Cricket Starts Selling Prepaid iPhone 4 And iPhone 4S: $399 And $499

Now things are really getting interesting in the smartphone arena. Just a few years ago, those who wanted an iPhone in the United States had one choice: AT&T. Today, it's available on three major postpaid carriers, and more importantly, it's joining the prepaid ranks as well. That's a huge move for Apple, and it promises to place the iPhone into many more hands than it's already in. Many consumers simply aren't interested in a contract, and with Cricket announcing that it would soon be carrying the iOS superphone, we knew it was just a matter of time.

Though the next-gen iPhone should only be a few months away, those wanting an iOS phone today can now get one on a prepaid contract. The price? Really, really attractive. The iPhone 4 is selling for $399 (8GB), while the iPhone 4S costs $100 more at $499 (16GB). That's actually less than most other carriers are selling iPhones off-contract (but still locked to that carrier). Furthermore, Cricket offers a remarkable $55/month plan, which includes unlimited messaging / calling, as well as data, but speeds will be throttled down if you use over 2.3GB per month.

If you've held out so far, now just might be the time to jump in. If you're not interested in waiting for the iPhone 5, that is.