AT&T rumored to be adding a limited access data plan for the iPhone
Since June has been the traditional release month for new iPhone information, rumors start swirling pretty hard in May of what to expect for the new announcement. This year the focus appears to be on the price of AT&T’s data plans.
Currently iPhone subscribers are paying around $70 a month for their beloved phone, $30 of which is made up by a mandatory $30 unlimited data plan. The rumor regarding this offer is that the price may be cut by $10 a month, bringing the two year total down form an approximate $1,880 to $1,640, making a savings of nearly 14%.
The thinking accompanying this rumor is that this may entice a whole new contingent of customers who have been put off by the initial price. According to Business Week, a recent survey showed that 43% of all iPhone users make $100,000 a year or more, but with the tough economic climate the country is currently in, that number is going to begin to dwindle, and the well may very well dry. They will have to find something that appeals to people in the lower income brackets to continue to grow their subscriber base.
The second rumor is that AT&T may instead offer a “limited access” data plan that will be $20 a month. There is no information as to how limited such a plan would be. Considering the ease with which an iPhone user can surf the Web, this would almost seem a dangerous option depending on how much overages might run you, another bit of information that is missing from this speculation.
Finally, there is also a rumor of a potential “pay as you go” version of the iPhone. This would probably give AT&T and Apple the deepest market penetration in to the lower income brackets, but it doesn’t feel like something Apple would go for.
On the hardware side of the rumor mill, there is also some speculation that the initial cost of the phone, with a two year contract agreement, might drop to as low as $99. Like the pay as you go option, this does not really feel like something Apple would do to their brand image, but you never know for sure.
The WWDC, where iPhone announcements are made, kicks off June 8th, 2009, so until then, everything is just speculation.
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