Apple, AT&T mulling tiered data plans for next iPhone - report
Apple and its US wireless partner AT&T are discussing plans to potentially offer next-gen iPhone customers more data plan choices amid fears of losing their business during a time of economic hardship, according to a new report.
In a research note to clients Friday, Kaufman Brothers analyst Shaw Wu said he believes the current plan pricing is too high, which has resulted in some customers balking at the required $70+ monthly fees and taxes just to upgrade to an iPhone. The current data plan is $30 while enterprise customers pay $40.
"Our sources indicate what's holding up new iPhones are not technology issues but rather fine-tuning of its go-to-market strategy," Wu wrote. "Due to fear of lower profits, [AT&T] is more open to developing tiered data plans that fit more in line with today's environment."
Wu doesn't mention any specific possible plans, but he does discuss some new possible models of the iPhone.
"Apple, along with AT&T and its carrier partners, is in the midst of figuring out how to position a second and potentially even a third iPhone model that would be complimentary and minimize cannibalization with the current 3G iPhone," he wrote.
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