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Rumors have Walmart selling an iPhone 3G with 4GB of storage for $99

Apple is a marketing juggernaut that is seemingly able to sell computers and other devices at will, despite the poor global economy. Apple has continued to gain market share in the U.S. computer market and its MP3 players dominate the market.

Apple has also quickly dominated the smartphone market in the U.S. with the introduction this year of the iPhone 3G. So far the iPhone has grabbed 16.6% of the global smartphone market and it is the most popular phone in the U.S. overall.

If rumors are true, sales of the iPhone 3G are about to grow even more as Apple is reported to have teamed up with retail giant Walmart to sell a new 4GB iPhone 3G for a mere $99. Right now, the cheapest iPhone 3G is the 8GB version that retails for $199 and the 16GB version sells for $299.

According to Bloomberg Walmart is set to begin selling two models of the iPhone starting this month. Analyst Shaw Wu from Kaufman Brothers wrote in a research note, "A $99, Apple-branded cell phone is inevitable. One of the key things Apple needs to do to drive broader iPhone adoption is to build a more complete product line."

Naturally, Apple, Walmart, and AT&T have declined to comment on the rumor. Bloomberg contacted Walmart representatives in several California cities and got varied reports from the stores. All of the stores contacted did say the iPhone was coming to Walmart. One location said Walmart would get two models, whether that will be a 4GB version and the 8GB version or simply 8GB and 16GB versions like other sources including Best Buy sells is unknown.

As for the time frame, one store representative told Bloomberg that the iPhone would be available at Walmart on December 15. Other stores reported that the iPhone would be in stock at Walmart between Christmas and the New Year. Throwing a bit of water on the speculation fire is a Walmart representative in Vacaville, California who told Bloomberg that the store would get the 8GB and 16GB phones at the same $199 and $299 price points we have already seen across the country. The same employee said that the handsets would turn up on December 28.

IPhone shoppers in Europe have access to much better deals than shoppers in the U.S. can get for the most part. It would make sense for Apple to offer the 4GB iPhone 3G to lure in customers who aren’t interested in the iPhone at $199.

For the majority of iPhone users 4GB of storage would be plenty of space for storage of music and App Store applications. Some analysts see a cheaper model as a necessity for Apple so it can offer a full line of handsets from low-end, mid-range and high-end.

Another rumor that has cropped up since the iPhone debuted was a new 32GB handset. Apple and Walmart could throw a curve ball by unveiling a new higher-capacity iPhone and dropping the price of the current 8GB iPhone 3G to $99, but that move would be highly unlikely.

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Stop misquoting price!
By CSMR on 12/8/2008 1:05:41 PM , Rating: 5
Wallmart does not sell an iphone 3G for $99. It sells an Iphone 3G for $99 when you also buy an overpriced cell phone plan!

It's ridiculous to list prices like that. If you can buy x plus y for prices p plus q you can't say that x costs p. It's just nonsense. Not only is it just false but you can't compare across phones because other xs are sold with other ys and other qs.




RE: Stop misquoting price!
By SpaceJumper on 12/8/2008 2:02:33 PM , Rating: 5
You are right. It is a bate for the Apple iPhone suckers.


RE: Stop misquoting price!
By akugami on 12/8/2008 4:46:39 PM , Rating: 2
I think you meant "bait" but more than that, I disagree. Almost all phone plans are overpriced in one fashion or another and the "free" phones you get with them simply suck rocks. You'll repay the cost of the phone and way more over the course of your contract. This is true regardless of whether the phone you got for free or for $50-100 was an iPhone or Nokia or other brand.


RE: Stop misquoting price!
By callmeroy on 12/8/2008 3:13:46 PM , Rating: 2
LOL...thanks for that insight Captain Obvious.

No kidding you need a cell phone plan to make the cell phone work? Wow....do you need soap and water to clean yourself in the shower too?

I'm in the boat with all those agreeing the ATT exclusivity on the Iphone is crap and very expensive. However at the same time, given the extreme popular nature of the Iphone -- isn't it common friggin knowledge by now that pretty much EVERYONE on Earth knows to use the phone you are locked into an ATT agreement?

As far as I know there is no such think as an unlockable iphone, or at least an unlocked iphone that works on a non ATT network with no loss of functionality or modification needed to use any of the intended features of the iPhone.

