With the Apple iPhone 5Sexpected to launch in just a few short weeks, retailers are looking to clear the stock of Apple'scurrent flagship handset any way they can. To that effect, Walmart slashed the cost of the iPhone 5today, dropping it $100 below its price at launch. The mega-retailer is now selling the device in-store for just $98 with a two-year contract on AT&T, Sprint and Verizon.
This isn’t the first time Walmart has cut the price on the iPhone in recent memory. Back in June, the company started offering the handset for $129 (down from $189.97). It also started selling the iPhone 4S —which may be discontinued if Apple unveils two new smartphones next month—for just $39 at the same time (down from $99). With the iPhone 5Slaunch so close, there’s no real reason to take Walmart up on its offer. In a few weeks, the iPhone 5 will naturally drop to $99 on-contract as Applerolls out a new flagship handset. At that point you’ll have a choice between the 4-inch iPhone 5 and the updated 5S, which is expected to feature a more powerful processor, a larger battery, possibly a built-in fingerprint scanner, but no noticeable external changes. Story by Jacob Kleinman