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Featuring a built-in stylus pen, the new LG G Stylo smartphone is available immediately to Boost Mobile prepaid customers, while it will arrive for Sprint prepaid customers on June 7 and Sprint contract customers on June 12.
The LG G Stylo is packed with lots of other useful components as well, including a large 5.7-inch HD IPS touch-screen display that’s covered with super-strong Corning Gorilla Glass 3, a 1.2GHz quad-core processor and a removable 3,000mAh battery that provides up to 24 hours of talk time. Also included is an 8-megapixel rear camera with laser auto-focus, a 5-megapixel front camera that has special features to enhance selfies and a Knock Code feature that lets users set up a personalized knock sequence to easily wake and unlock their phones. The Stylo runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop.
The phone is being offered by Sprint and its Boost Mobile division in three different ways to better serve the needs of customers, the companies said in a May 13 announcement.
Boost Mobile is offering the LG G Stylo immediately in metallic silver for $199.99 online for customers who want a no-contract prepaid plan.
It will also be available for $199.99 through Sprint’s own prepaid no-contract plans starting on June 7.
Sprint contract customers can get the LG G Stylo starting on June 12 with a Sprint Family Share Pack or a Sprint $60 Unlimited Plan for zero down and 24 monthly payments of $12, which totals $288.
“Sprint offers customers so many options to customize their buying experience based on how they want to pay for their device and how they want to use it,” David Owens, the senior vice president of product development for Sprint, said in a statement. “Boost Mobile, Sprint Prepaid and Sprint offer individuals and families a variety of options to save money on the best smartphones like the LG G Stylo and their monthly service plans.”
The no-contract Boost Mobile Data Boost Up plans offer unlimited talk, text and data starting with 1GB of high-speed 3G or 4G data for $35 a month, while a $35-a-month plan with automatic payment each month provides 2GB of high-speed data each month, according to Boost Mobile. A $45 monthly plan includes 5GB of high-speed data, while a $55 monthly plan includes 10GB of high-speed data. Boost Mobile, which was created in 2002, is one of Sprint’s prepaid mobile brands and runs on the Sprint network.
Sprint Prepaid plans start at $35 per month for 1GB of data and unlimited talk and texting, or $45 for 3GB of monthly data. A plan with 6GB of monthly data is $55 per month.
Sprint Family Share Pack Plans offer a special promotion for 20GB of shared data over five lines for $100 per month. That offer is good through June 20, 2016.
In April, Sprint announced its Sprint Direct 2 You service that makes buying a new smartphone easier for its customers. Under Sprint Direct 2 You, a company employee personally drives a new phone to the customer you, shows how to set it up and use it, migrates a user’s contacts and other data from the old phone to the new one, and helps with other questions about the device.
Earlier in April, Sprint unveiled WiFi calling capabilities for customers who are using the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S smartphones, according to an earlier eWEEK report. Sprint Android customers have been able to make WiFi calls since February 2014. The expanded service for iPhone owners can be used anywhere there is a WiFi hotspot, according to the company.
The big four mobile carriers—Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile—are always jockeying in the marketplace to lure new customers by providing broadened services, more data and lower monthly service rates.