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Which Is The Better Deal, Verizon’s iPhone 4 or AT&T’s $49 iPhone 3GS?

January 13, 2011 By Paul | Heads up: Buying via our links may result in us getting a commission. Also, we take your privacy rights seriously. Head here to learn more.

iPhone Showdown:  Verizon’s iPhone 4 – $199 vs.  AT&T’s iPhone 3Gs – $49

By: Dappered Tech Correspondent Paul Olson

After months (years?) of rumors, AT&T’s exclusive iPhone deal is ending.  If you hadn’t heard, Verizon will start selling Apple’s iPhone 4 on February 10th.  No, it’s not 4G, and it’s not an iPhone 5.  It’s just an iPhone 4, on Verizon’s big network.  It’s one defining feature: it can act as a WiFi hotspot.

In response, AT&T dropped the price of the iPhone 3GS to $49 (with contract).  The iPhone 3GS doesn’t have “retina display” or a front-facing camera, but it’s still an iPhone.  Unfortunately, it’s on AT&T, but maybe Verizon’s iPhone will lure away some of the heavy users crowding (and slowing down) AT&T’s network.

What do you think?  At Dappered, our current favorite smartphone is the Samsung Intercept on Virgin Mobile.  Are either of these phones a better deal?  Are you planning to buy either phone right now?  Let us know what you think in the comments.

Filed Under: Accessories Tagged With: Apple iPhone deals, cheap iPhone on AT&T, Paul Olson, Verizon iPhone 4 on sale

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Comments

  1. Aaron says

    January 13, 2011 at 2:36 AM

    Unlike the minor upgrade from the iPhone 3G to the 3GS, the iPhone 4’s faster processor, extra RAM, as well as all the other more advertised features is worth the cost difference in my opinion.

    Some people will be quick to point out the antenna reception issue that plagued the iPhone 4 launch on AT&T. The iPhone 4 on Verizon has redesigned antennas that aren’t showing the same issue and for what it’s worth, I never had that issue on my iPhone 4 on AT&T, though I must admit my work and home are in really good AT&T coverage areas.

    Are the iPhones a better deal than the Samsung Instinct? Well, Virgin Mobile’s data/voice plan is very attractive. If they carried the iPhone I’d definitely consider switching providers. Having said that, if we’re comparing strictly the hardware and software of the two phones, I’d pick the iPhone 4 over the Samsung Instinct any day of the week.

  2. drew says

    January 13, 2011 at 6:13 AM

    I received the Droid Pro for Christmas and have been loving it thus far. Great blend of productivity and more entertaining social and media features. Best of both worlds kinda thing.

  3. Steven Bremer says

    January 13, 2011 at 6:20 AM

    For me the VZW Iphone is a much better deal. All of my wife’s family is on VZW and mobile to mobile free calling allows us to buy the lowest family plan available. This is a huge savings for us.

  4. Bryan says

    January 13, 2011 at 6:27 AM

    I’m with Aaron on all points.

    For the interest of this article, at this point never get a 3GS over a 4. If you can’t afford the 4, don’t get either.

  5. andre says

    January 13, 2011 at 7:25 AM

    It depends on “where you live” and “your friends subscriber”. I have a friend who switched to Verizon but got very low signal at his own house. He also regrets it because most of his friends are in AT&T; Meaning had he stayed, he could still call his friends for free.

    The cheapest deal I know that my friends been telling me is Sprint family plan (6 persons); 40 bucks, unlimited minutes, unlimited text, unlimited data with 150 bucks HTC evo 4G.

    Now Android is a potential contender to Iphone; But their free platform discourages commercial grade software to be developed there. So you will end up with “unknown” softwares serving your needs of GPS, entertainment and games. But in 2-3 years, they might catch up.

  6. Matt says

    January 13, 2011 at 7:53 AM

    I bought the Intercept on your recommendation and, while I don’t like it nearly as much as the iPhone I had, I prefer the bill. It is so much cheaper to run that I am often shocked and the 3G speeds feel really fast.

  7. Wayne says

    January 13, 2011 at 8:18 AM

    Verizon’s iPhone 4 CANNOT use data and voice at the same time, whereas on AT&T it is possible. Not a big deal breaker for some people, but can be important for others.

  8. Bar None says

    January 13, 2011 at 8:48 AM

    I currently have one of the original Droids. I like it. The only thing that would make me switch to the iPhone is the ability to download my iTunes music to it. But I don’t get a new phone for quite a while so if the droid is still working and the iPhone hasn’t dropped in price, i probably wouldn’t get it.

