A new report says that Apple is looking to boost its iPhone sales in its U.S. Apple retail stores by offering pre-paid and month-to-month plans. For the first time, customers will be able to purchase an iPhone at full-price and connect it to a pre-paid or month-to-month plan while in the store.
9to5Mac notes that previously, iPhone customers could only buy full-priced iPhones as unlocked devices then connect the devices to pre-paid plans or month-to-month plans via a previously purchased SIM-card or through a carrier store.
As the plans will be available in the Apple Stores, customers who wouldn’t normally be exposed to Apple’s other products will be. Apple is expected to introduce a new wearable device that will interact with the iPhone, so increasing iPhone sales in Apple’s own stores could be critical to the growth of that new product.
9to5Mac’s sources say Apple will be partnering with AT&T and T-mobile for the new initiative. Apple Stores will soon be stocking up on AT&T GoPhone pre-paid activation kits and SIM cards, however they will be using the existing T-Mobile SIM cards for those that choose T-Mobile pre-paid plans. Apple will also be training its store employees on the new pre-paid and month-to-month sales practices in the next few weeks.
Apple should begin offering the new plans in their U.S. stores the last week of June.
