Money Matters, Simplified.
Wal-Mart slashes iPhone 4 price to $147
by NeelamGoswami - June 7, 2011 - comments
As per Raddohl, more than 2,200 Wal-Mart stores currently sell the AT&T version of the iPhone 4, while more than 600 stores sell the Verizon version
Though Apple is not expected to introduce a new iPhone this month, Wal-Mart has lowered the price on Apple's iPhone 4 in its select stores across the country for a limited time.
On Monday, Walmart announced it is offering the 16GB iPhone 4 for $147, or more than $50 off the usual $199 price, with a two-year contract.
Wal-Mart’s price cut on the iPhone 4
The price reduction, which will continue through the rest of June, comes just hours before Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote, a media event at which Apple normally unveils the next-generation iPhone.
But numerous reports have indicated that Apple supposedly will not unveil a new iPhone at this year's event.
Doug Aamoth of Techland.com issued on the website what he said was an e-mail he received from Walmart's PR company, saying: “Walmart today announced a price reduction on the iPhone 4 which will be available for $147 today, June 6 through June 30 at select stores.
“These savings apply to both the AT&T and Verizon versions of the iPhone 4 in both black and white colors. Pricing requires a new two-year wireless and data agreement or qualified upgrade.”
Offer applies on both black and white models
According to PC Magazine’s website, the offer applies to both the black and white models and both the AT&T and Verizon versions of the iPhone 4.
In addition, the price-cut is available only in "select stores," meaning buyers can't get it online.
Apple's 32GB iPhone, which sells for $299, are not included in Wal-Mart’s latest promotion.
According to a Wal-Mart spokeswoman, the promotion is set to end July 1, after which the 16GB iPhone 4 will go back to selling for $199, according to a Los Angeles blog post.
Why this huge price cut?
When asked why Wal-Mart was offering this substantial discount, Tara Raddohl, another spokeswoman for the retailer, explained in an email that by offering the price cut the retailer has set yet another example of offering low prices "on the broadest assortment of products," the LA blog post states.
According to Raddohl, more than 2,200 Wal-Mart stores currently sell the AT&T version of the iPhone 4, while more than 600 stores sell the Verizon version.
"Wal-Mart is expanding that offering to additional stores in the coming weeks," she said.
Walmart, the largest retail chain the United States started selling the AT&T iPhone 4 when it was launch in June 2010 and added the Verizon version in February. The retailer first began selling the iPhone 3G in some stores in 2008.
Apple has introduced a new version of its iPhone each June for the last four years, but the Cupertino is not expected to unveil a new iPhone this month. It’s speculated that the fifth-generation iPhone will arrive this fall.