Even with all the fixes I don't think it would make a good solution for the
fund raising objective. It is still a very developer oriented phone at a
price that doesn't really work. Most people end up with $500-$1000 phones as
the result of subsidies made possible through more expensive contractual
services. At least this is how it is in the United States. I'm not sure of
the details on the pricing or the average sales price in other markets for
phones. I would bet the price most people pay for phones without a contract
though is significantly less than $400-500 USD.
I don't know too many people who would spend $500-1000 on a phone if they had
to pay that up front. When people are presented with a monthly price it
becomes psychologically more bearable. It is also more bearable when someone
starts low and goes higher.
We don't have the resources to offer a $400 USD phone for $150 with a payment
plan of $30 / month.
Otherwise it might work although even in that situation it is still going to
reduce the amount going toward development. There is ultimately a budget
every consumers has to manage. It's very difficult to continually spend more
than the amount you take in. Credit eventually gets cut off.
