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Possibly hinting at a new iPhone release, rumors surfaced March 18 that AT&T plans to begin offering a no-contract 3G iPhone. Beginning March 26, according to a report by Boy Genius, AT&T will sell the no-commitment iPhones at $599 for an 8 GB iPhone and $699 for a 16 GB model.
The report, based on AT&T training materials obtained by the site, claims the no-contract offer will be limited to existing AT&T customers and the carrier will limit sales to one iPhone per existing customer. When the 3G iPhone debuted last year, AT&T said it would eventually offer no-contract iPhones.
Currently, AT&T and Apple only offer the iPhone with a two-year contract. The subsidized prices come in at $199 for the 8 GB model and $299 for a 16 GB iPhone.
When Apple introduced the original iPhone in June 2009, buying a no-contract model was part of the product mix and within months, Apple even dropped the price of a no-commitment iPhone. The price cuts preceded the release of the iPhone 3G in July 2008.