(gigaom.com) -- AT&T customers pining for the new Samsung Galaxy S 4 can begin the pre-order process on April 16. The carrier announced the news on Thursday, saying the price would be $249.99 with two-year contract. No official availability date was provided, but the statement made by AT&T implies it could be the first in the U.S. to have the Galaxy S 4:
“Continuing our legacy as the first carrier to launch Samsung’s Galaxy series, we are excited to announce AT&T customers will be able to begin pre-ordering the Galaxy S4 beginning April 16 for $249.99 with a two-year commitment. We are proud to offer this iconic device and continue to offer our customers the best smartphone line-up, with a variety of devices for every lifestyle and budget. For more information and to pre-order, please visit http://www.att.com/galaxys4.”
Interestingly, T-Mobile loosely shared details for the Galaxy S 4 on its network earlier this week. T-Mobile CEO John Legere noted that the Galaxy S 4 would arrive around May 1 for the up-front price of $99 and 24 monthly, interest-free payments. Customers can also pay full price for the phone and then just pay $50 to $70 for monthly service through one of the Simple Choice plans.
It’s likely that T-Mobile’s Galaxy S 4 will cost less than what AT&T is charging: Assuming the phone payments are $20 per month — the same as the iPhone 5 — the Galaxy S 4 would cost $579 on T-Mobile. Will consumers see that price difference and take advantage of it? That’s the big question that remains unanswered as T-Mobile transitions completely away from phone contracts with subsidized phone prices.
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