The "Thermo-nuclear" plant that Steve jobs promised doesn't seem to be working... :)

Especially considering they are making the web browser in mobile identical to desktop. Hell in just the 3 years I've had a smartphone my browser experience has changed dramatically. I'm sure in 3 more I won't be able to tell Chrome in my phone/tablet apart from Chrome in my desktop. (gotta hurry up and remove flash from interwebz)

not sure if i had this discussion with you or anyone else but just because everyone in usa has a contract doesn't mean that this is the same for the whole world. so, usa is not the world. as example here in germany we often buy the phone without contract and use prepaid system or something we can change whenever we want. or we get a contract with a cheap phone and pay 10 bucks less per month for 24 months which makes it 240 bucks cheaper.

You're right, I was only counting US cell phone patterns. However, the 4S and 4 (i.e. older model iphones) would still fit my original argument that even iPhones can be found cheaper along with Android/WP/etc.

I said, handsets under $100 will use Android. i.e. the low end of the market for OEMs. Please try to understand the context of the post. Statement wasn't referencing the price people pay.

Minimum iPhone contract here is $1000. Not everyone can afford that. That is why cheap phones on cheap plans for poorer people exist.

iphones are more expensive as most android phones and that doesn't change with older models. 

i can get a contract with a cheap android phone and pay let's say 10€ per month or i get the same contract with an iphone and pay 20€ per month. or i buy an android phone without contract for 49€ or get an iphone 4 without contract for some hundred euros.

in both cases, the iphone with or without contract will cost me some hundred euros more as if i take a cheap android phone.

and in countries with many people without money i see a lot who buy a cheap android phone without contract and only use it with wi-fi and prepaid without any money on the card for months^^

The fact that you mentioned Goodwill helping with overall sales doesn't make any sense.

which is only an example of Apple raping people for the same or lesser product. Same crap why Macs typically cost more than PCs (within same class).

Is that what the WP rise that MS fans were talking about is supposed to look like?

Apple must be a little worried, as well. The iPhone 5 launched only days before Q4 started.

Our company has just started a trial on WP devices (Nokia Lumia 920) with a view to replacing the Blackberry's we use at present.  I think the business sector will be the first demographic Microsoft will aim for followed by the enthusiast market.  While I don't believe in the big explosion as some do, its silly writing a device off in its first few months.  Windows Phones are gathering support slowly against 2 massive competitors.  Its highly possible by the way that Microsoft actually increased their share this year and the big loser has been RIM.