Walmart to permanently cut price of Apple's iPhone 5s to $99, iPhone 5c to $29
In an announcement on Thursday, big-box retailer Walmart said it will be slashing prices on Apple's latest iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c models on Friday ahead of an impending refresh cycle expected this fall.
A Walmart spokesperson alerted Engadget to the new pricing tiers, noting Apple's 16GB iPhone 5s will be available in stores for $99 with two-year contract, down from $149, while the 16GB iPhone 5c will be reduced to $29, down from $49.
The price changes are scheduled to take effect at 9 a.m. local time and are only available through brick-and-mortar stores. Further deals for higher capacity models like the 32GB iPhone 5s and 5c are also expected, though specific details have yet to be released.
Walmart has offered similar deals on select iPhone 5s and 5c models through various promotions like the 2013 holiday sale, but tomorrow's price cut is said to be a permanent change.
The reason behind the move is unknown, though it can be assumed that the company is looking to get a leg up on competitors before Apple announces its next-generation lineup later this year.
Industry watchers expect the so-called "iPhone 6" to come in two sizes, a 4.7-inch model and a larger 5.5-inch "phablet" type version. Both are rumored to feature a complete redesign with thinner chassis, rounded edges and a relocated sleep/wake button. Internal enhancements will likely include an advanced "A8" processor and upgraded communications hardware.
Current speculation says Apple will release the iPhone 6 during the company's usual launch window in September, with some reports claiming to have pegged down the date to Sept. 19.
A Walmart spokesperson alerted Engadget to the new pricing tiers, noting Apple's 16GB iPhone 5s will be available in stores for $99 with two-year contract, down from $149, while the 16GB iPhone 5c will be reduced to $29, down from $49.
The price changes are scheduled to take effect at 9 a.m. local time and are only available through brick-and-mortar stores. Further deals for higher capacity models like the 32GB iPhone 5s and 5c are also expected, though specific details have yet to be released.
Walmart has offered similar deals on select iPhone 5s and 5c models through various promotions like the 2013 holiday sale, but tomorrow's price cut is said to be a permanent change.
The reason behind the move is unknown, though it can be assumed that the company is looking to get a leg up on competitors before Apple announces its next-generation lineup later this year.
Industry watchers expect the so-called "iPhone 6" to come in two sizes, a 4.7-inch model and a larger 5.5-inch "phablet" type version. Both are rumored to feature a complete redesign with thinner chassis, rounded edges and a relocated sleep/wake button. Internal enhancements will likely include an advanced "A8" processor and upgraded communications hardware.
Current speculation says Apple will release the iPhone 6 during the company's usual launch window in September, with some reports claiming to have pegged down the date to Sept. 19.
Comments
For this to happen Apple has to have given the go-ahead. Now we have the lower priced iMac, the lower priced iPod Touch, the lower priced iPhone, all within a week or so. Some kind of decision has been made in Cupertino.
Replace the city name with 'Redmond' or 'Seoul' and you'll have the ENTIRE decision-making process of their guest companies.
"What about Mountain View?"
Throw the word 'evil' before 'decision'.
The iPhone 6 is going to be huge. "Huger" than huge!
The decision was made by a grinning Tim Cook and Luca Maestri, who saw that Apple dominated the high end market in every area, and decided to start their assault on the other sectors. Just like when Apple decided to go after the cheap flash-based MP3 market with the iPod Mini.
I only hope a decision is made soon about the Mac Mini, $599 for 2012 hardware is getting ridiculous. At least with the lone 13" non-Retina MBP it has a unique position, having a SuperDrive and being easily upgradeable compared to the rMBPs.
I think a lot of the recent discounting we have seen could be the doing of Angela Ahrendts the new retail chief.
Discounting of this sort is common in retail, and it's something Apple rarely did before she got there.
I'd say Apple is squeezing the juice out of the bottom of the smart phone market without actually releasing a lower-end iPhone.
Apple has always had the ability to cut their product prices because of their bigger profit margins. It would seem they are getting aggressive on pricing (as well as on marketing methods) without telegraphing that they may be behind it... they are letting T-mobile, Walmart, Best Buy and others do the apparent discounting and keep the spotlight away from Apple. It could be a way of avoiding letting their products become commodities...
Big deal.
Pretty sure most people buy subsidized phones on contract. Getting an iPhone for $29 is a good deal for average folks who don't care about the A7. Honestly, it'll probably sell more 5S's given that they'll be the normal price of a 5C.
In the USA, yes.
Elsewhere around the world? No. Outside of the USA, subsidized handsets are the exception, not the norm.
Note that international revenue exceeds that of domestic revenue for Apple; that has been the case for many years now.
Well, I imagine this Wal-mart price cut applies to the US primarily...
Yes, a decision was made. A decision to start making way for the reckoning that will be Apple's 2014 product line.
Well, I imagine this Wal-mart price cut applies to the US primarily...
Well, you can't buy subsidized phones off-contract.
anantksundaram is correct. The fifty dollar difference is pretty negligible when looking at the Total Cost of Ownership for the device + service.
For subsidized handsets, the price of the hardware is a fraction of the TCO.
Americans pay way too much for cellular service, particular those on postpaid contract plans. The minor Wal-mart discount helps perpetuate that poor value.
I have been wondering what will happen this Autumn to the existing model choice of 4S, 5C and 5S once Apple introduce the two bigger model 6s. Will the 4S will end, at least in some countries? Will both the 5C and 5S still continue, and if so at what price and memory size? Will Apple stick to three models or have four? It will be interesting to see how the pricing and specifications across their iPhone range are set.
Not really a big deal when you consider that in a couple months, the 5s will be the $99 (with contract) phone anyway. And you got to figure that anybody whose contract is up, is not going to get a 5s now, not when they can get a 6 (small screen version) for the $199 subsidized price if they wait a couple of months. The real buyers here are the people that were already planning to buy the 5s for $99 (subsidized) when the 6 comes out. They get their iPhone a couple of months early. It's just normal inventory clearance before the release of a new product. Who knows, maybe a price reduction this early might be a sign that the iPhone 6 will be released earlier than rumored. But most likely, Apple is already seeing a huge slow down in iPhones sales as nearly everyone is waiting for the 6 and therefore reduced the price of the current models. Samsung saw the same slow down, for the same reason and responded the same way right after they released their new Galaxy 5 .................. 3 months ago.
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