Is the $97 WalMart iPhone a Good Deal?

Walmart has cut the price of the 16GB iPhone 3GS from $199 to $97, just weeks before Apple is expected to formally announce the features of the new iPhone.

While that may sound like a good deal – the 8GB phone is $99 on Apple’s website, it might only be appealing to those who’ve been on the fence about the iPhone for a while. If you purchase the $97 iPhone, you’ll still be locked into a 2-year contract with AT&T. Many people suspect that an iPhone for Verizon will appear before year’s end. For those who have heard the many complaints of customers on AT&T; like dropped calls, spotty reception and sporadic call quality, even in areas with multiple bars, a new network might be more important than a $100 discount.

For the phone geeks, $100 might also not be enough to make up for the fact that the phone won’t come with the latest features due to come on the latest iPhones. Judging by the fervor over the lost iPhone Gizmodo posted about, it’s safe to say there are enough people who are more concerned with having an extra camera and larger battery (to support a higher quality screen display, among other things) than getting the lowest price.

If you’re okay with AT&T, can make do with a single camera and think the current screen resolution of the 3GS is just fine, Apple rarely sells anything at 50% off so the WalMart discount is definitely worth considering.