Today, Apple and AT&T released the details about the rate plans for the iPhone and the activation process for the iPhone. The cheapest monthly rates for the iPhone is $60 a month, which gives 450 minutes, unlimited nights and weekends, visual voice mail, unlimited mobile to mobile, and 200 sms messages a month. Each $20 increment nets an additional 450 minutes a month. Personally, I don't find these rates too bad, and rather in line with comparable data rate plans.
Here's what I like about the process: getting an iPhone is the same as buying any other consumer electronic good. You simply go into the store and you buy it. When you get home, you register and activate the phone, and you're done. For someone who loves gadgets, I despise cellphone stores and the process of authenticating you before they sell you a phone. (Come to think of it, I think I had to sign less paperwork to buy a car than to buy a phone). In short, the process of buying the iPhone will be very fast on Friday, with the only slowdown being the tables of iPhone accessories that one can purchase.
As just another consumer good with online activation (making it really easy to switch carriers, and transfer phone numbers) I feel that this is going to really change the mobile phone industry; for the first time you can actually buy a cellphone as a gift (and not a pay as you go crap phone).
I expect the iPhone to sell out this weekend; and while the initial cost of the iPhone might be tough for some to swallow who are not used to getting unsubsidized phones, the reasonable data and phone rates are going to net a lot of people who pay the same for a less functional Nokia or Treo on their current cellphone provider.
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