Wireless operator Sprint Nextel Corporation (NYSE:S) announced Thursday that it will start selling Apple’s iPad Mini and 4G LTE iPad at select retail stores from Friday. Supply will be limited in the beginning as demands for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) products are much higher than the supply. But you won’t be disappointed. Sprint Nextel Corporation (NYSE:S) said that if you are not able to purchase the Apple tablets on Friday, then you’ll have the option to buy a $50 gift card to guarantee a spot in the reservation list. The money paid for the gift card will be put towards the price of the tablets upon arrival.
Since the devices will be sold without any contract, they won’t be subsidized. However, it will give customers the freedom to activate or cancel any plan at will. Sprint’s website says that the 4G-capable iPad Mini prices will start at $459.99 and fourth generation iPad equipped with Retina Display will be priced at $629.99.
Sprint Nextel Corporation (NYSE:S) has a range of month-to-month data plans for the new iPads. However, if you are an existing smartphone subscriber, you can add the tablets to your plan at the discounted rates of $10 for 100MB data and $15 for 1GB. The regular data plans start at $14.99 for 300MB and go up to $79.99 for 12GB of data. Sprint has decided to waive the activation fee for all the 3G and 4G tablets.
Customers that placed orders for cellular-capable iPad Mini in October started receiving their devices on Thursday, about a week after Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) notified customers that devices would hit the market in five business days. iPad Mini is 53 percent lighter and 23 percent thinner than the third generation iPad.
“iPad mini and the fourth generation iPad, combined with Sprint’s 4G LTE network and our aggressively priced rate plans, offer customers an outstanding tablet experience,” said Fared Adib, senior vice president, Product Development, Sprint. “Sprint doesn’t put its customers on shared pricing plans like some carriers.”
Last week, AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) announced that it will offer a $100 promotional discount to customers who purchase Apple’s 4G-enabled iPad with a two year agreement.
