Rumor: Unsubsidized iPhone to be offered by AT&amp;T

Looking to pick up an iPhone, but not interested in getting bogged down by any contracts with "the Man?" Your time may have come -- The Boy Genius apparently got their hands on some slides from an AT&T training session saying on March 26, AT&T will offer a "No-commit" for their existing customers on both iPhone models -- it'll be $599 for the 8GB and $699 for the 16GB.

This isn't quite a deal anyone's planning to jump at, however, since the phones themselves are likely still locked to the AT&T network. Not to mention that you've got to already be an AT&T customer, and they're only selling one phone per line that you've already got. Which means these phones are... for Grandma, who doesn't want a contract and can't make it to the store herself? Businesses might be interested as well, we guess, but for most of us, it's still cheaper to just buy the phone and sign the AT&T contract (assuming that you actually want to use it as a phone).

What it does likely say, however, is that AT&T is expecting an iPhone hardware upgrade, and wants to clear out as much of the stock they've got now as they can (to suckers who are willing to pay more).

[via Engadget]

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Looking to pick up an iPhone, but not interested in getting bogged down by any contracts with "the Man?" Your time may have come -- The Boy...

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Who cares, I for one do not own any cell phone, never have, never will, and yet I still manage to survive just fine, without being ripped off by another annoying expensive bill...

April 04 2009 at 11:42 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

madafacker

If it was factory unlocked then people would consider buying it. But locked to ATT, no thanks.

March 19 2009 at 3:26 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Bungles

i don't think the new Iphone hardware is coming until atleast Sept...They would have announced it this week if it was coming in June...I think they are only going to up the size like they did with the 2G.

March 19 2009 at 2:49 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

webmaster

Big deal!!! I can buy one for $600, gee thanks.

March 19 2009 at 2:38 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Jono

At&t actually has restrictions on selling iPhone to existing customers. If someone already had one in their line, the system will nor allow another in to be activated to the line without a call to get an override. I guess having a no commit price will mean existing customers who have iphone can't do the early upgrade price to replace a lost, broken or whatnot iPhone.

March 19 2009 at 1:09 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

eZtipS

Could this also possibly be happening so that when Apple releases a new model that those of us who have one already and under contract can buy one without having to resort to eBay to get the new one?? I'm thinking Apple wants to make sure they see those profits this time

March 19 2009 at 11:12 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Tim

I've waited this long for an iPhone, I suppose I'll just wait until June for a new one.

March 19 2009 at 9:58 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply