Target to drop 30-plus on iPhones July 31

Target is poised to drop prices on iPhones in what could be a sign of clearing stock ahead of a new model. Separate scoops have both shown the retailer dropping prices by at least $30 on iPhones depending on the carrier. Verizon iPhones will get the steepest drops, which in Phone Arena's leak saw prices going down to $150 and $250 for the 16GB and 32GB iPhone 4 models respectively. AT&T devices would unusually cost $10 more, Engadget saw, although the iPhone 3GS at $20 would be one of the cheapest stable prices for an iPhone to date.

All of the discounts would start July 31. Anyone hoping to upgrade to an iPhone 4 from an iPhone 3GS would get a $100 discount with a trade-in. Redcard owners would still qualify for a five percent discount even after the price drop.

No expiry date is listed and suggests these may be the store's final pricing on these phones before they're replaced.

Apple seldom encourages clearance sales for iPhones near the end of their lifecycles outside of refurbished models. With the iPhone 4 and 8GB iPhone 3GS, though, Apple has shown more flexibility on pricing over the course of their entire lifecycle, allowing retailers to offer short-run sales and making its own permanent price cut on the 3GS to bring it down to $49. The Cupertino-based firm might be keen both to compete with cheaper Android phones as well as to avoid the historical pre-refresh slump, when sales can drop in the few weeks before a release.

This year is the first in which Apple didn't have a new iPhone shipping in June or July and may have made it more vulnerable than usual to competition based on price.

By Electronista Staff

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iPhone, industry, Verizon, AT&T, Android, mobile phones, Target, Apple