  9. Fritz says

    January 13, 2011 at 8:48 AM

    Whatever the rate of dropped calls in urban areas on AT&T, their phones work internationally. Verizon’s won’t.

    I’m hoping enough AT&T users defect to Verizon that AT&T’s networks become more reliable. Then one could keep international capacity AND not have dropped calls or slow service.

  10. Jason says

    January 13, 2011 at 8:54 AM

    “Unlike the minor upgrade from the iPhone 3G to the 3GS, the iPhone 4′s faster processor, extra RAM, as well as all the other more advertised features is worth the cost difference in my opinion.”

    There is not a huge difference from the 3GS to the iphone 4 processor/ram.
    There is a HUGE difference from 3G to 3GS in terms of processor/ram.
    There is NOT a huge difference from the 2G to 3G (processor/ram, not the network connectivity speed).

    just sayin…

    though I agree, shell out the extra for the 4G or don’t really bother

  11. Yaniel says

    January 13, 2011 at 9:10 AM

    I would bot consider the 3GS at all. It’s a dated device and apple has a bad habit of not supporting legacy devices. Something to consider with a 2 year contract.

    As for the wifi hot spot. iOS 4.3 beta on AT&T has the hotspot feature so i don’t think it’s limited to just verizon.

  12. Greg K., PA says

    January 13, 2011 at 9:55 AM

    Andre – I’ve owned a Droid for almost a year, and I love Google Maps navigation. I traveled extensively for my job over the past year and I used Google Maps almost daily. I used the phone all day for navigation and music (sometimes spending as much as 14 hours a day in the car), as well as keeping in touch with the office via email and phone. Between the native music app, Pandora and then YouTube, Twitter, StumbleUpon and a ton of games (all free), my Droid took care of me very well. Android is a great system, and while it might not always be as polished as iOS, it has a lot of potential and updates frequently with awesome new features coming out every few months.

  13. Zach says

    January 13, 2011 at 11:41 AM

    Unlimited Data Plans.

    I’m of the opinion that consumers will be increasingly using their phones for data intensive web browsing – streaming movies, playing games, and other web 2.0 activities. I would recommend that anybody who can afford it purchase an unlimited data plan today. In the future, the price is sure to be higher so I think it’s a good bet to lock in your price today. It may cost $50/mo to get an unlimited data plan in a few years. Right now I pay $30/mo with my iphone 4.

  14. Jarblocko says

    January 13, 2011 at 12:17 PM

    anybody who has every actually tried an iphone would never go back to an android or blackberry. The intuitive touch screen is amazing. and the retina display is superb. so in the end it’s all about service. I’d personally just wait til the verizon iphone came out and see how it does before jumping ship. there may be a seesaw effect where verizon gets swamped with new and switched contracts and there is more room for the at&t networks to breath thus making at&t the better choice.

  15. Joseph says

    January 13, 2011 at 12:29 PM

    Here’s a pretty good article about the two.

    http://lifehacker.com/5731557/know-the-differences-between-att-and-verizon-before-committing-to-the-new-iphone

    The big difference between the two would be Verizon has better coverage, but AT&T has better speed. You still can’t talk and surf the web on Verizon, but they’re working on it apparently. I consider the other differences not too important (ex. sim cards).

  16. Tim says

    January 13, 2011 at 12:52 PM

    I don’t understand the person saying that there is not a huge difference between the specs of the iPhone 3Gs and the iPhone 4. The iPhone has twice as much memory, the processor is clocked at nearly twice the speed and the display has twice the pixels. I should also point out that the camera of any iPhone before the 4 is pretty bad. Whats more is that it ‘feels’ snappier and prettier and nicer.

    My feeling is that my iPhone is a luxury item. Quite possibly the only luxury item that I own. It is pricy but I feel that it’s worth it. It’s beautiful, it performs wonderfully and the apps are plentiful. That said, I don’t think that it’s for everybody. With an iPhone, you’re gonna have to be ready to deal with things like, it’s price, iTunes (which can be a plus and a minus) and Apple, itself. Apple has built a walled garden. It’s a beautiful garden but it is Apple’s and you have deal with Apple’s rules. Also, as somebody said, you will have a hard time going back after having an iPhone. Even if you’re willing to move on and lose all of your accumulated apps, you’re pretty much ruined for everything but the upper echelon of smartphones.

    As for Verizon or AT&T, it really does depend on your local service. Despite all the bitching, AT&T where I live (Portland, OR) is just fine. Nary a dropped call or bad reception but when I travel to some cities (New York, San Francisco and Chicago), I was truly appalled. I could go from full bars to none by just turning a corner.

