Verizon Wireless has cut the price of several GPS-enabled smartphones this week including the Blackberry Pearl 8130, Blackberry Curve 8330, Blackberry 8830, LG Voyager, LG enV, and Samsung Glyde. However, Barron’s pointed out that price cuts by three handset manufacturers at the same time on one wireless network is an unlikely coincidence. Subsidies are likely involved here and subsidies tend to mean higher prices for wireless contracts. Just look at all the hoopla over Apple deciding to extend their agreement with AT&T as the exclusive US provider of the iPhone until 2010. Just needed to give you an objective way of looking at these price cuts. Here they are:
* Pearl 8130: Now $79, down 20.2% from $99.
* Curve 8330: Now $99, down 33.6%, from $149.
* Blackberry 8830: Now $149, down 25.1%, from $199.
* LG enV: Now $79, down 20.2%, from $99.
* LG Voyager: Now $99, down 33.6%, from $149.
* Samsung Glyde: Now $79, down 47%, from $149.