As it has done in previous launches, Apple moved the two-generations old model down to its lowest tier, making it free with a two-year contract. September 10, 2013 1:26 PM PDT (Credit: Apple) Beware, the iPhone 4S's lower price tag isn't the only thing different about Apple's lowest end smartphone. Apple is offering the iPhone 4S for free with a two-year contract with a service provider. But unlike the standard iPhone 4S, this one only comes with half the capacity -- 8 gigabytes. Apple introduced a special low-end version to match the new price. This isn't a new tactic. Apple did the same thing with the iPhone 4 when it got shunted down to the bargain bin section, stripping it of 8GBs of storage space. The idea is to put some distance between the iPhone 4S and its new "budget" iPhone, the iPhone 5C. At $99 and a two-year contract, the iPhone 5C isn't a huge bargain, but it does comes with 16GB of storage and better specifications, giving consumers pause between the two devices. At 8GB, the newly downgraded iPhone 4S has little space to store the increasing amount of apps, movies, and photos, alongside the mobile operating system. The lack of expandable memory means users are stuck figuring out how to jam everything into that limited capacity. Still, for consumers who want an iPhone but don't want to pay a lot upfront, the iPhone 4S is the best option out there.
As it has done in previous launches, Apple moved the two-generations old model down to its lowest tier, making it free with a two-year contract.
(Credit: Apple)
Beware, the iPhone 4S's lower price tag isn't the only thing different about Apple's lowest end smartphone.
Apple is offering the iPhone 4S for free with a two-year contract with a service provider. But unlike the standard iPhone 4S, this one only comes with half the capacity -- 8 gigabytes. Apple introduced a special low-end version to match the new price.
This isn't a new tactic. Apple did the same thing with the iPhone 4 when it got shunted down to the bargain bin section, stripping it of 8GBs of storage space.
The idea is to put some distance between the iPhone 4S and its new "budget" iPhone, the iPhone 5C. At $99 and a two-year contract, the iPhone 5C isn't a huge bargain, but it does comes with 16GB of storage and better specifications, giving consumers pause between the two devices.
At 8GB, the newly downgraded iPhone 4S has little space to store the increasing amount of apps, movies, and photos, alongside the mobile operating system. The lack of expandable memory means users are stuck figuring out how to jam everything into that limited capacity.
Still, for consumers who want an iPhone but don't want to pay a lot upfront, the iPhone 4S is the best option out there.
