iPhone 3G Landing At Wal-Mart December 28th

November 19, 2008 in AT&T, Apple, Handsets, Retailers

It seems like a sin to say the words iPhone and Wal-Mart in the same sentence. The first is the definition of mobile beauty and grace while the latter is a warehouse of everything cheap and affordable. The two worlds will collide on December 28th when the iPhone 3G goes on sale at Wal-Mart.

This comes courtesy of BGR tipsters who claim to have an internal Wal-Mart memo that the website leaked a few hours ago. Here is that memo in its aledged entirety:

We are pleased to announce that Wal-Mart has reached agreement with Apple to offer iPhone 3G in Wal-Mart and Wal-Mart-managed Sam’s Club* Connection Centers nationwide beginning December 28, 2008.  AT&T will support Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club with the activation process for iPhone 3G, and we need all National Retail employees engaged to ensure a successful launch.

*NOTE: This product launch DOES NOT apply to SC Kiosks within Sam’s Club managed by Radio Shack.

Wal-Mart has communicated the following launch plans and execution timeline to their employees:

  • iPhone 3G will be available in-store only beginning 12/28/08
  • New and existing customers in good standing can purchase iPhone 3G with a 2 year contract
  • iPhone 3G transactions only will be processed through POS.com, not the kiosk

Execution Timeline:

  • 12/2 – 12/5:  AT&T / Wal-Mart MEM Classroom Training for Store Leads
  • 12/3 – 12/19:  AT&T In-Store Training
  • 12/26 – 12/27:  AT&T In-Store Refresher Training
  • 12/28: Nationwide Launch
  • 12/28 – 12/30:  Wal-Mart and AT&T War Room Support

You can’t blame Wal-Mart for pushing into the mobile space. BestBuy has done the same thing in a more logical and vigorous move but Wal-Mart seems to be following suit. Wal-Mart isn’t just the biggest dog on the block but also has the most girth in the galaxy. Sales at Wal-Mart are known to make or break companies… if you get blacklisted from Wal-Mart you might just be filing for bankruptcy.

That being said, this move has the potential to change up the mobile industry quite a bit. Perhaps not on the surface or immediately… but the more top level handsets Wal-Mart gets, and at discounts, the more shaky the traditional pipeline of products will get.

We heard these same rumors about the T-Mobile G1 and while the move came late… it did come. I would expect that this rumor is true as well. I wish we could dive into Wal-Mart’s revenue figures on these specific devices.

[Via BGR]

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Comments:

  1. oh, so? it's not $99 in Wal-Mart, and I don't like 2 year contract with AT&T.
    if it's really good deal, i'll buy one for my friend as it's so hot these days.

    :-)      by WPeterson
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