In a report filed by the Associated Press, Best Buy has announced it will be the first third-party retailer authorized by both Apple and AT&T to sell the iPhone 3G.
According to the Chairman and CEO of the consumer electronics chain, the seeds of the deal were planted almost 18 months to the day that the first generation model launched exclusively through AT&T corporate stores and Apple Stores. This will mark the first time that Apple and AT&T have allowed third-party sales of the hugely successful device.
Both models of the iPhone 3G will be available in 970 Best Buy locations and 16 Best Buy Mobile locations starting on September 7th for the same $199 and $299 pricepoints respectively.
Yeaaaaaaa. Now I can go to Best Buy and buy a crap phone with crappy reception. I can’t wait to pay $10 more a month for basically nothing. The best part is no text package included in the plan and no MMS. This is great news. Apple has went out of their way to offer a beautiful peice of crap. Thanks Steve for all you’ve done.
PS. Thanks for that secret kill switch you added without anyone knowing. It’s nice to have big brother in control of our phones.
Shawn Score is the President and CEO of Best Buy Mobile, not the entire “consumer electronics chain”. I wish it actually said that in the article. Oh wait, it does. Am I nitpicking? Yeah. But this is just another in a long line of mistakes, bias, and total journalistic failure that is inherent in this site.
Come on man, I’d expect this poor journalism from Chris Price, but not anyone else.
only a sprint user can be that bitter. its too bad that over 4 million people disagree with you and will buy the iphone this quarter.
Dont pick on sprint. Sprint is way cheaper and better then att and verizon.
The only reason att is getting so many customers is because it has to put exclusivity on a phone,
which in my opinion is pretty shallow, cause if att really did think their coverage and service was so
good they would allow other carriers to offer the iphone and then we would see that att would be ahead that way.
Dont pick on sprint. Sprint is way cheaper and better then att and verizon.
The only reason att is getting so many customers is because it has to put exclusivity on a phone,
which in my opinion is pretty shallow, cause if att really did think their coverage and service was so
good they would allow other carriers to offer the iphone and then we would see that att wouldnt be ahead that way.
Att is almost a monopoly and the prices will go up and up and up.
I’m with sprint and I haven’t had issues with them at all?…
A lot of discounted/free items on my bill and at the end of the day, After 4 and 1/2 years, I have a $95 dollar bill, including taxes, that covers 4 phones. ~$23.75/line
yea its not a fair battle ground when att(crooks) do 5 year exclusivity. Thats the only reason that people are leaving. If other carriers had iphones the plans would be cheaper and att would lose customers
well scott. sprint does have exclusivity on the instinct and forces you on a simply everything plan JUST like att with a much lesser phone so you cant accuse att of being crooks for locking down the iphone. that would be hypocritical. blaming att for sprint losing over $200 million in operating costs, 1 million customers, and having to sell off their towers all in 1 quarter is a weak excuse. its nobodys fault but their own. but seriously, if sprint is so cheap and great why are their customers so bitter and constantly ranting and raving about iphone ant att? just enjoy your instinct and exceptional service
No I’m not with Sprint. Instinct a lesser phone? Are you kidding me? Atleast it offers MMS, copy and past and you can actually send a decent text with it. Hey if you want to pay $10 more a month for a phone that is seriously flawed go for it. The Iphone is nothing more that another way for people to say… Look at me Look at me. Thats the truth. It is a decent phone. Their Youtube and web surfing are second to none,but if I keep dropping calls is it really worth it? AT&T are a bunch of crooks and Apple is right their with them.
your hate for apple and att is distorting your logic. yes instinct is a lesser phone. starting with the screen, music, video, and software capabilities it isnt even close. especially when pricing is similar. it doesnt matter how much you hate the iphone, apple or att but it doesnt change the fact that it is iconic and the reason why other carriers are scrambling to release their instincts or dares none of which can hold a candle to the iphone in terms of sales or capabilities. the 3g iphone is on track to sell well over 4 million units this quarter alone regardless of what you think so hate on. theres nothing wrong with people buying it as a fashion accessory they want to be seen with. havent you ever bought something because you liked the design? btw, there are people who complain about dropped calls or poor reception with EVERY carrier. just depends on where you live.
Why the ******* match. If you like the I phone then great. I have had both the I phone and the Instinct. I have stayed with the instinct for my own reasons and that is what its all about. What I like!!!…. I prefer a musch faster network over a phone that looks better. but again, Thats just me. When ATT gets there new network technology in place it will be much faster. But thats two to three years away for where I live if ever. I need fast now.
I don’t hate Apple, love my I-Pod. I-phone? I’ll take a pass, just like many of the early adopters which the I in I-Phone stands for “I really can’t believe I paid $500+ for a device that goes so slow.” Having these placed in Best Buy is a smart move, may get more impulse buyers.
Hm, let me see. Get what looks like a cool phone for much less than the original and get buyers remorse when I have to deal with ATT, battery changes, poor performance and the chance someone may delete the software I put on it or go someplace else.
Guess I will just have to go with my INSTINCT!!!!
check the very first and second posts in this thread and its just unnecessary. if you hate the iphone what are you doing in this thread other than trying to start a flame war? accusing att for being crooks for having the iphone as an exclusive when EVERY carrier has at least one exclusive phone. its always sprint customers on this site that are making these kinds of posts or attacking the editor (sero thread). you would think that with that kind of rabid fanboy support that their company would be doing much better… like i mentioned before sprint is losing hundreds of millions of dollars and bleeding customers while iphone is on pace to sell well over 4 million units this quarter.
your $500 claim is a bit off dj. enjoy your INSTINCT with no wifi and world class (customer) service on a company that is selling off towers as an act of desperation.