iPhones at Wal-Mart?

It’s official, Apple is trying to go mainstream by selling iPhones at the world’s largest retailer. That’s right… Wal-Mart!

This is an interesting move for Apple. Typically, Apple products are sold with sleek, swanky merchandising in sleek, swanky Apple stores. Wal-Mart hardly fits that description. There was some speculation that if Apple made this move, they would sell a version of the iPhone for as little as $99. As it turns out, they’re only reducing the price by a measly $2. Rather than $199 and $299, for the 8GB and 16GB models respectively, they’ll be priced at $197 and $297. LAME! Why bother discounting them at all?

Regardless, the swanky Apple brand has just descended into the world of discount retailing.

Good move or straying too far from the sexy brand image they’ve built? Guess we’ll see…