If you sell it at half* the price, will they come?

The new iPhone goes on sale this Friday at 8 a.m. That's only 71 hours away so start lining up now! Just kidding. When the original iPhone went on sale a huge chunk of the "demand" was created by folks who planned to resell the gadgets online.

There are still dozens of iPhones - the old ones - for sale on eBay, including a used one for $61. This time around I think buyers are going to stroll in when they are ready. The crappy economy may slow demand as well.

Plus, savvy spenders know that the new iPhone is not half the price, as Apple advertises. The new phone costs $199, half as much as the old model, but the new monthly service fee is $70. That's $10 more than the old plan, which over two years adds up to an extra $40.

This may not be a large increase for consumers excited by the faster Internet service the new gadget gets. Just don't lull yourself into thinking you are saving any money buying the new iPhone.