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Best Buy Mobile to Offer Free iPhone 3GS on Contract Tomorrow

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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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BGR reports that Best Buy Mobile will be reducing the price of the iPhone 3GS tomorrow to "free" for qualifying customers. The deal is reportedly valid for one day only.
Best Buy will be offering up Apple's iPhone 3GS for free for one day only, this Friday the 10th. This offer is valid to both new lines, additional lines, and also qualified upgrades. We have been told that all stores have inventory levels to support the promotion, and it's an instant rebate type deal.
Click to expand...
Customers must also of course sign up for a two-year service contract with AT&T.

Apple's regular pricing for the 8 GB iPhone 3GS is $99 with a two-year contract, although Radio Shack is currently running a deal bringing the price to $49.99 and a trade-in of an older model through Radio Shack can actually exceed the new purchase price, leaving customers with a credit to spend at the store.

Article Link: Best Buy Mobile to Offer Free iPhone 3GS on Contract Tomorrow
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2010/12/09/best-buy-mobile-to-offer-free-iphone-3gs-on-contract-tomorrow/
Carlanga

Carlanga

macrumors 604
Nov 5, 2009
7,132
1,409
WOP WOP!???:confused:

I'm commenting since no one has, does anyone think this is gonna push more contracts than normal for a 3GS to make up for the freebie?
 
MacinDoc

MacinDoc

macrumors 68020
Mar 22, 2004
2,268
11
The Great White North
I'm sure they're anticipating more money on the additional contract bonuses than the rebate will cost them. Just not sure how they got permission from Apple to undercut all the other authorized resellers.
 
C

ChrisA

macrumors G5
Jan 5, 2006
12,578
1,694
Redondo Beach, California
A 24 month contract costs about $1,500 to $2,000. So I guess they can afford to give you $99 off the price. That works out to a 5 to 7 percent discount off the total package deal.
 
R

rmwebs

macrumors 68040
Apr 6, 2007
3,140
0
Trying to get rid of stock (most likely on Apples request) ready to phase out the 3GS next year I guess.

If Apple still have a bunch laying around it would make perfect sense for them to turn round and say "we'll knock 10% off the wholesale price for X supplier if they can shift X units in the next X months"
 
jayducharme

jayducharme

macrumors 601
Jun 22, 2006
4,533
5,980
The thick of it
I'll wait until the 3GS is inside boxes of Trix cereal. :)

This move by Best Buy makes perfect sense to me. The 3GS doesn't have a front-facing camera for FaceTime. It's doomed to extinction.
 
rdowns

rdowns

macrumors Penryn
Jul 11, 2003
27,397
12,521
jayducharme said:
I'll wait until the 3GS is inside boxes of Trix cereal. :)

This move by Best Buy makes perfect sense to me. The 3GS doesn't have a front-facing camera for FaceTime. It's doomed to extinction.
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I think Facetime is more in danger of extinction that the 3GS. So is Ping.
 
res1233

res1233

macrumors 65816
Dec 8, 2008
1,127
0
Brooklyn, NY
rdowns said:
I think Facetime is more in danger of extinction that the 3GS. So is Ping.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I'd use FaceTime if it worked on 3G, but the truth is, so often wifi hotspots have to be configured, unless you know where the open ones are, and take some time out of your day to travel over to it, assuming you're not at home that is. If FaceTime ever works on 3G, I guarantee you it'll start being used.
 
juniormaj

juniormaj

macrumors regular
Dec 28, 2001
154
34
Newbury Park, CA
I got one to replace my "Day 1" original iPhone, which is still working (but lacking) 3 and a half years running.
The 3GS was free, runs the current iOS, and will hold me over until the next iPhone revision.
I've been with AT&T for 12 years, so the 2 year re-up doesn't bother me.
 
Chupa Chupa

Chupa Chupa

macrumors G5
Jul 16, 2002
14,835
7,396
Buyers will be penny smart and pound foolish based on what seems to be Apple's schedule of reducing support to older iPhones. I hope they don't expect iOS5 to work great with it or add many new features offered on the iPhone 4 or whatever the next model is called. Countdown 2 months to disappointment (assuming iOS5 is previewed in Feb similar to previous iOSes).
 
N

nebo1ss

macrumors 68030
Jun 2, 2010
2,903
1,695
Not surprised by this price reduction. Everyone is talking about a CDMA phone for Verizon. If apple drops an LTE phone instead that is the end of not only the 3GS but also the ip4. Verizon has LTE today and AT&T building it out. Makes perfect sense.
 
M

mac16

macrumors newbie
Oct 22, 2010
3
0
Even though its free, I wouldn't buy this iPhone. The new iPhone is coming out. Right nowThis phone isn't that old, but when the new iPhone comes out, Its going to be ancient.
 
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