Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Sprint subscribers will be able to use the iPhone for the first time, giving them one more reason to stay with the ailing company.

When revealing the new iPhone 4S on Tuesday, Apple Inc. said Sprint will be among the carriers to sell it, starting Oct. 14.

Sprint Nextel Corp., the No. 3 wireless carrier in the U.S., has had a hard time hanging on to customers, while AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless, the two larger ones, have been luring people with the iPhone.

Being able to sell the coveted phone should help Sprint keep customers, but the cost could be high. Like other carriers, Sprint will buy iPhones for about $600 each, then sell them to customers for $199. That will put added strain on its already weak finances.