# iPhone 5S comes out in a few days, why are iPhone 4S prices still set near full retail by Verizon? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 11, 2012, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5s-comes-out-in-a-few-days-why-are-iphone-4s-prices-still-set-near-full-retail-by-verizon/634376 "2012-09-11T05:01:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5s-comes-out-in-a-few-days-why-are-iphone-4s-prices-still-set-near-full-retail-by-verizon/634376/1 "2012-09-11T05:01:53Z")
I checked [Verizon prices on the 4S this afternoon](http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/splash/iphone.jsp) and they are about the same as they have been for the past several months. Why? You would think they would be blowing them out at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5s-comes-out-in-a-few-days-why-are-iphone-4s-prices-still-set-near-full-retail-by-verizon/634376/2 "2012-09-11T05:13:25Z")
That’s not Apple’s strategy. They hold their previous models the same price until after the release of the new model, at which point the previous models are then reduced. Apple has three models available at any one time, currently the 3GS, the 4 and the 4S. After Thursday, or whenever the retail launch is, they will have the 4, the 4S and the 5. It’s the same strategy that they have used since the release of the 4 in 2010, I think. Andi am fairly certain the new phone will be the iPhone 5, not the iPhone 5S. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5s-comes-out-in-a-few-days-why-are-iphone-4s-prices-still-set-near-full-retail-by-verizon/634376/3 "2012-09-11T10:49:19Z")
Why should Verizon do that? They’re going to sell at as much as people will pay for. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5s-comes-out-in-a-few-days-why-are-iphone-4s-prices-still-set-near-full-retail-by-verizon/634376/4 "2012-09-11T12:50:00Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > Why should Verizon do that? They’re going to sell at as much as people will pay for. It’s probably part of their licensing deal with Apple. They don’t want retailers competing on price with their hardware. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5s-comes-out-in-a-few-days-why-are-iphone-4s-prices-still-set-near-full-retail-by-verizon/634376/5 "2012-09-11T13:03:05Z")
> [@Szlater](#): > > Andi am fairly certain the new phone will be the iPhone 5, not the iPhone 5S. I’ve heard rumors they’ll follow what the did with the iPad and just call it The New iPhone…though they’ll get mad when everyone else just calls it the iPhone 5. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5s-comes-out-in-a-few-days-why-are-iphone-4s-prices-still-set-near-full-retail-by-verizon/634376/6 "2012-09-11T13:07:48Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > I’ve heard rumors they’ll follow what the did with the iPad and just call it The New iPhone…though they’ll get mad when everyone else just calls it the iPhone 5. 😛 Are you sure they won’t call it the iPhone 4W? Or maybe the iPhone 4S Prime? ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5s-comes-out-in-a-few-days-why-are-iphone-4s-prices-still-set-near-full-retail-by-verizon/634376/7 "2012-09-11T13:24:01Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > I’ve heard rumors they’ll follow what the did with the iPad and just call it The New iPhone…though they’ll get mad when everyone else just calls it the iPhone 5. 😛 The [invitations to the press event](http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501465_162-57505708-501465/is-the-iphone-5-imminent-apple-announces-sept-12-event/) seem to indicate otherwise at the moment. I guess we’ll find out tomorrow. And technically, they haven’t even announced the iphone 5 yet, so it makes sense that they aren’t reducing the prices on the 4S yet.