Some local iPhone users are peeved by the $200 fee required for an upgrade to Apple's newest product, the iPhone 3GS.
The new phone, which was announced Monday, will be twice as fast as the previous iPhone 3G and runs the company's new 3.0 operating system. According to an Apple press release, the iPhone 3G has "the world's most advanced mobile operating system."
New AT&T customers can purchase a 16-gigabyte iPhone 3GS for $199 or the 32-gigabyte model for $299 when they sign a two-year contract.
While some Apple fans welcome the news, others are questioning the $200 premium charge by AT&T to upgrade from its previous version of the iPhone.
"I didn't feel that the features of the 3GS were worthy of that upgrade fee," said Trevor Gribble, a second-year UF MBA student. "It seems very unreasonable to me."
In previous iPhone releases there were no fees for upgrading Apple's mobile phone to the newest model.
"It doesn't seem fair to the current users," Gribble said. "New users get to have the same iPhone for less money."
The premium fees are due to subsidies paid by AT&T from the 2008 release of the iPhone 3G by signing a two-year contract with the cell phone's only carrier, which the company refuses to pay twice within a one-year period, according to AppleInsider.com.
When the last iPhone update was released less than a year ago, AT&T paid Apple for customers to upgrade to the new 3G. But AT&T refuses to subsidize a second upgrade in less than a year, making customers pay out of pocket if they want the new phone.
Current iPhone 3G owners can purchase the 16 GB model for $399 and the 32 GB model for $499 or wait until their contract allows for an early upgrade.
Mobile phone users who do not yet own an iPhone have the option of buying the older iPhone 3G for $99.
Gribble opted to buy the 3G model instead of the more expensive 3GS model.
"I'm happy that I don't have to worry about [the $200 fee]," Gribble said. "I can see peoples frustrations."
Other people are not concerned with the changes.
Greg Jones, an introductory meditation instructor at Gainesville Karma Thegsum Choling, said despite creating a meditation application for the older version, he did not have to reformat it for the iPhone 3GS. In the bSerine application, iPhone users learn introductory meditation from the center's teacher David Bole.
Jones said that because he and his son, Ben, created an application for the iPhone, they found out about Apple's new operating system version in April.
As a project manager, Ben, 23, has created numerous iPhone applications including an application that links firefighters' iPhones to their main database.
Those who already have the application will receive upgrades for free.
