Posted by Kevan Lee :: August 7, 2008 @ 12:05 pm

Can the new iPhone actually save you money? Yes. A 16GB iPhone will cost you $300 at the store, but it will save you at least $500.

Apple's popular product has been a hit with consumers, and it has been a revolution for the phone, music player, and mobile Internet industry... all this, despite its high price tag.

Smart consumers notice a deal when they see one, and even though it takes a good deal of looking, there is a deal to be found in the iPhone. With its features galore, there is virtually nothing that the iPhone can't do, and paying for products to do each of the iPhone’s tasks will add up faster than you might imagine.

Spending $300 might seem like a lot, but looking at the following list will show you that you’re getting a steal.

Phone

The fact that the iPhone is, in fact, a phone normally gets lost in the conversation of touch screens and technology. But the phone service is where it all starts for the iPhone. Sure, there are other cell phones on the market, but there are none that have as many features or do as many tasks as the iPhone. For the most part, every model of cell phone, whether it is an LG, a Motorola, or any other manufacturer, will provide similar service. The iPhone is no different; it fits right in with the rest and may even improve on the standard. At the very least, having a cell phone of any kind, especially one as powerful as the iPhone, could save you the expense of a land line or other phone service.

Savings: $50 for phone service installation and purchase of phones for the house.

iPod

A phone and MP3 player combined in a single device was bound to happen sooner or later. Both devices are mobile enough to take anywhere, so it makes sense to combine the two into one easy-to-use piece of technology. Apple has the advantage because its MP3 players are the most popular ones around. Owning an iPhone, then, makes the purchase of an MP3 player obsolete. With storage space galore on the iPhone, consumers only need to focus their spending in one direction and save themselves the cost and inconvenience of toting around two devices.

Savings: $250 iPod Classic 80GB

Internet browser

The web is going mobile at an alarmingly fast rate. Surfing the ‘net is possible virtually anywhere, which is exactly what the iPhone had in mind when it included a powerful web browser. Whether you are watching YouTube or checking your email, it can all be done from the comfort of your iPhone touch pad. With this benefit, you may find less of a need to log on with your desktop and more of a desire to let the web go where you go.

Savings: $33 monthly DSL Internet service

Camera

The iPhone boasts one of the nicest cameras in the cell phone market. The 2.0 megapixels are more than you will find pretty much anywhere else, and in some cases Apple has doubled the image quality of its competitors. Plus, with the Internet at your fingertips, uploading your pictures to a Facebook profile or Flickr is easy. Who needs a digital camera anymore?

Savings: $100 basic digital camera

GPS Device

There is nothing worse than feeling lost and alone in a big city…or even your hometown. The iPhone has you covered with an application that allows your location to be pinpointed with GPS. You will always know where you are with the precision of the technology, and you will always know where to go next with the helpful maps that come with the program. So rather than drive around aimlessly or ask at a service station for directions, you can do it all from the comfort of your phone.

Savings: $15 road atlas

Video games

Some feel that the future of video games is headed to the iPhone, and while that day may be far off, there are certainly plenty of programs for video game geeks to love that are already on the mobile device. Purchasing games through the application store is a simple process, and several of the available downloads are as good as or better than their console predecessors. Super Monkey Ball may be a classic on the GameCube, but it is getting a new life on the iPhone.

Savings: $300 video game console and games

The New York Times

The newspaper has a home on the iPhone, too, thanks to a powerful add-on and the quick, convenient web browser. The New York Times can be up on your screen in moments with the iPhone, and virtually any other newspaper is within your reach.
Savings: $1.50 Sunday edition of New York Times

Notepad

Taking notes is a snap with the iPhone, and there are no pens or paper necessary. The iPhone does it all in a variety of ways: typing, writing, or even voice recording. You may never forget anything again.

Savings: $5 steno pad and pen

Books

Johannes Gutenberg probably did not envision this when he invented the printing press. Thousands of books are now available to read on your iPhone, and more are being added every day. While the touch and feel of a hardback or soft cover can never be replaced, the ease and convenience of reading on the go may be a cheaper, faster solution.

Savings: $15 per book

Internet radio

Pandora is one of the most popular streaming music sites on the Web, and it is fast becoming one of the most popular add-ons for the iPhone. Choosing what you want to listen to was an inalienable right the founding fathers would have been proud of, and being able to do it on your phone is even greater. The iPhone has changed the way that a lot of people listen to the radio.

Savings: $25 boom box

There are many more features of the iPhone that can save you money in the long run. This list alone includes nearly $800 of products, which will more than make up for the price of the iPhone. Not only does Apple’s new toy look snazzy and work effectively, it will also save you money in the big picture.