Best Buy to Sell iPhone in United States

Multiple press reports reveal that retail chain Best Buy will begin selling Apple’s popular iPhone for use with AT&T’s wireless network on 07-Sep-08 at 970 full-size stores and 16 Best Buy Mobile stores in the United States. The Associated Press, Reuters, and other news outlets say Best Buy is adding the iPhone to its stores as part of their Best Buy Mobile division, a joint venture between Best Buy and the UK’s Carphone Warehouse Group.

As with Apple and AT&T retail outlets, customers will have to activate the iPhone on the AT&T network, with a two-year commitment, before leaving the store. We wouldn’t expect any of the other Apple or AT&T policies about iPhone purchases to be different for phones bought at Best Buy.

Best Buy has already been successful selling iPods, including the iPod touch, and has opened Apple-focused store-within-a-store “mini-shops” in 600 stores. In those locations, the iPhone will be available in the Apple mini-shop rather than at the cell phone counter.