Shane Cole
Friday brought three impressive new deals for those looking to buy a new iPhone or jump ship from their current carrier, with Best Buy knocking up to 35 percent off of on-contract iPhone 5s sales, MacMall pricing the 5s at $120 and AT&T offering up to $450 per line to customers who switch from rival T-Mobile.
Update: MacMall will also be running a special limited-time-only iPhone promotion for the new year, with the 5s priced at $119.99 and 5c free on contract. More details below.
Best Buy's iPhone 5s sale, which runs through Jan. 4, brings the 16-gigabyte flagship handset down to $124.99 when purchased with a two-year contract. The 32-gigabyte model retails for $224.99 with the promotion, and the 64-gigabyte variant checks in at $324.99.
The retailer is also discounting Apple's mid-range iPhone 5c — Â a new two-year deal will net customers one of the plastic-backed handsets for free. Like the iPhone 5s sale, the iPhone 5c promotion is only valid until the close of business tomorrow.
AT&T, meanwhile, has taken its ongoing battle against rival GSM carrier T-Mobile to a new level. Beginning today and continuing for a limited time, Dallas, TX-based AT&T will give switchers up to $450 in service and device credit.
T-Mobile customers who trade in their current smartphone will receive an AT&T gift card worth up to $250 — Â AT&T says that each device's trade-in value will be determined separately, but "many of the latest and most popular smartphones" will earn the full $250. Customers who port their T-Mobile number to an AT&T Next plan, purchase a new device at full retail price, or activate an existing device will receive an additional $200 credit for each activated line, though they will need to wait up to 90 days to receive the subsidy.
AppleInsider sponsor MacMall is also running a New Year's sale for Apple's latest handsets. The reseller is offering the iPhone 5s for only $119.99, while the 5c will be available for free, with a two-year Verizon contract. Promotional pricing is good only through this weekend.
Malcolm Owen
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Mike Wuerthele and Malcolm Owen
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44 Comments
The cell phone market is like a cocaine supplier.
The entire industry only exists due to carrier subsidies. Phone adoption would have been far slower otherwise.
And now they want to get rid of subsidies and still think they’ll sell the same amount of content? They think that because we “need” cell phones now as a “society” that we’ll be “forced” to pay for them.
This had better blow up in their faces.
Good!
Cell phone companies are a rip-off. (And so are Cable companies!)
Soon, I'll buy my iPhone 5s/6 outright and go with T-Mobile. I may get my iPad Air thru T-Mobile as well, even though it's only 200mb of free data. Still, it's a step in the right direction.
If/when Tang can accommodate the 5s, I may go with them.
And Verizon, ATT and Sprint can stick it up their nose! :)
Are iPhones allowed to be discounted after less than 4 months on the market? /s
Do you see Apple discounting the iPhone?
Do you see Apple discounting the iPhone?
No, but that's not what I said.