With the iPhone 3GS now available for free with new cell phone contracts, are people still interested in the aging device? After all, the 3GS has been on the market for more than two years, eclipsed by the iPhone 4 and, most recently, the 4S. Turns out the answer is an emphatic yes, according to AT&T.
AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega said in a statement that the iPhone 4S is selling like hotcakes. But in a discussion with analysts to talk about AT&T’s most recent financial report, de la Vega is also very positive about the contributions Apple’s iPhone 3GS continues to make to his company’s bottom line.
In a Q&A with analysts, de la Vega said:
I also mentioned in my notes that we have another device that I think is going to dramatically change those people that are on smartphones and quick messaging devices, the 3GS, which is free with a 2-year contract. We’ve seen a tremendous, tremendous demand for that device even though it’s a generation old. And actually, we’re getting more new subscribers coming on the 3GS on the average than other devices. So we also have an inventory sold out on that device. So I’m very, very optimistic on what the fourth quarter is going to look like in terms of smartphone growth.