$99 4GB iPhone for cash concious Walmart shoppers after Christmas?

Quincy Pince-Nez
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December 04, 2008
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BGR has the goods on a proported $99 4GB iPhone going on sale at Walmart on Dec 28th.  Sounds good initially.  You can still keep the  high ground with your 16GB monster while the unwashed masses go about with thir $99 - can barely hold the Star Wars Trilogy - handset.  More marketshare, more potential customers for apps, more websites designed for iPhone.  Woot!

But, as we're sure many of you know, the two year plan that is required costs $80- $100 a month depending on the plan you choose.  If you can't afford the extra $100 for an iPhone, are you going to be financially able to get on a $100/month plan?  Sounds like a poor financial decision. 

Perfect for the Walmart demographic?

Maybe, just maybe, Apple has some EDGE iPhone chipsets (sans GPS) laying around ready to go for another run.   Heck, even the old design was pretty solid.

So, maybe also at lower plan prices?  Even the old AT&T plan prices would be a gift for the holiday season.

Will a $100 giftcard to Walmart will be the "must have" gift this year?

Comments (10)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | December 04, 2008 - 8:30am

I have really enjoyed reading this Blog in the past. But I have seen a change in 9 to 5 Mac's apparent agenda. I see much negative undercurrent (against Apple) in the articles. I realize there is alot of money being offered to opinions for hire blogs:{

admin | December 04, 2008 - 10:47am

You caught us.  Costco and Microsoft are paying us to trash Walmart and Apple.

Jeez, we're really trying but we can't be 100% positive all of the time?  If that's what you are into check: http://apple.com/hotnews

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | December 04, 2008 - 8:43am

as we're sure many of you know, the two year plan that is required costs almost $100 a month depending on the plan you choose.


Really? I had NO idea that WalMart plans cost $100 a month. My iPhone plan costs $63 a month ($70/month, less 10% discount). That's a HELL of a lot less than your WalMart plan.

Why does WalMart sell only a $100 plan? That's on ACID. Just go to the AT&T store, tell them who you work for or where you go to school, and get your $70 plan with a monthly discount.

admin | December 04, 2008 - 10:49am

The cheapest AT&T plans are $70.  Assuming you'd like SMS capability and have to pay taxes, you are going to pay more. 

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | December 04, 2008 - 3:56pm

OK, I give you that the cheapest plans are $70. I -wont- give you that _I_ want the text messaging plan (despite the hard sell of both you and the AT&T guy).

I'll give you that I pay taxes.

I'll pretend that I don't get a discount, using the assumption that most people are too ignorant to ask for one.

I still don't hit the $100 that was originally stated by the author. Add on text messaging (assuming I send/rec more than 300 per year - no way!) and I _still_ am under $85/month.

Perhaps the assumption is that people use directory assistance a lot, and call a lot of 900 numbers.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | December 04, 2008 - 9:04am

I can't understand the negativity on this one. What is the sense of buying an 8 or 16 gig if you are going to mainly use it for a phone and web browser? Maybe this person only wants a few photos, a few songs and mostly phone/browser experience. Why would they then shell out the extra 100? I have 3 screens of junk, a few photos, no songs and I'm using maybe 1.2 gig.

The guy I work with has 5 screens of apps, 300 songs and 1500 photos and still only uses 3 gig.

How can this be a bad thing? I would want the iPhone to sell more than it even is now and if a 4 gig'r will help Apple do that, then so be it.

I bought my iPhone about a month ago, the 8gb, if I would have known, I probably would have opted for the 4, and I'm not broke, just could have used it on something else.

Cory Schulz | December 04, 2008 - 10:12am

 I have the 8GB iPhone and it is completely full and I'm planning on upgrading to the 16GB one after MacWorld (Just in case they change prices or release something new). I would love the extra space for music, podcasts, more apps, videos, and photos. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's using the device to its full potential and maxing out the flash memory. Infact, I think it's strange that you haven't.

Dan Birchall (not verified) | December 04, 2008 - 10:26am

So you're telling me they plan to sell the phone cheap, and make up the money on the monthly plan? Egad! That's... exactly what millions of cell phone users - basically anyone who uses something that's not a "smartphone" - are already accustomed to. Penny wise, pound foolish, perhaps - but that's the way people roll.

And if you go to those folks and say "$99 down and $75 a month gets you one of THESE, at Wal-Mart no less"... who's gonna counter it? Palm's already been mostly dead all day. RIM's consumer blackberries would be the first obvious victim, but I think a lot of Nokia models could feel the pain too.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | December 04, 2008 - 4:47pm

There's no way Apple will let Walmart sell the iPhone for $99. They might let Walmart carry the iPhone but it'll be the same as the models Best Buy and AT&T sell. And it won't be $99.

dizzy (not verified) | December 04, 2008 - 10:04pm

I'm not sure if walmart will be selling the iPhone or not, but I highly doubt apple will go back to 4GB. That is just not apple like. I think there is a much higher chance of a new phone coming out after Macworld with 32GB at $299 and pushing the price on the 16GB and 8GB down $100.