Apple is planning to bolster its in-store iPhone sales in the United States by allowing customers to add pre-paid or month-to-month plans when purchasing full-priced, unlocked iPhones, according to a source that spoke to 9to5Mac.

Currently, iPhone customers who pay the full price to purchase unlocked iPhones from Apple retail locations must visit a carrier store or use a pre-activated SIM card to get service on their phones, but following the policy change, those plans will be available directly through the Apple Store.

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Apple Stores will stock AT&T GoPhone pre-paid activation kits and T-Mobile SIM cards for both T-Mobile and AT&T pre-paid plans, with employee training taking place over the next few weeks.

Sales staff will promote ATT's $60 per month pre-paid plan (with 2.5GB of internet data and unlimited talk and text) to those seeking AT&T plans, while the stores will offer $50/month (1GB LTE data) and $70/month (5GB LTE data) unlimited data plans to customers seeking T-Mobile devices. The activations must be done at the time of purchase in Apple Stores and those devices will be unable to be returned to Apple for a refund.

The new pre-paid and month-to-month plans may be available at Apple Stores during the last week of June and are likely part of a push to move more device sales in store. Last year, Apple CEO Tim Cook noted that 80 percent of iPhones are sold at third-party locations while 20 percent are sold in by Apple, a figure he would like to improve.

Apple has launched several other programs to improve in-store sales, including a recent iPhone upgrade event encouraging iPhone 4 and 4s owners to update to a newer device.

Top Rated Comments

MarvinK9 Avatar
144 months ago
Rip Off

And all plans quoted cost more than double what they should. Telcos in North America are greedy slime-ball weasels.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aristobrat Avatar
144 months ago
Lol, here in Poland I have unlimited calls, texts and 27GB of internet for 29$...
You don't say...
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
frozen220 Avatar
144 months ago
Launch day unlocked iPhone 6 ??

I wonder (and hope) if this means Apple will have stock of unlocked iPhone 6 that I can pick up in their store on launch day because I do not want to wait WEEKS AFTER the launch for the unlocked version to become available for order online only, then wait another 4-6+ weeks for shipment. I want an unlocked iPhone ON LAUNCH DAY!!!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SeaFox Avatar
144 months ago
Lol, here in Poland I have unlimited calls, texts and 27GB of internet for 29$...
Is that "29$" in USD, or złoty?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
puffnit Avatar
144 months ago
Lol, here in Poland I have unlimited calls, texts and 27GB of internet for 29$...
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
usamaah Avatar
144 months ago
Hopefully as more years pass and the majority of consumers buy phones unlocked, phones will actually compete on price and that means cheaper smartphones for us all. I see this as a step towards that future.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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