Verizon slashes smartphones to $99
Verizon has cut the price of all but two of the smartphones on its network to $99. It appears to be a combination of responding to recent iPhone price cuts and clearing the way for some major new models.
Following the cuts, virtually every smartphone is now $99 or less with a two-year service contract. The only exceptions are the recently released Blackberry Tour and the Samsung Saga, both of which remain at $199.
If you’re looking for a bargain following the price cuts, the HTC Touch Pro appears to be your best bet. Before the price cut it cost $419 with Verizon, so you’re talking a 76 percent discount. The model comes with Office Mobile, a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, Wi-Fi and the ability to legally use it as a tethering device to get mobile broadband on a laptop. However, it’s worth noting the customer reviews on Verizon’s site are a mixed bag to say the least.
The reductions mean that once again there is some degree of competition for the iPhone 3G which was pretty tough to beat at $99 (or $49 for a refurb model). CrunchGear tips the HTC Touch Pro and Diamond, along with the Samsung Omnia among those getting the price cut as being comparable alternatives to the iPhone from a technical, if not branding, standpoint.
The Verizon price cuts may also be a way of making sure sales of older models hold up after a couple of major releases later in the year. The big one is the second incarnation of the BlackBerry Storm, reportedly due around November. There aren’t many details known about the device, though consensus seems to be that it the physical side will be largely unchanged except for improvements to the original’s heavily-criticized touchscreen and the addition of Wi-Fi. There’s also a sequel to the HTC Touch Pro due some time soon.
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