AT&T confirms early upgrade price changes for iPhone 4, other smartphones

AT&T has confirmed to BGR that it has made changes to early upgrade pricing for its smartphones. The changes impact customers who wish to upgrade to a new smartphone but are not yet eligible for an upgrade at fully discounted two-year contract prices. An imminent change to AT&T’s early upgrade pricing for smartphones was first reported on Friday by Android enthusiast blog Android Central. AT&T has now confirmed that off-contract early upgrade pricing has increased by $50 for all smartphones including the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, Windows Phones and Android devices. Pricing has increased by $150 when the aforementioned devices are purchased with a one-year agreement. “We’ve updated our early upgrade and no commitment price points for smartphones and feature phones,” an AT&T spokesperson told BGR. “Only customers who are not yet upgrade eligible or who do not want to sign a contract are impacted. As mobile devices become more sophisticated, their cost goes up. This change reflects the increased costs, while still allowing us to offer customers the latest device before they qualify. We’re happy to discuss individual account and upgrade needs one-on-one with customers.”