Want to buy iPhone 5c or 5s? Wal-Mart will sell them at lower price

By Salvador Rodriguez

Sept. 12, 2013 8:45 AM PT

<i>This post has been updated. See the note below for details.</i>

If you plan on buying one of Apple’s new iPhones, you may want to head to Wal-Mart.

The retail giant has announced it will carry the new devices and sell them at prices lower than Apple and other retailers.

Wal-Mart said it will carry 16-gigabyte versions of the iPhone 5c and the iPhone 5s. The iPhone 5c will be available for $79 ($20 cheaper than its regular price) with a two-year contract from AT&T, Verizon or Sprint. The iPhone 5s will be available for $189 ($10 cheaper than its regular price) from the same carriers.

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The retailer normally carries Apple’s smartphone at prices lower than other stores, so the announcement isn’t a huge surprise.

Wal-Mart said buyers can stop by their local store’s customer service desk Friday to preorder the iPhone 5c. They’ll be able to come back on Sept. 20 to pick up their device. Preorders will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis, the company said.

The iPhone 5s, meanwhile, will be available for purchase on Sept. 20. There are no preorders on this version of the iPhone.

Wal-Mart, though, recommends that customers come in on Sept. 21 for their new devices because that’s when it will kick off a new smartphone trade-in program. Customers can come in with older devices, trade them in, and apply the value to the purchase of their new iPhone.

Additionally, Wal-Mart said it will carry the now-discontinued iPhone 5 for $79 with a two-year contract while supplies last. It will also sell the discontinued iPhone 4 with a $100 Wal-Mart gift card for 10 cents with a two-year contract.

[Update 9:38 a.m. Sept. 12: Wal-Mart said Apple is not selling the devices to the retailer at a discount. That means the giant retailer is likely choosing to take a smaller slice of profits per device in the hope that it will make up the difference by selling more iPhones.

“Because of our size and scale and what we’re able to do, we’re able to provide these prices,” said Sarah McKinney, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman.]

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