Apple has agreed to let retailing giant Best Buy sell the new iPhone 3G through its nationwide chain of Best Buy Mobile outlets starting early next month. Beginning September 7, each and every one of Best Buy’s 986 retail locations across the country will begin selling the new iPhone and activating the handset on-site. It seems that Apple is apparently pushing to increase sales of the already popular iPhone 3G. Best Buy said it plans to sell the iPhone 3G at the suggested retail price of US$199 for the 8GB model and US$299 for the 16GB model, under a new two-year contract with provider AT&T Inc. for qualifying customers. Best Buy is expected to see the iPhone 3G boosting sales figures by upwards of 2% for stores open at least 14 months, according to Banc of America Securities analyst David Strasser. Apple is estimated to sell an additional million iPhone 3G handsets in the third and fourth quarter of 2008. That would give Apple’s estimated 3 million iPhone 3G sales numbers a significant boost. Best Buy’s relationship with Apple has improved significantly in recent years too, continuing to increase the Mac and iPod presence in retail stores all through 2007 and now through 2008.
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