As the pre-order date of the much-awaited iPhone X is nearing, carrier networks in the United States are raining down discounts and offers to make the premium phone more affordable. Apple will start taking the iPhone X pre-orders starting Oct. 27, this Friday. Deliveries for the ordered units will start Nov. 3, the same time when the phone will hit the store shelves.
iPhone X discounts and offers
Starting from Sprint, the network carrier via its Flex leasing plan is offering the 64GB iPhone X at $22.22 per month for 18 months. The plan will save the user a straight $19.45 per month. Similar to the iPhone 8 deal, here also the customers would get the discounted price only for the first 18 months.
In case the user opts to continue with the phone (instead of trading in to Sprint for a new lease) under the Sprint Flex lease plan after 12 months, they need to pay a full $41.62 per month for the rest of the six months. Even then, the iPhone X, which comes with the hefty price tag of $999, will cost somewhere around $649.68 to the customer on the Sprint carrier plan.
Verizon also announced its own iPhone X discounts, giving customers a chance to save about $300 on the new device with an exchange offer. Verizon is offering the deal to the current Go Unlimited and Beyond Unlimited subscribers. However, a new customer who wants to sign up for the plan is also eligible for the iPhone X discounts and offers. To get the full discount, users must hand over their iPhone 6s or iPhone 7.
Similar to Verizon, T-Mobile is also offering about $300 in iPhone X discounts if the customer has the device that is eligible for trade-in. A customer can choose from the “Equipment Installment Plan” or the “Jump! On Demand” program, and the credit is paid out over 24 monthly installments.
Can iPhone X cover up for iPhone 8?
For Apple, the iPhone X sales number will be more crucial because the excitement around iPhone 8 has been somewhat muted. A recent Consumer Intelligence Research Partner report claimed that the iPhone 8 is selling just like any other ‘S’ version of the iPhones.
Several analysts believe that people are waiting for the premium offering – iPhone X. Trusted analyst Ming Chi-Kuo even believes that the iPhone X could help Apple sell record numbers of iPhones in 2018. Kuo is, however, one of the few of those betting on iPhone X sales after witnessing the lukewarm response to the iPhone 8.
Amid all the expectations around the release of the iPhone X, a buzz going round could affect the sales of the premium phone. A recent report in China’s Economic Daily claims that the iPhone 9 models in 2018 would borrow some features from the iPhone X, but would be available at a lower price. The report states that two smartphones that will come out next year are code-named Lisbon and Hangzhou. Lisbon would be the high-end phablet-sized phone and Hangzhou would be the affordable model.
On Monday, Apple shares closed down 0.05% at $156.17. Year to date, the stock is up almost 35%, while in the last three-months, it is up almost 4%.
