Analyst: iPhone price cut portends 3G model

Piper Jaffray Senior Analyst Gene Munster is reiterating his theory that Apple will soon introduce new iPhones capable of operating on 3G networks, using T-Mobile's recent price cut on 8GB phones as his latest evidence. First confirming that T-Mobile cut the price of the 8GB iPhone to EUR99 from EUR399 ($156 from $624) while the price of the 16GB model remains at EUR499, Munster notes that the promotion runs through June 30, and requires a two-year contract and the high end data plan. Munster says this is "a sign T-Mobile is draining its channel ahead of a new iPhone launch."

Notably, the 16GB iPhone is expected to remain at a cost of €499, and the new plans will at least tentatively end after June 30th.

Munster recently said that in light of Apple's iPhone supply problems in New York, new evidence suggests that the issue is of a larger scale than initially thought. Gene Munster, senior analyst for Piper Jaffray recently called 20 Apple retail stores to confirm stock, and was met with the response that future shipments are uncertain. Munster estimates that the most likely reason for the shortage is the impending, but as of yet unconfirmed, upgrade to a 3G-based iPhone, with a slim chance of a manufacturing issue being a secondary explanation.

Filed under: iPhone, Apple
Other story tags: T-Mobile, 3G, mobile, network, Piper Jaffray, 16GB