I think it’s a shame. I might’ve bought a 4 gig model.
Walmart confirmed it will be selling the iPhone at select stores – most likely the ones that already have an Apple section to it. They will be selling the 8 and 16 gig iPhones. If you want to save a couple bucks (literally), you can get them there for $197 and $297 respectively. Purchasing in other stores will cost you $199 and $299.
There was a lot of buzz on a $99 – 4 gig model. In all reality, a 4 gig model is pretty good for those who want to use it mostly as a phone. My current smartphone (an HTC) only has 128 Meg on the phone and a Mini SD card that adds another 2 gig to it. Then again, I don’t have the iBeer application or anything like that.
It doesn’t mean that Walmart wont offer a 4 gig model down the road. Maybe they will announce at MacWorld new iPhones. I don’t think Apple would go backwards – unless it’s a 4 gig iPhone mini. I would guess, though, they would announce new iPhones at 32 and maybe 64 gig. That could push an 8 gig iPhone to $99 – or maybe $97 at Walmart. Of course we won’t know until MacWorld – that’s only a couple weeks away.
For now, if you want to save the $2, then it’s off to Walmart you go. That is, unless the Walmart is a farther drive than the Apple store. Then $2 is not going to help.