But then again, knock your self out -- I think a phone is for making a phone call....and anyone blowing away hundreds on a phone for personal use only is insane in my book. ;)


RE: Stop misquoting price!
By croc on 12/8/2008 4:12:57 PM , Rating: 4
isn't it common friggin knowledge by now that pretty much EVERYONE on Earth knows to use the phone you are locked into an ATT agreement?

And everyone on Earth that doesn't live in the US laughs their respective asses off...

In AUS, every mall kiosk sells iphones. We can get plans with four different carriers, or no plan at all with a pre-paid SIM. But then again, we have competition and choice... And a pretty mean regulator just to keep it that way.


RE: Stop misquoting price!
By thebeastie on 12/8/2008 11:18:40 PM , Rating: 2
Oh stop the false truths, You can buy a Iphone anywhere in Australia but you then have to pay for it at full price if you don't want a contract, just about everyone gets a contract in Australia because its the only chance of getting any kind of good deal.

Truth is that a standard no contract deal for 16GB Apple iPhone 3G - $899
http://www.iphoneinaustralia.com/

The Americans don't know when they have a good deal, not even close. Power of a massive single population where the customer is always right, you pull that kind of stuff in oz and they will ban you from their shop :)


RE: Stop misquoting price!
By Dark Legion on 12/8/2008 8:11:17 PM , Rating: 1
Well you do not need an ATT plan to use the iPhone. Before you get so condescending you should get your facts straight.

How do you think the iPhone works in other countries? Anybody can unlock an iPhone, with no loss of functionality, and it will work with nearly any sim around the world.

PC: http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=188...
Mac: http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=155...


RE: Stop misquoting price!
By sprockkets on 12/8/2008 11:59:13 PM , Rating: 2
Come back to us when you don't have to as the article says, "Jailbreak" your phone to do so.

Until then, the rest of the world can ask for an unlock code from their carrier after only 3 months, as in the T-Mobile G1 phone, or simply buy it unlocked in the first place.

Am I to believe that when you get the iphone from ATT or apple, that they won't force you to sign a contract into ATT service plus that $10 more than usual data plan to make up for the cost of the device?


RE: Stop misquoting price!
By Dark Legion on 12/9/2008 6:50:11 AM , Rating: 1
Technically the jailbreak is Cydia and the "installer". You do not have to add either of those. Unlocking after 3 months doesn't help either, you are still tied to your carrier for another 2 years, unless you pay an early termination fee (in which case you end up paying more anyway, since you still need another carrier). This is not very useful in US because you still have those problems, and you cannot walk out of a store with a new iPhone without a contract.

This is very useful in countries where you are not tied to a carrier when you buy the iPhone, and it locks back up after every firmware update.

And anyway, if you don't like the method, don't use it and either be stuck with a useless iPhone or one with ATT.


RE: Stop misquoting price!
By sprockkets on 12/9/2008 12:35:49 PM , Rating: 2
OK, so you are admitting you are wrong? Thank you, I accept your apology.


RE: Stop misquoting price!
By Dark Legion on 12/10/2008 12:17:56 AM , Rating: 2
That's not admitting I'm wrong, and it's certainly not an apology. It just may not be as useful for people in certain countries, such as America.


RE: Stop misquoting price!
By callmeroy on 12/9/2008 11:43:11 AM , Rating: 2
Getting a little frazzled there bud? :)

The point of my post, which was FULLY intentional to sound sarcastic, was basically saying "no kidding you need to buy a service plan to use the phone too?".

The theme of the original poster was "stop misquoting the price" hinting that you'd also have to buy into the ATT contract as well so the price really isn't that cheap as advertised. So my point , though i didn't realize in other countries you could freely unlock the iphone and use with any carrier, is still a valid one -- you STILL need to pay for phone service. Get it? I don't care if you are on ATT or Joe Blow's Cell Service Inc, no kidding JUST paying for the phone isn't all you need to do to use it!!!

My god you folks are thick sometimes.


RE: Stop misquoting price!
By Dark Legion on 12/10/2008 1:30:22 AM , Rating: 2
Well there was no indication of sarcasm in your post, only ignorance, and as you say, thinkness. Anyway if you did mean it sarcastically, i do have to apologize. And in that case, most of my post was sort of pointless since u already 'said' it, except my point about being able to unlock is still valid. You said it can't be done? Sure it can, but in some countries you are still stuck with the service.

