It ain't over until it's over, a wise man once said, and a seemingly wise decision by carriers not to enter any iPhone price wars this holiday season like last year, may soon change when Black Friday hits. After their failed merger talks, both T-Mobile and Sprint are primed for a subscribers fight, and are preparing iPhone X deals that might force Verizon and AT&T to take a hit on their margins, too."We suspect the need to maintain net (subscriber) add momentum will drive Sprint and T-Mobile to offer aggressive promotions starting around Black Friday (Nov. 24 following Thanksgiving)," said a Nomura analyst, followed by John Hodulik from UBS who predicts an end in the "abnormal lull as the holiday selling season begins, the iPhone X becomes available, and cable enters the mix."Just when investors were pleased with the carriers' promotional discipline this year, and the resulting increase in their bottom line, the merger breakdown might have been too bitter a pill to swallow for both T-Mobile and Spring. They would need to keep going on their own, and what better way to lure subscribers than giving holiday discounts on the hottest phone of the moment. "The iPhone X cycle stands out as the best chance in years to entice subscribers to shift carriers," adds the Nomura memo, and we as mortal users can only benefit from the resulting promos. View Full BioDaniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.
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