AT&T is offering refurbished iPhone 5 for discounted prices, offering customers the chance to upgrade to Apple's latest smartphone without paying a hefty price tag.
Just a couple of months after the iPhone 5 made its debut, AT&T brings refurbished versions of the smartphone to the market, selling them for a much lower price.
With a two-year contract with the carrier, customers can get a refurbished version of the new iPhone 5 for as little as $99, i.e. half of the normal price. While such items are not brand new, Apple is renowned for restoring its refurbished items to like-new condition.
The $99 starting price is for the 16GB version of the iPhone 5, either in black or in white, available via AT&T's Web site. The 32GB model comes with a $199.99 price tag, while the 64GB version goes up to $299.99. This amounts to a $100 rebate off what Apple and other carriers are charging for a brand-new smartphone.
Refurbished devices are previously owned products that have been returned and restored to "the same functional requirements as a new device," according to AT&T. While refurbished Apple devices are covered by a 14-day return policy, AT&T charges a $35 restocking fee.
The iPhone 5 was a notable absence from retailers' Black Friday deals, but AT&T's offer does bring some reprieve from Apple's rigid prices for this popular smartphone. The iPhone 5 is ultra-light and is a significant step forward from previous iPhone iterations, sporting a 4-inch screen with a resolution of 1,136 x 640 pixels. The handset also packs a brand new A6 chip, as well as an ultra-thin touch pad that sharpens user input.
Normal prices for iPhone 5 handsets, on a two-year contract with AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint, start at $199 for the 16GB model, $299.99 for the 32GB version, and $399.99 for the 63GB iPhone 5. Meanwhile, a recent leak indicates that contract-free, unlocked phones cost $649, $749, and $849 for each respective configuration.
AT&T is also offering refurbished versions of the iPhone 4S starting at $0.99 for the 16GB model and $99.99 for the 32GB version. Apple currently sells the 16GB iPhone 4S for $99.99.
