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Google wants to sell $199 phones?


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A slightly plausible rumor is surfacing today that indicates Google is about to attack the traditional cell-phone carrier model by offering low cost, contract free devices.
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If the following X phone rumors are true, Google is about try and disrupt the carrier model for cell phones in the United States in a big way.

Right now, it is quite common to sign a two-year contract in the US and then buy a phone for $200 or less. This model has existed for several years, but if you are willing to believe a rumor from Android and Me, Google has had enough and wants to change the game.

We have been hearing about the X phone for some time, and the photos that leaked of an unnamed Motorola device are reportedly an early prototype of the phone. But here is the deal, Google wants to sell the phone for a very low price, possibly as low as $199, without a contract and maybe even offer the ability to customize the phone like you do a PC.

The idea would be that you could customize your phone with a “build-to-order” option and allow end consumers to build phones that fits their budget and needs. If this sounds familiar, it’s because it’s one of the ways Dell managed to break into the PC market so many years ago.

If this all sounds a little too far-fetched, look at what Google did with the Nexus 4; the phone had average specs but a low price and it was nabbed up at an incredible rate. This could have been an early pilot for Google to test the waters for this type of business model and it certainly seems like consumers loved the idea.

The source is claiming the phone could make its debut as early as June (I/O) but may not ship until July (much like the Nexus 7).

It will be quite interesting to see how carriers react to such a model as it is a strong diversion from their standard operating models that we could see resistance by means of not support the phones on their networks.


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  • Administrator

The idea would be that you could customize your phone with a “build-to-order” option and allow end consumers to build phones that fits their budget and needs.

Sounds good to me. :)

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@DKT27, true indeed.

But I doubt it would cost the same if you're not in the US. With all the delivery charge and taxes included... :(

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  • Administrator

Yup. That's what I guessed.

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I will definitely support Google!! waiting for the phone to come out. :smoke:

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But I doubt it would cost the same if you're not in the US. With all the delivery charge and taxes included... :(

The Nexus 7 was launched in India @ almost $400. Yup! Almost twice the American prices. Put paid to my hopes of owning one :(

So that $200 phone will prolly cost us somewhere in the 3-400 region as well :angry:

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Hated On Mostly

I hope this rumor is true. Phones are too expensive and this will force other companies to produce cheaper smart phones.

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RadioActive

@DKT27, true indeed.

But I doubt it would cost the same if you're not in the US. With all the delivery charge and taxes included... :(

Yeah. Here the Nexus 4 is a joke, it costs more (quite a bit more) than the Galaxy S3 which is absurd!

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Cheap phone in America , expensive in India .....

..... get an American cousin, who will buy it and then bring it you ...

:troll:

Jokes apart , Tech shall always be more expensive in developing countries on counterpart the developed ones .

Thats something which is predefined in under the table trade pacts of big corps ! ;)

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  • Administrator

@majithia23: It has lot to do with 1, demand, 2, tax. All the imports in India, as far as I know, go through heavy taxes.

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usually it's the government of developing countries that raise enormous import tariffs so called to protect their own industry

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RadioActive

usually it's the government of developing countries that raise enormous import tariffs so called to protect their own industry

What industry? Almost no "developing country" has any high-tech industry to be threatened by the imports. It's greed, pure and simple.

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@DKT27, true indeed.

But I doubt it would cost the same if you're not in the US. With all the delivery charge and taxes included... :(

Yeah. Here the Nexus 4 is a joke, it costs more (quite a bit more) than the Galaxy S3 which is absurd!

You could buy online, its more affordable...

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RadioActive

You could buy online, its more affordable...

Wrong! Because you'd have to ship it which means shipping costs + taxes + toll + God knows what else and you end-up with double the price. I'm speaking from experience :(

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I ll agree with Lohengrin .

However if it is something you seriously want from overseas , you can somewhat mitigate the increased costs of getting an import product by utilizing the services of a Proxy Shopping/Shipping Service .

Though the product will still cost more than the generic market , but not as much if you get it personally hands on .

The only draw back being the increased delivery time .

( .... obviously , as you are using a proxy service ! :P )

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What industry? Almost no "developing country" has any high-tech industry to be threatened by the imports. It's greed, pure and simple.

Whatever the excuse, the cause is government, not "greedy" companies
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