After all the rumors about Wal-Mart being the first on the block with a special edition “iPhone 3G 4GB for $99”, it looks that the first retail-store $99 iPhone will be offered through – Best Buy. This is one-week-only special deal, but it marks the beginning of special actions in which Apple will try to unload as much iPhones as possible, in order to clear the stock for the arrival of the next-generation iPhone, due later this year.
And so it begins... $99 price tag will attract a lot of bonding between Premier Silver members and their friends.
Getting back on this offer, the giant store chain is offering four packages for Best Buy Reward Zone members. For the remainder of this week, Premier Silver members can purchase iPhone 3G 8GB for $99 or a 16GB version for $100 more. If you’re regular Reward Zone member, you can purchase 8GB version for $50 more ($149) and the 16GB version will set you back for $249.
Now, this is the trick. In order to become a Premium Silver member, you have to spend $2500 in Best Buy throughout the calendar year. Also, theory dictates that only Premium Silver members should be allowed to make this purchase. However, as it usually go with perks of being a Premium Silver member (tried several times with my own PS membership), there should be no BB employee that would stop your friends from getting on the deal as well. Once I was invited to a PS-only event, came with couple of friends who are regular members and we all kinda purchased a lot of stuff for a really cool price – Sharp’s 120Hz, GeForce 3D Vision-capable 52″ LCD for sub-1K price. Nedless to say, almost 10 TVs were purchased on my account and nobody complained. Of course, this was a limited case and may not repeat for $99 product, but you can always try.
If iPhone 3G is your thing and you live close to a Best Buy store, think about it.
P.S. If you think that’s the cheapest iPhone you can buy… here in Croatia, the i500 subscription will set you back for $86.44 a month (5 GB data, 500mins, 500 SMS, limitless T-Mobile WiFi Access), but iPhone 3G 8GB will cost you 17 cents. Just FYI.
