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Sprint to Join AT&T and Verizon in Offering iPhone 5 at 'Mid-October' Launch

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The Wall Street Journal reports that Sprint will offer the iPhone 5 when it launches later this year, becoming the third U.S. carrier to offer the iPhone. According to the report, the iPhone 5 will launch simultaneously on Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T in "mid-October".

Sprint Nextel Corp. will begin selling the iPhone 5 in mid-October, people familiar with the matter said, closing a huge hole in the No. 3 U.S. carrier's lineup and giving Apple Inc. another channel for selling its popular phone.

The timing, however, indicates Apple's new iPhone will hit the market later than expected and too late to contribute to sales in the company's fiscal fourth quarter, which ends in September. Most observers had expected the device to arrive next month.

The iPhone 5 will debut on AT&T and Verizon at the same time, and Sprint is said to also be gaining the iPhone 4.

AT&T was the exclusive iPhone carrier in the United States until earlier this year, when Apple released a CDMA version of the iPhone 4 for Verizon. Sprint also operates a CDMA network.

The iPhone on Sprint has been a popular topic for rumor and speculation, especially since Verizon landed the iPhone earlier this year. Several analysts had claimed that the iPhone would be coming to Sprint by the end of this year, and an Apple job posting located near Sprint's Kansas headquarters back in May further fueled speculation that Apple was working with the carrier to launch the iPhone.

Tag: Wall Street Journal
Related Forum: iPhone

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Top Rated Comments

TDPHunter Avatar
TDPHunter
194 months ago
Best Rate

Sprint has the best unlimited plan too... I wouldn't mind switching to them for that.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
H
HarryKeogh
194 months ago
Sprint has the best unlimited plan too... I wouldn't mind switching to them for that.

If they get the iPhone I would expect that to change.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
A
alent1234
194 months ago
Can't wait to hear what those Sprint sales people say about the iPhone now. Went in there a few times with my girlfriend and those slimeballs tried to tell me that multiple smart phones from Sprint were better. Their lack of intelligence is why they work there, but still. They are total idiots. I'd never switch to Sprint for anything. This is a last ditch effort for them, they lose money each quarter.


i agree. they should have told you to go buy a cell phone somewhere else
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
T
thetexan
194 months ago
Can't wait to hear what those Sprint sales people say about the iPhone now. Went in there a few times with my girlfriend and those slimeballs tried to tell me that multiple smart phones from Sprint were better. Their lack of intelligence is why they work there, but still. They are total idiots. I'd never switch to Sprint for anything. This is a last ditch effort for them, they lose money each quarter.

I walked into a Kia dealership and can you believe those slimeballs tried to convince me a Kia was better than other car brands on the market? The Kia salespeople are idiots not realizing that a Kia is a turd compared to say the BMW.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chrmjenkins Avatar
chrmjenkins
194 months ago
Makes sense since exclusivity is broken. I doubt we'll see a T-mobile launch ever unless the merger falls through.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
B
belsokar
194 months ago
Can't wait to hear what those Sprint sales people say about the iPhone now. Went in there a few times with my girlfriend and those slimeballs tried to tell me that multiple smart phones from Sprint were better. Their lack of intelligence is why they work there, but still. They are total idiots. I'd never switch to Sprint for anything. This is a last ditch effort for them, they lose money each quarter.

While I don't like flat out lying, Sprint is a company trying to make a profit like any other company...Just imagine your livelihood depended on you selling sprint phones...whether or not your store profited means whether or not you pay the mortgage, feed the kids, etc....and just imagine that you knew the best phone (in this case the iPhone) wasn't in your store...when a customer comes in, are you going to tell them "iPhone is your best bet, don't buy one of our phones? Have a nice day!"...not very likely...Your goal is to sell products. Whether you're buying a car, a phone, a tv, or whatever, salespeople will tell you whatever possible to get the sale...it's unfortunate, but just as unfortunate is how many people make large purchases without ever really doing their research...

Now I personally hate the sleazy nature of sales...I have it on EXCELLENT authority that when the iPhone first hit Verizon, salespeople lied about iPhone stock (telling customers iPhones weren't in stock), and steered them towards Android devices because they got better commissions on those phones...

I have also been in stores where a salesperson will try to talk about why iPhones suck...or Apple sucks...etc...Personally, I think you're better off selling the strengths of your own devices, and trying to convince customers your device can do everything just as well as the iPhone...but that's just my personal take...
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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