On Friday, Wal-Mart said that it has begun selling Apple’s latest generation of iPhone, the iPhone 5, at a big discount in thousands of its stores.
According to NBC News , Wal-Mart said that it is selling the 16 GB Apple iPhone 5 for $127. That is a big discount compared to original price of $189.97.
Wal-Mart said that this new discounted price is only valid with a new two-year contract from wireless carriers Verizon, Sprint and AT&T.
Wal-Mart has also stated that it is selling the 16 GB iPhone 4S and the 16 GB iPad with Retina display and Wi-Fi at considerable discounts as well.
The offers will take place in about 3,000 Wal-Mart stores and will be available for 30 days. The specific Wal-Mart stores offering the discounts have yet to be identified.
The discounted iPhones are not available online either.
Apple has always focused on high-priced, premium gadgets and has strictly enforced its prices with retailers and other distributors. However, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman said on Friday that the discounts were arranged with Apple.
The Wal-mart spokeswoman Sarah Spencer said:
“We worked together with them on this. They are a great partner.”
Wal-Mart is pricing their discounted iPads starting at $399, down from $499. Also, beginning December 17, Wal-Mart said that it will throw in a $30 iTunes card.
Wal-Mart is selling the discounted 16 GB iPhone 4S for $47, down from an original price of $89.97.
The retailer’s cooperation with Apple is a contrast to its relationship with the world’s largest internet retailer, Amazon.com
In September, Wal-Mart took a gamble and stopped selling Amazon’s Kindle’s e-readers and tablets, betting that customers would be more interested in Apple products.
