Apple to sell iPhones off-contract to fight Nexus One

Apple iPhone 3GApple is returning to letting customers buy the iPhone without a contract, a leaked memo may have confirmed today. Those willing to buy an iPhone 3G or 3GS at full price will purportedly have the freedom to do so at a US store without having a new or existing AT&T plan. The sales would discourage bootleggers only by keeping the phones locked to AT&T and one phone per day.

While the memo obtained by Gizmodo hasn't been publicly confirmed by Apple, customers have heard the same from Apple store staff and suggest the strategy is in full effect. Pricing would start at $499 for the 8GB iPhone 3G and climb to $599 and $699 for the 16GB and 32GB iPhone 3GS models.

Why Apple would relent at this stage isn't known but may be influenced at least partly by Google's attitude to the Nexus One. While AT&T's deal with Apple could prevent a truly unlocked iPhone at this stage, the terms essentially mirror that for the Android smartphone, where buyers are encouraged to pay full price in return for control over when they end service. Apple has often resisted any implied support for hacking and unlocking iPhones but may be reaching out to an audience that would normally avoid Apple due to AT&T's requirements.

The news has come just as Google has begun selling AT&T-ready Nexus Ones and is on the verge of offering both Sprint and Verizon editions, leading to further speculation that Apple wants to provide equal pricing where possible.

Bootlegging was a concern mostly with the first generation of the iPhone, when US- and Europe-only sales led gray market importers from China and elsewhere to buy the phones in large quantities and resell them overseas. China, Russia and other popular destinations for these phones now have their own official agreements and sometimes sell completely unlocked versions.

Source: electronista

Tags: Apple, iPhone, mobile phones

Comments
Add comment

Your name:
Sign in with:
or
Your comment:


Enter code:

E-mail (not required)
E-mail will not be disclosed to the third party


Last news

 
Galaxy Note10 really is built around a 6.7-inch display
 
You may still be able to download your content
 
Facebook, Messenger and Instagram are all going away
 
Minimize apps to a floating, always-on-top bubble
 
Japan Display has been providing LCDs for the iPhone XR, the only LCD model in Apple’s 2018 line-up
 
The 2001 operating system has reached its lowest share level
 
The entire TSMC 5nm design infrastructure is available now from TSMC
 
The smartphone uses a Snapdragon 660 processor running Android 9 Pie
The Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) Review
The evolution of the successful smartphone, now with a waterproof body and USB Type-C
February 7, 2017 / 2
Samsung Galaxy TabPro S - a tablet with the Windows-keyboard
The first Windows-tablet with the 12-inch display Super AMOLED
June 7, 2016 /
Keyboards for iOS
Ten iOS keyboards review
July 18, 2015 /
Samsung E1200 Mobile Phone Review
A cheap phone with a good screen
March 8, 2015 / 4
Creative Sound Blaster Z sound card review
Good sound for those who are not satisfied with the onboard solution
September 25, 2014 / 2
Samsung Galaxy Gear: Smartwatch at High Price
The first smartwatch from Samsung - almost a smartphone with a small body
December 19, 2013 /
 
 

News Archive

 
 
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      




Poll

Do you use microSD card with your phone?
or leave your own version in comments (16)