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Is Japanese wireless carrier SoftBank planning for a new version of the Apple iPhone, or are sales just a bit slow? Who knows, but from Friday through the end of May, anyone can sign up for an 8GB Apple iPhone 3G in Japan for 100% free.
AppleInsider and CrunchGear report that starting Friday, SoftBank’s new “iPhone for Everyone” campaign (read translated webpage) will offer the 8GB Apple iPhone for free, as long as you sign up for a new 2-year contract. The promotion will runs through May 31.
In the meantime, SoftBank will sell the 16GB Apple iPhone for a bit discounted price—just 11,520 yen (about USD $119), and you can even pay for the smartphone in monthly payments, which come out to less than $5 a month during the 2-year agreement.
SoftBank subscribers will still have to pay monthly voice and data charges, of course, although as AppleInsider notes, the carrier is chopping its standard data plan (about USD $62 per month) by more than 25%.
As in the U.S., of course, the Apple iPhone 3G is still $199 for the 8GB and $299 for the 16GB model—although if you’re a Reward Zone member at Best Buy, you can snap up an 8GB Apple iPhone 3G for $99 (February 28 only).
Just for info, AppleInsider thinks the promotion could simply be a way for SoftBank to clear out its inventory in advance of a new Apple iPhone, which may well arrive this summer. That said, AT&T has yet to offer any promotional deals, which suggests that it isn’t having any trouble moving its Apple iPhone stock.
In any case, if you’ve been pining for a new iPhone and you live in Japan, looks like Friday is your great shiny day.
October 22nd, 2009 at 11:55 am
Iphone 3G have the best features among all the phones that i have owned. the iPhone is also very classy and stylish
January 10th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
the first batch of iPhone 3G was a bit pricey but now the price is more affordable than before. I bought two units of iPhone 3g and i am amazed of this phone.