AT&T has resumed an earlier discount made possible for the iPhone 3G. The carrier is once again selling refurbished iPhones with a $100 price cut, bringing the cost of the 8GB model down to $99, and the 16GB version to $199. A fresh two-year contract is also required, and AT&T warns that some phones could be marred by “minor scratches.”
The reason for new offer is unclear, as several motives may be present. AT&T may for instance be hoping to boost sales in the face of a shrinking economy and lower wages; the carrier may alternately have received a sudden influx of used phones, or be looking to help Apple clear out inventory in advance of a new iPhone in the summer. A simpler explanation may be that AT&T intends to sell refurbished models on a periodic basis.