Where we heard about this: A coffee shop’s crumpled newspaper

As if we needed further convincing that Apple’s September 12 (or so) rah-rah event will star the “iPhone 5,” Smart Communications is now offering the Apple iPhone 4S (16GB model) free at Data Plan 2000. That’s coming from a rather considerable P2,500 one-time cash requisite.

Smart’s contract tweak comes in the heels of U.S. telco Sprint’s iPhone 4S discount and Apple’s price-matching efforts in its retail shops across the United States. This is to clear out the iPhone 4S inventory, we believe, to make room for the coming of the “iPhone 5.”

With the exception of the waived cash out, the rest of Smart’s Data Plan 2000 for the iPhone 4S remains unchanged. You still get the following:

  • unlimited mobile Internet
  • 150 minutes of calls
  • 200 texts to all networks

That’s a decent deal in many respects.

Given the circumstances and amidst technically more advanced Android mobiles, is the iPhone 4S still worth “your signature on the dotted line”? Right now, we mean? Frankly, and as ever, it depends mostly on your willingness to wait and on your disposable income.

If the next-generation iPhone is indeed debuting in September, we reckon Philippine telcos will offer it in late October or early November. Remember that last year, the iPhone 4S was announced in October and was offered here in December.

Also consider that it will be more expensive than any handset that’s currently on the market—most probably somewhere in the same peso range as the iPhone 4S when the latter first came out.

On the other side, the Apple iPhone 4S is still one hell of a smartphone by today’s standards, and should continue to receive iOS updates for years.

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  • imNotAnAppleFan

    @sammy The thing is, app store still has the best apps out there. I have an android phone but I always use my iphone for apps :s

  • sammy

    I think the Galaxy S3 at data plan 2000 is better. :-)