You can also buy a used iPhone, so that you are not stuck with ATT, unlock it, and get another service. The only thing is that then you do not have a new iPhone.


Good idea
By gcouriel on 12/8/2008 12:41:31 PM , Rating: 2
i think this is a great idea. it would be better if Apple offered a larger lineup with the iPhone (4, 8, 16 & 32gb units).

interestingly, although this information was leaked out last week, the iPhone guys over at MacRumors have been split on this, with many thinking that a 4gb iPhone would be a bad thing. just a little elitist???




RE: Good idea
By Brandon Hill (blog) on 12/8/2008 12:49:40 PM , Rating: 2
32GB and more flexible plan options would be enough for me to ditch my 32GB iPod touch and my cheap LG phone with Alltel.


RE: Good idea
By AlexWade on 12/8/2008 2:16:42 PM , Rating: 2
Alltel is no more, sadly. It is now Verizon, so say goodbye to your great rate plan. Alltel was the only cell phone company with good service AND good prices. Personally I think Verizon wanted Alltel just so AT&T won't have the most cell customers. All about who has the largest ... amount of customers. (read between the lines) A pure ego think if you ask me.

Hopefully you will be grandfathered into Alltel's great rate plans.


RE: Good idea
By Suntan on 12/8/2008 12:55:27 PM , Rating: 5
quote:
MacRumors have been split on this, with many thinking that a 4gb iPhone would be a bad thing. just a little elitist???


Meh, if having a fancier phone than other people is the defining atribute that makes you feel like you stand out, then the reality is that you are a complete douche. (Most likely the same people that ran out to buy a RAZR when it first came out.)

I say let them have their sense of supiriority, as missplaced as it may be, everyone should feel good about themselves for some reason or another, even if they are a douche.

-Suntan


RE: Good idea
By JAB on 12/8/2008 1:38:11 PM , Rating: 4
quote:
I say let them have their sense of supiriority, as missplaced as it may be, everyone should feel good about themselves for some reason or another, even if they are a douche.


Irony alert.

I am better than those ........... Dude it is just a phone. If you are going to have one it might as well be something you like.


RE: Good idea
By OHHHTHEPOSSIBILITIES on 12/8/2008 1:52:39 PM , Rating: 1
I say let them have their sense of supiriority, as missplaced as it may be, everyone should feel good about themselves for some reason or another, even if they are a douche.


Kind of like those who post self serving comments with a modicum of pertinent information. At least learn how to use spell check.


RE: Good idea
By Suntan on 12/8/2008 3:26:40 PM , Rating: 5
So what you are really saying is you don't want people to buy iphones that aren't as cool as the one you have...

-Suntan


RE: Good idea
By sprockkets on 12/8/2008 9:33:23 PM , Rating: 2
I don't know. I doubt this is true. Apple would never want to be associated with a store known for being such a dirty, cluttered place to shop.

What next? Get your $299 stripped down mac at Walmart? Doubt it.

BUT, if it is true Suntan, I don't think iphone owners will feel so elitist seeing their phone as silicon from heavenly Jobs being sold in such an unholy place.


RE: Good idea
By Suntan on 12/9/2008 2:57:43 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Apple would never want to be associated with a store known for being such a dirty, cluttered place to shop.


Yet you can buy Apple products from best Buy...

-Suntan


RE: Good idea
By amanojaku on 12/8/2008 1:28:22 PM , Rating: 2
It would be better if Apple made the iPhone available to more carriers. Competition is coming and Apple will be forced to innovate once again to compete. If the market was saturated with iPhones first competition wouldn't be too much of an issue. Personally, I'm feeling positive about the Nokia N97.


RE: Good idea
By Doormat on 12/8/2008 1:54:37 PM , Rating: 2
I dont think its a bad idea for users, I think its a bad idea for Apple.

It wont be long (sometime between MWSF in January and April), Apple will announce a 32GB iPhone 3G, as the new smaller flash NAND fabs start to produce the necessary chips in volume (32Gbit chips, 32GB per package).

