While there are likely plenty of people out there already planning to replace a current phone with an iPhone, either in 5S or 5C flavors, Sprint has a special deal in the making for anyone who makes the jump to iPhone 5C: free. This particular deal is impressive enough on the surface, but analysts believe that it will do a lot more than just help the consumer; it may ultimately push up sales of the iPhone 5C altogether.
The offer took effect on August 30, a recent renewal, which gave Sprint customers $100 off any new phone for any new customer that moves a phone number from a current carrier to Sprint. A nice discount, sure enough, but considering that the iPhone 5C sells for just $99 with a two-year contract, it basically means that Sprint's giving away one of the newest phones out there with the two-year agreement.
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Sadly, the offer doesn't apply to current Sprint customers, but it does apply to sales made on the website as well as in both Sprint stores and certain Sprint partner stores. The offer doesn't apply to the applicable taxes involved either, as well as the $36 activation fee and accompanying service charges. Sprint also “may require”—according to the fine print on the website—an active number from a different carrier, and the whole thing ultimately shuts down Oct. 10.
Sprint first made a $100 off offer a few months back, but brought it back, a move that some analysts believe was specifically timed with the iPhone 5C in mind. Those analysts also wondered if T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T would hop on the bandwagon, particularly independent analyst Jeff Kagan, who noted that a similar move from the remaining three of the big four firms would kick off “a real war” in terms of iPhone 5C sales. Kagan further noted that “both Sprint and T-Mobile seem to be growing some real marketing courage lately and going for the throat. As in any street brawl, you always wonder who will win.”
It's not surprising to see Sprint and T-Mobile getting a little more aggressive in marketing tactics, with different plans—T-Mobile's no-contract stance is certainly evidence of greater teeth in the marketing plan—and aggressive discounting both looking to give the two comparative underdogs in the four-way race that is mobile device sales in the United States a little extra leg-up on the competition. The question, of course, is just how far this will go overall.
Naturally, it's going to take the releases of the sales numbers over a couple months or so to really ascertain just how much impact Sprint's discount program has on the wider market, but it's likely going to prove a big win for, if nothing else, Apple, who should see sales of the iPhone 5C take a pretty nice uptick as a result.
Edited by
Alisen Downey 
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