Fresh from the oven, AT&T, the exclusive sales partner of Apple in the US, announced it will be selling the upcoming 3G iPhone for $199. Yes, AT&T is preparing to subsidize $200 of the cost of the new iPhone but there’s a catch.
Customers who want the $199 3G iPhone will have to compusorily sign up for a two year contract with AT&T. You will have to pay the $399 unit price for 8GB and $499 for 16GB if you want your network under Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, or Sprint.
The markdown price is a strategy by AT&T to drive customers away from its competitors. But for sure, the other network providers will also be implementing marketing strategies that will challenge AT&T.
Meanwhile, Blackberry’s creator, Research In Motion (RIM), has remained silent on rumors that it is currently designing a Blackberry-like phone that will challenge the popular iPhone. Several blogs mentioned about having photos of the new “iPhone Killer” but RIM remains mum on the issue.
Which is just the right thing for RIM to do. Stay a safe distance from the press before its “iPhone Killer” is ready for the market to create an element of surprise. Remember Nokia Tube? It was Nokia’s supposed iPhone kiler but critics commented that the Nokia Tube will not be able shake the status of the iPhone even as the Tube is yet to be released to the market.
Source:http://www.iphone-codes.com/20080503-144107-3g-iphone-for-199-and-blackberrys-surprise/
2008-06-22 @ 11:16