    Just some thoughts. As I said, my iPhone is my only luxury item that I own but that is because it is always with me. IPhone, Android or otherwise, make sure that you get a smartphone that you’re going to enjoy carrying around every day for the next two years (or however long you contract is)

  17. Stephen H says

    January 13, 2011 at 2:41 PM

    In my eyes, the iPhone 4 looks, feels, and performs like a luxury car. It seems faster than it is, and the user feels in control of every action.

    Unfortunately, the proprietary software and controls on the device make that mostly imaginary.

    Android phones on the other hand feel a little rough, but they are supremely customizable and open. In order to even compare to Android in user-control, you need to unlock the iPhone, which is scarcely legal, if it is in fact legal.

    That said, I’ll get the iPhone 4 on Verizon, which I’ve been waiting to do forever, and unlock it. I think my conscience can handle it.

  18. Aaron says

    January 13, 2011 at 2:56 PM

    @Jason:

    “There is not a huge difference from the 3GS to the iphone 4 processor/ram.
    There is a HUGE difference from 3G to 3GS in terms of processor/ram.
    There is NOT a huge difference from the 2G to 3G (processor/ram, not the network connectivity speed).”

    I’m not sure I understand where you’re coming from on this. As Tim already mentioned, the iPhone 4 specs are much better than the 3GS, not to mention the brand new hardware features introduced with the iPhone 4.

    The 3GS is definitely faster than the 3G, and I suppose my use of the term “minor upgrade” belittled that fact. Other than that though it had a slightly better camera and video recording, a magnetic compass, and could achieve higher 3G speeds depending on your coverage. I think those differences aren’t as major as the jump from iPhone 3GS to iPhone 4.

  19. Tim says

    January 13, 2011 at 3:10 PM

    I guess I disagree with you, Stephen. I would argue that what makes a luxury item, whether a car or a phone or anything, is not how much you can customize it but how well designed it is.

    The iPhone doesn’t seem “faster than it is”, it is exactly fast as it should be. I assume you are actually saying that it is faster than its specs would seem but specs are a fool’s game. What is more important, as Apple proves, is better designed and engineered hardware and software.

    Now, I’m not sure if you wish to unlock an iPhone (severing it’s connection to a specific provider) or if you want to jailbreak it(replacing the iPhone’s proprietary software and the restrictions that it provides) but I can assure you that BOTH are perfectly legal. You are breaking no laws by using your phone with another provider or jailbreaking your iPhone.

    That said, I would NOT recommend that you get an iPhone. You sound like a person that doesn’t like Apple and Apple’s restrictions and Apple doesn’t like being ignored. You can jailbreak your iPhone but your phone will be gimped/bricked when the next iOS update rolls along (which is fairly often) and then you will have to wait for the next jailbreak to come out. Plus, you’re going to be stuck with iTunes to some degree.

    Buy an similarly priced Android phone like the Evo or better Droid phones. I’m also hearing good things about the Samsung Fascinate. Sure, you’ll be missing out on the Apple ‘experience’ but it sounds like that the last thing you want is Apple and their experience, anyways.

  20. Matt says

    January 13, 2011 at 4:23 PM

    My company has moved a lot of our field operations to our mobile phones. Initially we were developing a lot of this for the iPhone, but due to less than stellar AT&T reliability and continuing issues with Apple regarding how we wanted to publish our software, we switched over to Sprint/Android (Evo 4Gs). Initially we were going the Verizon route, but Sprint made us an offer we couldn’t refuse (low price combined with a performance guarantee clause that if we had issues within 6 months we could cancel the contract).

    A year later, I love both our Sprint coverage and the Evos. I still think the phone is a bit too big (requiring it to be carried in a jacket pocket or a large bulge in a front jeans pocket), but the trade off is a easily readable screen that I can remote access a desktop from and actually work on. Android software development is much better than Apple’s environment and in the next couple of months my company will be pushing out some of our in-house apps that should make general usage of the phone a bit easier.

    Would I go back to the iPhone and its smaller sexier package? No, the iPhone is pretty much dead to me. Unless they make some significant changes in their App development requirements I can’t see the point in going through all that hassle for something that can be had for less money and better performance from other manufactures.

  21. Craig Rodrigues says

    January 14, 2011 at 6:13 PM

    Monthly rate on both are still much higher than the $25/month for Virgin. If you dont care about monthly price then just flip a coin or something.

  22. Anonymous says

    April 7, 2011 at 5:18 AM

    I’m getting an iPhone 3GS running iOS 4.3 for $49 at AT&T!

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