Yes, the iPhone went on sale at Walmart today

From the looks of our tip jar, the iPhone went on sale at Walmart today for $197 / $297, just as we expected. The plan is to attract consumers who don't shop at Best Buy, Apple, or AT&T stores, so basically Wally doesn't care about anyone reading this. We love you too, Wally. No crazy $99 4GB model or iPhone nano in sight, but maybe Phil's gonna blow us all away next week. (We doubt it.)

[Thanks to everyone -- seriously, it was like all of you -- who sent this in]

Read - iPhone on sale at Walmart
Read - Video of the display -- yes, someone actually sent in a video of the display

[eggothewaffle @ Dec 28th 2008 7:44PM]

$197/$297 without a 2 year contract?

Walmart hates rich pmple along with black pmple.

[D.S (Apple) = digtal shit @ Dec 28th 2008 8:58PM]

@eggothewaffle
They also hate waffles.

@ post
NO ONE CARES IF WALMART IS SELLING IPHONES!!
i am so sorry engadget.

[eggothewaffle @ Dec 28th 2008 8:17PM]

Why aren't any of my replies going through? :(

[Agent .25i @ Dec 29th 2008 11:49AM]

I hate it when I get a black head pmple too. I'm surprised WalMart cares though.

[Flashpoint @ Dec 28th 2008 8:39PM]

How many Walmart employees will have to die for this>?

[Thats What He Said @ Dec 28th 2008 8:43PM]

That is WITH a 2-year contract for you, sir.

[tom @ Dec 28th 2008 10:18PM]

Walmart is putting out stands with working demo? I don't think it is a good idea. Punk kids will pull tricks to snag the security cable and claim ownership over that iPhone.

[David @ Dec 28th 2008 10:56PM]

It's not that hard, the electronics department is unattended more often than any other department, I used to work at wal-mart...and I had to help people in the electronics department after I finished work, then I had to append my time card.

[shugg @ Dec 28th 2008 11:11PM]

i hear u paid 300$ for a touch for your left pocket and instinct on ur rigth pocket.,so u carry 2 devices.,is that you...or u have more logic than that.dee dee deee.
what phone do u use to engadget blog.,?

[Quix @ Dec 29th 2008 1:29AM]

Wow, Engadget used to have at least *some* reader commentary worth perusing. Then the place was overrun by Apple-bashing trolls, who now appear to have been replaced by even more juvenile idiots spouting nonsensical gibberish. Are any of the comments here of any redeeming value anymore? Good grief, Engadget has become the MySpace of electronica blogs.

How do I turn off the comments section by default?

Better yet, I'm heading back to Gizmodo. Farewell Engadget - we never even knew ye.

[Mark Anderson @ Dec 29th 2008 7:59AM]

Gizmodo?

*Pop*

That was the sound of your credibility disappearing.

Anyway, not sure what the news is here. It's not as if the big supermarkets haven't been carrying phones for years.

[mirakutea @ Dec 29th 2008 9:48AM]

complaining about comments? that's like complaining about the weather..

[mirakutea @ Dec 29th 2008 9:53AM]

Yes this is news.. more people have access to the best phone on the planet :).

[Me @ Dec 30th 2008 4:34PM]

What's wrong with hating black people?

[Argon @ Dec 28th 2008 7:45PM]

I want an iPhone, I just want want without a contract. 299+175(EFT)+36(one time setup fee)+70(1 month bill) and including tax, the iPhone would run me $600. I'm guessing I have no other choice besides eBay.

[KarlW @ Dec 28th 2008 7:46PM]

"someone actually sent in a video of the display."

he's probably the same guy who rants about Engadget posting so much Apple news

[Thats What He Said @ Dec 28th 2008 8:41PM]

rule iEye out...

[Saad Rabia @ Dec 28th 2008 7:51PM]

Wow, for $3 less than Apple and ATT stores. This must be the best year ending ever in history.

[dcoaster @ Dec 28th 2008 8:05PM]

$2, sorry.

[Saad Rabia @ Dec 28th 2008 8:10PM]

OMFG, $2! This is unbearable!! And to think that they actually loved us and made it $3 less! Way to go Walmart. I'll just wait for the next $1 sale. These people are nuts!

[conor @ Dec 28th 2008 7:56PM]

In other news...

[conor @ Dec 28th 2008 7:57PM]

iGadget, formerly Engadget!

[Saad Rabia @ Dec 28th 2008 8:07PM]

... Walmart adds a special section for giant beans. They are said to sell at $6 a pack, that is $0.05 less than the grocery shop near you, of course this brings disappointment to what we all believed to be "nano beans" for $2 a pack, in which all were only rumors.

[Phil @ Dec 28th 2008 8:33PM]

Yeah! Everyone bash engadget for liking Apple products! High Rank me! Yeah!

But seriously.

[Lex @ Dec 28th 2008 7:58PM]

Do you commit to the contract in store or at home?