Will Apple really need 4 iPhone models? Its not very Apple to offer so many standard models (only the iMac has 4 standard models, and even then its split between 2 20" and 2 24" models, which is a big differentiation point).

I'd hold off on the 4GB iPhone and sell the 8GB for $129, the 16GB for $199 and the new 32GB for $299 (with contract, of course). The teardowns indicated the 8GB has $175 or so in parts, and Apple is probably getting another $200-300 in subsidies from AT&T, so Apple is making a ton of profit per unit - look at how much their cash reserves surged the first quarter of iPhone 3G sales.


Just what the world needs...
By Motoman on 12/8/2008 1:06:26 PM , Rating: 4
...pompous rednecks.




RE: Just what the world needs...
By chmilz on 12/8/2008 3:03:20 PM , Rating: 3
<sigh>

Now I get to wait in line for an extra 30 minutes behind some swamp hag named Edna while she buys one of them there "iDohickeys" that she'll never comprehend, thinking she'll be "hip" and "cool", like those kids with teeth.


RE: Just what the world needs...
By Suntan on 12/8/2008 3:55:02 PM , Rating: 2
You know you could just buy your stuff from Target, and then you don’t have to wait in line at Wal Mart. Ever think of that one?

-Suntan


RE: Just what the world needs...
By chmilz on 12/8/2008 4:37:34 PM , Rating: 2
We don't have the luxury of variety in Soviet Canucklestan. I guess there's Zellers, but there's none close by and they're a mess most of the time.


RE: Just what the world needs...
By fibreoptik on 12/9/2008 11:15:21 AM , Rating: 2
Please shut up. We should deport your dumbass to the USA...


In other news...
By gregpet on 12/8/2008 1:36:36 PM , Rating: 3
Walmart to start selling Foie Gras.




RE: In other news...
By jojo29 on 12/8/2008 1:55:33 PM , Rating: 2
I wonder how many people are going to die, getting trampled in lines for this thing...just pathetic that this actually happend on Black Friday and NOT ONE person tried to help out the person on the floor, how cruel is that? Just to save a few bucks, you run someone over...


RE: In other news...
By callmeroy on 12/8/2008 3:16:48 PM , Rating: 2
Finally someone thinks like me on this stuff...

i thought the same thing when I read that story. times are getting darker every year it seems more and more people acting more hollow and robotic than like human beings towards one another.


$99 iPhone
By JohnHoser on 12/8/2008 12:35:45 PM , Rating: 2
Not rumor. true.
$99 is only for 4gb phone - price for customers eligible for the "upgrade".




RE: $99 iPhone
By omnicronx on 12/8/2008 1:04:22 PM , Rating: 2
Is this without a contract? Or when you sign a 3 year?


$99 iPhone
By JohnHoser on 12/8/2008 12:51:59 PM , Rating: 3
Fun at Walmart starts when your rank-and-file Walmart (electronics department?) employee tries to activate one of these new phones....folks at my Walmart are very nice. No clue technically. When I bought my 16GB iPhone at the Apple store last summer..it took the trained Apple employee ~20 minutes to move my existing AT&T Razor phone to my new iPhone...and my old Razor voice mails never made it.




Not biting
By japlha on 12/8/2008 1:28:12 PM , Rating: 2
This still doesn't make me want one.




Conclusions...
By crystal clear on 12/9/2008 5:53:43 AM , Rating: 2
Its crystal clear that--

“The war, currently, is more on the handset side -- who can get the most attractive handset in the customer’s hands at the lowest price?”

Its all about-

“There aren’t that many new subscribers to be had,” said Forrester Research Inc.

“It’s mostly about stealing good customers from your competitors and preventing your own good customers from leaving.”

Point to note-

Apple sold 6.9 million iPhones 3Gs last quarter, compared with 6.1 million BlackBerry devices over the same period.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive...

As for the article on D.T.-

If you dissever the article into 2 parts-

Introduction- Its pure promotional in nature

News content- Footless... circumlocution:.....best described as a one liner.




The Real News:
By WasabiX on 12/9/2008 8:33:09 PM , Rating: 2
Personally the upfront cost point isn't my primary concern, for me, need-to-know information is: What's it going to cost me per month for a full unlimitted data/voice/text plan, + taxes. THAT to me is news if it gets drastically lowered.




"There's no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. No chance." -- Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer

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