iPhone 3GS price slashed by 50%
It’s not unusual for AT&T to cut new and refurbished iPhone prices ahead of the launch of new hardware in June. This early in the game is, however, unprecedented and speaks volumes about the increasingly competitive smartphone marketplace and perhaps not a little about the Ma Bell’s Verizon iPhone fears.
Wall Street Journal reports that AT&T will begin selling the iPhone 3GS from tomorrow for $49 plus two-year contract and data plan. Thereupon, the timing of this $50 reduction has already set tongues wagging.
Mashable calls this a logical move for AT&T, which is expected to lose iPhone exclusivity in the U.S. soon. The carrier, which has announced 20 new smartphones at CES that will rollout over the course of the year, is trying to reduce its dependence on Apple smartphones.
Another explanation
Hmm, sounds an awful lot like Ma Bell needs to work off a fairly significant backlog of iPhone 3GS handsets, doesn’t it? Thereupon, it will be interesting to see if Apple’s overseas iPhone partners begin offering the 2009 model at 50 percent off.
Although this is a relatively good deal, we’ve all waited so long for the Verizon iPhone that I doubt even if AT&T was “giving away” the iPhone 3GS (with contract and data plan) it just wouldn’t be very tempting…
What’s your take?
via Mashable
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