Hasta La Gadget!

Virgin Mobile turned a few heads earlier this month when it announced it would be selling Apple’s iPhone 4 and 4S off-contract on top of offering an affordable $35 a month unlimited data plan. The MVNO has now started sales of both handsets, with the iPhone 4S 16GB commanding a price of $649.99, while the iPhone 4 8GB will cost $549.99.

While Virgin Media claim that the plan comes with unlimited data, the reality is that after 2.5GB you’ll start to see some throttling. Having said that, the deal does work out cheaper in the long run compared to AT&T or Verizon if you’re willing to shoulder the initial cost of the phone.

Virgin Mobile joins Cricket Wireless as yet another MVNO to offer prepaid plans for the iPhone. Cricket offers the cheaper phone ($499.99 for the 4S), but you’ll be spreading the savings over a higher monthly tariff ($55 for an unlimited plan).

Would you really spring for an iPhone 4S at this stage when the next iPhone is on the horizon? Rumors have indicated that the next iteration of Apple’s smartphone will come with a larger 4-inch display and a bump in resolution to 1136×640. Apple is said to have redesigned core apps for the device to take advantage of the increased real estate, and will encourage developers to do the same. Alleged parts for the next iPhone have also made several appearances, indicating the use of a smaller 19-pin dock connector and two-tone metallic back.

Virgin Mobile begins prepaid iPhone sales is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

The fine fellows at Strategy Analytics have been crunching some numbers behind the scenes and discovered that Apple’s iPhone has generated around $150 billion in revenue since it first launched back in 2007. On top of that, the firm believes that around 250 million iPhones have been shipped in total across the world. It marks just how popular the iPhone really is, not to mention how lucrative the mobile market has become.

It’s not all good news though. Neil Mawston, an executive director at Strategy Analytics, says that Apple may face some trouble going forward: “Some mobile operators are becoming concerned about the high level of subsidies they spend on the iPhone, while Samsung is expanding its popular Galaxy portfolio and providing Apple with more credible competition.”

That’s a safe assumption to make. It was recently reported that Apple and Samsung account for 55% of the smartphone market, with the two companies gobbling up 90% of the profits. Samsung even overtook Apple in phone shipments, shifting 43 million in the first quarter compared to Apple’s 35 million. Previous reports have also indicated that the lion’s share of Apple’s profit comes from the premium that carriers pay to offer the iPhone, hoping that the handset will give them an advantage and retain customers.

Strategy Analytics: iPhone has generated $150bn in revenue is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.