Sprint Drops Price on iPhone 4S to $149 With 2-Year Contract

[MacRumors]

Ahead of the reported announcement of the next iPhone on September 12, Sprint has dropped the price of the iPhone 4S to $149.99 when purchased with a new two-year contract, as noticed by All Things D.

In addition to the reduced price, Sprint is also waiving the $36 activation fee. The special price is only available via Sprint's website. The iPhone 4S remains at its normal $199 price on the Apple Online Store.

Article Link: Sprint Drops Price on iPhone 4S to $149 With 2-Year Contract

 

[AR999]

Remember that you pay for the phone throughout the contract, it doesn't really cost $149.

 

[outphase]

I guess this is good for Sprint to try and capture last second sales on last year's handset. Bad for customers who will undoubtedly be sucked into it.

 

[NewAnger]

I guess this is good for Sprint to try and capture last second sales on last year's handset. Bad for customers who will undoubtedly be sucked into it.

I don't think it's a bad thing at all. I bought a 32GB 3GS at BestBuy ($199) two summers ago when the 4 was out for a few months. I still have it and it's been out of contract now since May. I'm waiting for the new iPhone to finally use the upgrade.

It's only a bad deal if you think it is.

 

[iMikeT]

Not a bad deal at all. If I were a cheapskate that only waited for deals or would settle for an Android phone, I'd probably go for a deal like this.

 

[TOOFY]

Good deal by Sprint. I only buy out of contract iPhones however

 

[Born Again]

Yah I can just picture someone excited because they were holding out for a $50 price drop

IMO sprint needs to pay people to use their service

 

[Dainin]

If Sprint's data speeds weren't so horrible I'd switch to them. My brother has an iPhone on them and he is lucky to see 200kbps down. I'm normally pulling 5-7mbps with AT&T.

 

[linkycat]

Seems to me they are locking in customers before an iPhone 5 that they won't carry. If iPhone 5 is 4G LTE, the Sprint network isn't ready for it yet

 

[trogdorDR]

Sprints data

If Sprint's data speeds weren't so horrible I'd switch to them. My brother has an iPhone on them and he is lucky to see 200kbps down. I'm normally pulling 5-7mbps with AT&T.

I typically get 1Mbps up and down on Sprint (in Phoenix), which is fine for my purposes. I have wifi 95% of the time anyway, so Sprint is worth every penny of the $50/month I pay for unlimited (grandfathered-in SERO plan). Will be that much sweeter if the ever decide to roll-out LTE.

 

[oneMadRssn]

Seems to me they are locking in customers before an iPhone 5 that they won't carry. If iPhone 5 is 4G LTE, the Sprint network isn't ready for it yet

Sprint is actively selling 4G LTE phones. They are rolling out several LTE cities this year, and many more to come. Don't forget, converting wimax towers to LTE towers is relatively cheap and easy.

Different question though: do you think iphone resellers get $50 commission from the carriers? This $50 discount seems pretty common, isn't it similar to what radioshack normally offers?

 

[KieranDotW]

Yah I can just picture someone excited because they were holding out for a $50 price drop

Compared to the $199 I paid for my 4S in Canada on a three year contract at $125/mo. (with much fewer minutes and just as shoddy service, mind you), this is a GREAT deal

 

[skellener]

Locked into 3G for two more years? Horrible deal if you want LTE. If you don't care, sure, $50. off, why not.

There's no way I am signing a two year contract on 3G in 2012.

 

[KdParker]

Not a bad deal at all. If I were a cheapskate that only waited for deals or would settle for an Android phone, I'd probably go for a deal like this.

won't then price on the 4s drop to 99 next month on ATT and Verizon? Why pay more for the same phone on sprint?

 

[chipped]

If Sprint's data speeds weren't so horrible I'd switch to them. My brother has an iPhone on them and he is lucky to see 200kbps down. I'm normally pulling 5-7mbps with AT&T.

Do you live under a tower?

 

[MsRandall]

Well after 14 years I left Sprint because after buying the iPhone I had nothing but slllllooooww and no data service. I left for Verizon. Sprint could give the iPhone 4s away and I wouldnt sign up with them again. I had 5 lines and now I am down to two waiting for the iPhone 5 release to add line to my Verizon acct.

But for people who have good coverage it is an awesome deal.

 

[dukebound85]

Good deal by Sprint. I only buy out of contract iPhones however

I will to from now on with all the prepaid options out there

 

[kj2821]

Sprint's service is awful, you can have unlimited data when your data speeds are slow.

 

[Excellerator]

RadioShack has had this price on the Sprint iPhone 4S for about two months or so now... They also recently added the Verizon iPhone 4S for the same price. They also have the iPhone 4 for $49.99 for Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T.

 

[ChrisA]

Let me see if I understand this. If you sign a $2,000 contract then you get to buy a phone for $150. Sound more to me like I'm paying $2,150.

 

[orangebluedevil]

Looks like someone just released they dont have LTE. Verizon and ATT are about to be clearly superior.

 

[cclloyd]

I guess this is good for Sprint to try and capture last second sales on last year's handset. Bad for customers who will undoubtedly be sucked into it.

Especially since it will be $50 in a month or two after the 5 is released.

 

[wongulous]

I have Sprint and I've never noticed a speed issue in my area. I guess I'm lucky. Can't complain. I almost went Virgin Mobile ($650 up front but $30-35 a month plan) until I added a third line to my Sprint, which along with my employer discount that knocks off about $20, it ends up being a wash and not saving any to go prepaid, plus there's the unlimited data (Virgin is also unlimited, but it gets throttled at 2.5GB), and way more minutes (1400 vs 300) and I don't have to worry about setting up my debit card on autopay with Virgin.

Sprint gives me a great deal all in all, I think. Verizon would be about $40/month more for even the smallest acceptable data plan, and even that would be a squeeze... the speed and coverage would be an improvement, but I don't have any issues now, so no thanks. Too worried about data overage!!

 

[ZMAN Z28]

Still going to wait for the new iPhone.

 

[THX1139]

Let me see if I understand this. If you sign a $2,000 contract then you get to buy a phone for $150. Sound more to me like I'm paying $2,150.

$2000 for the service, $150 for the phone so I don't see your point. Do you know anywhere free cellphone service is available?