For all the Apple (AAPL, Financial) enthusiasts awaiting the next big thing from the Cupertino, you may be very close to it. The iPhone 6 release date could hit the stores much earlier than anticipated as iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C dealers are offering the best of deals to attract more buyers to clear off their inventories. Typically the iPhone maker reduces the price of its current offerings just before the launch of the upgraded version. This is done to clear maximum stock of the existing offering to pave way for the new edition.
So what’s the deal?
Retail giant Walmart (WMT, Financial) has priced the 16GB iPhone 5S at a mere $119, down from $200. So you can get your hands on the iPhone from Walmart at a much reasonable rate under the 2 year contract deal with either AT&T (T, Financial) or Verizon (VZ, Financial). In fact iPhone 5C is coming at unbelievably low rates. One can own the smartphone by just paying $29 to Walmart by getting into the locking agreement with cellphone carriers.
iPhone 5S, Source: Apple
In contrast, Best Buy (BBY, Financial) price list for Apple buyers is $150 and $50 for iPhone 5S and 5C respectively. But the contest to sell the existing iPhone by giving the most lucrative deal doesn’t end here. Target (TGT, Financial) is also in the race. The company is offering trade in deals whereby an iPhone 4S or 5 owner can exchange his phone for an all new iPhone 5S or 5C. He would get an additional $50 gift card that can be traded to set off the price of the new iPhone.
When to expect?
The iPhone 6 should hit the stores in the second half of the year somewhere between July and September. In fact, according to reports the American giant is preparing for a phenomenal release this time with an astounding order of 90 million units. Last year Apple unveiled iPhone 5S in October, and sold around 50 million units of the same. This year if the company’s shipping 90 million units, it either means an early release of the edition or expectation of massive demand.
A Citigroup Global Markets analyst said that iPhone 6 sales would surpass the sales of its current version. He said that iPhone shipments are estimated to rise 23% in the current year, compared to 13%a year ago.
Last word
Analysts expect that the new iPhone would sport a bigger screen and a better scratch resistant display. There are rumors that the only chipmaker of the iPhone 6 TSMC has begun mass producing Apple A8 processor. All this hasn’t been confirmed by Apple; as usual the tech hero has not revealed anything about its highly anticipated flagship product.
Apple has consistently beaten its previous record every time it came out with the latest edition of the iPhone. True, no other company, other than Apple itself, is capable of surpassing its own mastery.
