We have been seeing that every time a new iPhone is released, the price tag of the previous-gen model drops down drastically. When iPhone 3GS came out, 3G price was dropped to $99. And now according to fresh reports Walmart as of today has officially dropped iPhone 3GS price down to just US $97 on two years contract. Apple has also stopped shipping the iPhone 3G 8GB units to AT&T stores and further orders are not being taken anymore. This, if anything, are clear signs of the arrival of new iPhone, the iPhone 4G / HD.
iPhone 3GS
Morgan Stanley in another report also expects Apple and AT&T to drop the price of the base model of iPhone 3GS down to $99 once the next iPhone is announced on June 7 at WWDC. This year’s WWDC will kick off with Steve Jobs keynote who is expected to announce the new iPhone, iPhone OS 4 and maybe a sneak peak at the next version if Mac OS X. Stay tuned as we will bring you all the details from the conference come June 7.
Jobs said "..I am sure that we are making the correct decision to lower the price of the 8GB iPhone from $599 to $399, and that now is the right time to do it. iPhone is a breakthrough product, and we have the chance to 'go for it' this holiday season. iPhone is so far ahead of the competition, and now it will be affordable by even more customers. It benefits both Apple and every iPhone user to get as many new customers as possible in the iPhone 'tent'. We strongly believe the $399 price will help us do just that this holiday season.
Second, being in technology for 30+ years I can attest to the fact that the technology road is bumpy. There is always change and improvement, and there is always someone who bought a product before a particular cutoff date and misses the new price or the new operating system or the new whatever. This is life in the technology lane. If you always wait for the next price cut or to buy the new improved model, you'll never buy any technology product because there is always something better and less expensive on the horizon. The good news is that if you buy products from companies that support them well, like Apple tries to do, you will receive years of useful and satisfying service from them even as newer models are introduced.
Third, even though we are making the right decision to lower the price of iPhone, and even though the technology road is bumpy, we need to do a better job taking care of our early iPhone customers as we aggressively go after new ones with a lower price. Our early customers trusted us, and we must live up to that trust with our actions in moments like these.
Therefore, we have decided to offer every iPhone customer who purchased an iPhone from either Apple or AT&T, and who is not receiving a rebate or any other consideration, a $100 store credit towards the purchase of any product at an Apple Retail Store or the Apple Online Store. Details are still being worked out and will be posted on Apple's website next week. Stay tuned..."