[Cris T @ Dec 28th 2008 8:00PM]

The price is with a 2 year contact and you have to leave the store with it activated.

[Lex @ Dec 28th 2008 8:03PM]

Are you sure? So the store reps are trained now to activate the phone when you buy it?

[Justin B @ Dec 28th 2008 8:06PM]

All they do is plug it into iTunes and activate it.

[Cris T @ Dec 28th 2008 8:14PM]

Yes I'm 100% sure because the phone has to be activated in order to get the subsidized price. Its like that at Apple, AT&T and Best Buy.

[Sneakyelf @ Dec 28th 2008 9:23PM]

i bet they are going to let a lot of 3g's into the wild to be unlocked.. they usually arent the brightest there. poor choice by att

[Sergio @ Dec 28th 2008 8:07PM]

Eww....

Prepare your selfs everyone because white trash will now sport those new shiny iphones!

Man how much as the iphone target audience has changed over a little more than a year...

it went from $700 to white trash $99.

so much for the hype.

[Thats What He Said @ Dec 28th 2008 8:45PM]

Well, someone doesnt like people who arent as fortunate as they are and who do have funny [usually] accents and maybe dont wear the cleanest or most proper clothes...

[Tom G @ Dec 28th 2008 9:02PM]

Racist much?

[Empress Penguin @ Dec 29th 2008 1:50AM]

"Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of soul, impossible." - Michel de Montaigne

[Shugg @ Dec 28th 2008 8:15PM]

Yes I can finally buy an iPhone ,I've been waiting 2 years for this life is good.,the moment is finally here.time to celebrate!!!!!!!!!¡!!!!!!¡this is the best news ever

[Thats What He Said @ Dec 28th 2008 8:49PM]

the iPhone has been at about this price for months, and you waited specifically until Walmart got it in so you could buy it, even though Best Buy (which i think is a better store), Apple, and ATT all had them at the same price (ish).

[Prototype R01 @ Dec 28th 2008 8:15PM]

But I shop at Best Buy.....and Wal Mart. What's wrong with Walmat, besides the fact that they sell the TV with the cheapest parts possible (but then again I don't buy my TVs from them)

[Shugg @ Dec 28th 2008 8:22PM]

I do,I'm a cheap mutha,bought a 52 inch Sony LCD xbr,

[Thats What He Said @ Dec 28th 2008 8:47PM]

Walmart sells nice TVs, but they dont advertise them.
And their (basically) trademark brand, Vizio, is getting better. Not Sony or Samsung, but better than they had been.

[Shugg @ Dec 28th 2008 8:21PM]

just curious,is there anyone out there that will now buy iPhone at walmart????

[Kevlar @ Dec 28th 2008 8:27PM]

Oh! ME! ME ME!! ME ME ME !! ME-- wait, you said buy? Sorry.
I thought you said "walk by the iPhones at Wal Mart and laugh since the discount is of a comical nature."

No? Okay then. My bad.

[Sachin @ Dec 28th 2008 8:24PM]

My cousin works at Wal-Mart, and he says they're giving employee's the $99/$199 pricing.

If he's not mistaken, incentive to get a summer job there? Methinks so.

[eggothewaffle @ Dec 28th 2008 8:29PM]

Yeah, the $100 discount is really great considering the data plan on contract is $720.

[Saad Rabia @ Dec 28th 2008 8:34PM]

Is it normal that 95.3% of the people I meet have a relative that works at Walmart?

[eggothewaffle @ Dec 28th 2008 8:37PM]

You're a brown person. It goes with our territory.

[Thats What He Said @ Dec 28th 2008 8:51PM]

how to be funny but racist...

[Sachin @ Dec 28th 2008 8:59PM]

@ Saad Rabia

You're Indian too? I have the same problem.

"Any relatives at Walmart?"
"Yep."
"How many customer service awards?"
"They all have a few."

[iankelleigh @ Dec 28th 2008 8:25PM]

I can see it now... when "Joe Six-pack Low-Income" buys one of these to see what the fuss is all about, the shock will come when they get that first $100 phone bill. I foresee many many returns after 30-60 days.

[digitallysick @ Dec 28th 2008 8:44PM]

I agree, its easy to afford the phone, but the forced data plan makes the bill about $100.00 a month or so. Just not worth it, the iphone is nice, but i never use 20 dollars worth of data a month. Also when they realize a computer is a must have, when you have an iphone to put anything on it, they are going to be very upset

[Mr. Pips @ Dec 28th 2008 9:26PM]

I can't believe how many people bash Wal-mart. Most companies only dream of being as successful as them. It's one of the best run companies on the planet. Their inventory system alone is one of the most advanced, and a pioneer in many aspects.

There's more reasons than "Joe Six Pack Low-income" as to why Wal-mart has inceased sales this year when many retailers are having record sales drops. Either Joe has a lot more money, or more people are shopping there than Best Buy and 5th Ave.



even though I've never shopped there.