Sprint’s Samsung Epic 4G to come on August 31st, for $249. Pre-orders start now

Julien  By on 12 Aug 10

Ever since Sprint announced Samsung Epic 4G handset back in June, people have been itching to know when it will become available for real, and at what price.  Especially those who can not live without a full QWERTY keyboard on their smartphone. Until this week, Sprint Epic 4G was the only top of the line  Android smartphone on the horizon to have one. But Sprint was keeping mum about the details, leaving it for us to wait in eager anticipation, buzzing and speculating about possible Epic 4G arrival date.

This week Verizon one-upped Sprint by quietly introducing  Motorola’s Droid 2, which also comes with full QWERTY. To keep the potential customers jumping ship to Big Red, Sprint now was forced to come clean about Epic 4G arrival date and price. Which it did today. And I didn’t like much of what Sprint had to say.

According to the official press release, Sprint Epic 4G is coming on August 31, and it will cost $249 after $100 mail-in rebate.

I’m sorry, Sprint guys&gals, but haven’t you heard? The standard price for the top of the line smartphone with a 2 year contract, is $199 in U.S.

Yes, I know Epic does Wimax, which your marketing people like to call 4G, and which it really is not. And I know that your “4G”  may or may not be faster then 3G, in those limited markets where it is available. I also know that Epic 4G has QWERTY keyboard, which EVO 4G does not. And it has a bigger screen then Droid 2, I know that too.

But an extra $50? For a phone with a 2 year contract, data plan, $10 surcharge for Wimax and $29 for a permission to use it as a hotspot? C’mon, Sprint, you are getting greedy.

Still, if you want one, and are afraid of delays that seem to plague every high end Android smartphone this summer, you can pre-order Sprint Epic-4G for in-store pick-up on August 31 here. (via Engadget)

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  • Ajsmith

    I was all set to get this phone. Personally I think 200 for a phone is a bit much, but was willing to bite the bullet for this phone. However, at 250 after mail in rebate – sprint has just priced themselves out of the market. Sprint needs to take a page from verizon on phone pricing. They are ridiculously high – especially when you compare phones offered on both networks. Sprint is always about 100 higher. I am a sprint customer and have been for years because they have great plan rates, but the pricing of their phones lately is making me reconsider. They like to brag about how much cheaper they are than the other carriers on plan price – but when you throw in the phone pricing on their decent phones it balances out. Sprint just frontloads the cost. I am so disappointed that they priced this phone out of the market. There is just no way I can justify 250 after mail in rebate for a cell phone.

  • Boomshackalaka

    You aren't forced to buy the epic 4g or any other sprint phone from a sprint corporate store. Radioshack, Sam's Club, and Best Buy offer the same phones with instant rebates and most of the time they also offer discounts on accessories and give bill credits. Sprint plans are also way cheaper than Verizon or AT&T and Sprint and Verizon roam off of each others towers for free. For 69.99 a month you get unlimited everything except landline calling and who does that anymore? Plus, you get free nights and weekends starting at 7pm. Sprint makes it so easy to see the difference in companies if you read between the lines. They offer a great deal but at the end of the day they are a sales company and they are trying to get paid.

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