iPhone 2 may cost just $200 with two-year contract
It seems Apple got the memo that expensive phones are hugely subsidized to sell (expensive) contracts (which make more money than the handsets themselves). To that end, it may be allowing AT&T to subsidize the iPhone even further by letting the iPhone 2 go for just $200 with a new two-year contract.
ArsTechnica reports via The Financial Times (subscription required) that Apple has “bowed to pressure from mobile phone operators” stateside and in Europe where customers will seemingly only pay just so much for a phone; that sure is surprising, just how much market research did that take?
Companies must adapt to survive and as others like T-Mobile and Sprint offer services similar to or in excess of the iPhone plan offerings, a $200 iPhone (even with a contract) is mighty tempting.
It’s been said that if you already have an iPhone that there is no need to upgrade, maybe. I doubt very much that Apple or AT&T will allow you to get one for $200 if you go for the handset upgrade option and contract extension. I mean, it’s possible but not likely; you’ll have to talk to AT&T about that.
Whatever the case is, we will all know June 9 when Steve Jobs takes the stage at the WWDC. On a related note, it is suspected that the iPhone/iPod Touch firmware version 2.0 will make a showing during his announcements. Further rumors indicated that the firmware upgrade will be available same-day but if it’s not, don’t be disappointed. Also, don’t be surprised if Apple makes iPod Touch owners pay for the firmware upgrade.
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