iPhone SE so-called "free" deal at T-Mobile, Sprint pricing revealed

The iPhone SE was given a release date and pricing at T-Mobile USA and Sprint today – both, though the two will effectively be one from this point on, in several key ways. You'll still be buying the iPhone SE from T-Mobile USA OR Sprint, even though they're basically one company on the business end. If you're going to buy an iPhone SE from T-Mobile USA, you'll find several different versions out there with one-time-pricing or 24-month pricing with T-Mobile's no-interest Equipment Installment Plan.

T-Mobile has three different versions of the iPhone SE, each of the three storage sizes included. There's a 64GB version, a 128GB version, and a version with 256GB internal storage. All versions of the iPhone SE have the same hardware for the most part. It's just the amount of internal media storage that you're getting different – and the color casing on the outside.

T-Mobile USA pricing was revealed this week as follows:

- iPhone SE with 64GB storage for $16.17/month ($0 down, FRP: $399.99)

- iPhone SE with 128GB storage for $16.17/month ($49.99 down, FRP: $449.99)

- iPhone SE with 256GB storage for $16.17/month ($149.99 down, FRP: $549.99)

T-Mobile suggests that users can get an iPhone SE for "free" when they "add a line and trade in an eligible iPhone." Users can also get up to 50% "off" the price of the iPhone SE "when they trade in an eligible iPhone OR add a line." Basically this is T-Mobile USA's best new bet in getting new customers with a relatively inexpensive phone – so inexpensive that they could potentially give it to users for "free."

Sprint pricing works with the "Sprint Flex lease" for $5 a month if you've not been a Sprint user until now. You can also get that lease pricing if you add a new line of service to an existing account. Both Sprint and T-Mobile will carry "all colors and memory variants."