3 still keeping prices close to chest

UK supermarket chain Tesco has announced pricing for the iPhone 4, which is set to launch in the region on June 24th. Subscription plans begin at £20 per month for a 12-month contract, which includes 250 voice minutes, unlimited texts and BT Wi-Fi access, and 1GB of cellular data. At the top of three tiers is a £45-per-month plan, attached to a 24-month contract, but with unlimited voice. The cost of a phone itself also declines with more expensive plans; a 16GB model, for example, costs £349 under the £20 plan but only £19 under the £45 scheme.

People can alternately buy a pay-as-you-go phone, free of any obligations. The 16GB capacity costs £479, whereas 32GB is £569. This includes 1GB of 3G data each month for a year, after which people must either buy a new phone or start paying regular data charges.

Rival 3 UK, meanwhile, has yet to formally reveal its prices, but is allegedly making offers for customers pricing against rival carriers. For one person matching against Orange, 3 offered a 16GB iPhone 4 for £99, with a £30 per month plan providing 500 voice minutes and unlimited texts and Internet access. Public plans are likely to be less generous, particularly as the UK has moved away from unlimited 3G data.

Buyers will also have to wait until after the official launch to order. "Those who have reserved will get a text today and be asked to call on Monday when there should be more news as to when they will be available," says one 3 UK customer, Dan Rye. "Those who have had a reserved text come through will be given priority."

by MacNN Staff