Earlier it was reported that Apple could be looking to discount the iPhone XR in Japan. Exactly by how much was anyone’s guess, but now it has been confirmed that the previous reports were true and that over in Japan, buying the iPhone XR on contract from carrier NTT Docomo will help customers save $100 over the course of the contract’s period.
Note that this $100 in savings isn’t a direct discount of the phone’s price, but rather it seems to be in line with the previous reports claim that the savings could be done through carrier subsidies. Previously the iPhone XR 64GB model on a 24-month contract would have cost 36,000 yen in installments, but now it will cost 24,000 yen.
At the moment it only seems that NTT Docomo is offering the discounted iPhone XR, but we imagine that other local carriers should follow suit in the near future as well. Apple has yet to comment on the reason behind the discount, but following various reports suggesting that iPhone sales are not what they used to be, we suppose lowering the price could be one way to generate sales.
Also as we had previously mentioned, these subsidies/discounts are only for Japan. Whether or not Apple plans to bring similar discounts to other markets is unclear (although it feels unlikely), so don’t get your hopes up for a discounted iPhone XR just yet.