Submitted by Frank Macey on
T-Mobile will finally offer Apple products early in 2013. Millions of iPhone users already count T-Mobile as their wireless carrier, even though an official deal between Apple and the company is fresh off the presses. Details are lacking, however 9to5 Mac reports other carriers are interested in T-Mobile's plans to eliminate subsidies.
It's possible T-Mobile could offer its iPhone purchasers a lower up-front cost along with a monthly installment plan, spreading the total cost of a new device across 20 payments. These individual installments would cost around $15-20 per month and could be billed with the wireless subscription plan.
Currently iPhones are subsidized by the major carriers to the tune of several hundred dollars, providing a lower price for the consumer. In exchange, subscribers are required to sign a two-year service contract. T-Mobile would change this equation by allowing the cost to be divided into more manageable payments over time, and lowering the monthly service costs.
Recently the company has been touting it's iPhone-compatible network and luring unlocked iPhone users over to its network with lower service costs. It remains to be seen what kind of deal the carrier has struck with Apple and whether or not consumers would be willing to pick up extra costs for their devices. It's possible the end price to the iPhone user ends up being six of one, a half dozen of the other.