that day will have to wait until the store opens at normal business hours.

Pricing is still $199/$299 for 16GB/32GB on new activations with full subsidies. Customers already under contract, having already received subsidies last time around, can expect to pay up to $599/$699 (though some discounts might bring that down a tad).

So, does the video help answer your questions, if not allay your frustrations?

So, RIM has made their big App Store -- sorry -- App World announcement and the big news from over on CrackBerry.com is that it will have regulated pricing tiers. What does that mean?

Apple, who is often (and often rightly) accused of being near-fascist in the control they exercise on the App Store still lets developers charge what they want for an App, be it free, $0.99, $2.99, $9,99 or whatever. RIM on the other hand, has created a menu of prices from which developers have to choose. Most surprisingly -- and upsettingly it seems to the CrackBerry Nation -- is that after free, the next cheapest tier is $2.99. Yup, no $0.99 apps for the BlackBerry, fart fueled or otherwise.

So here's the question: is that a Good Thing? Will forcing developers to choose between free and $2.99 make them put more work into making better apps to warrant the higher price point? Will it clear out the shoddy, quicky, apps that glut up Apple's App store? Or will it mean all $0.99 apps just go free and take the ad-supported route?

If Apple decided turn about was fair play and iCloned RIMs apparent ban on $0.99 apps, would that make the App Store better or worse? Would it make you happy, or just [redacted] you off?

Take your $5+ apps and put them on sale for $0.99 for a week, and see if cheap really does make it up on volume, and what do you get? Aside from a lot of iPhone media attention, pretty much a wash according the AppCubby:

People seem to think that there is unlimited demand for iPhone apps, but that's just not true. The time, attention, and discretionary income of iPhone and iPod Touch users ARE finite. They can only download and use so many apps in a single day. The published download numbers for the App Store are off the charts, but as I've pointed out before, those numbers are spread quite disproportionately among free apps and the top 50 paid apps. The harsh reality is that very few apps can "make it up on volume."

The post goes on to describe some of those harsh realities in more detail, and shares the developers thoughts on whether or not he'll keep with his current apps, or ditch it for high-volume, low-brow novelty CrApps. Definitely worth a read, especially by anyone who wants to see really innovative, really polished iPhone apps. Extra-especially by Apple.

Or is this just a bunch of crazy talk, and real iPhone users are happy with free/cheap iFartz! fun, premium apps be damed?

(Via Gadeon from Icon Factory on Twitter)