iPhone Subsidies Working Out Well for China Telecom

China Telecom’s decision to offer Apple’s iPhone 4S fully subsidized is proving to be strategically wise move.

LevelUp’s Plan to Supercharge the Mobile Payments Market: Make It Free

LevelUp is hoping that merchants and consumers will quickly adopt its mobile payments service, because it doesn’t cost either party a single cent to use.

Carriers Willing to Live With High iPhone Subsidies for Now

If there’s a handset subsidy battle to be fought, it probably won’t happen until after the debut of the LTE iPhone.
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Apple CEO: Enough of This iPhone Subsidy Silly Talk

Relax, people.

Contracts With Apple Should Blunt Any Carrier Pushback on iPhone Subsidies

A new analysis from CLSA indicates that a carrier revolt over iPhone subsidies paid to Apple is unlikely.
Tim_iphone4sannouncement

Analyst Cuts Apple Rating on Prospect of iPhone Subsidy Revolt

An Apple downgrade? What’s that?

Voices

Sprint to Sell Samsung Tablet for $400

Sprint Nextel Corp. said it plans to sell Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.’s Galaxy Tab tablet computer for a third less than Verizon Wireless, though Sprint will require a long-term contract. Sprint will sell the device for $399.99 in exchange for a two-year commitment to a data service plan. Sprint will begin selling the Galaxy Tab on Nov. 14, three days after Verizon Wireless.

IPhone 4: $188 in Parts, $411 in Magic

The components in the 16GB version of Apple’s iPhone 4 cost $8.55 more than those in its predecessor. That’s the conclusion of iSuppli’s tear-down analysis of the device, which estimates its bill of materials to be $187.51.

AT&T’s New Early-Termination Fee for the iPhone: $325

A word of warning to AT&T subscribers who would switch carriers when the company’s iPhone exclusivity deal with Apple finally ends: The cost of doing so will soon rise–substantially. Come June 1, AT&T is raising its early-termination fee on smartphones to $325 from $175.

So Much for That Free Google Phone Idea

A quick update on the Nexus One, the Android phone Google will likely uncrate at the Jan. 5 media event it announced yesterday. According to documents leaked to Gizmodo, Google plans to sell the device unlocked and unsubsidized for $530 or with a two-year T-Mobile contract for $179.99.

Google Rocks Real-Time Search

AOL Now Aol.

Palm Pixie in November?

Surveillance State