AT&T said it will start pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy S 4 and will charge $250, making the hot Android phone $50 more than Apple's entry-level iPhone 5, its biggest competitor.
The new phone is expected to be offered by all carriers, but AT&T is the first to announce pre-orders for the phone, beginning April 16.
The iPhone 5 with 16 GB is $199.99 with a two-year contract; the Samsung Galaxy S 4 with 16 GB will be $249.99 with a two-year contract.
Generally, phones that compete directly with the iPhone cost the same or less, because Apple products are perceived to carry the "Apple tax" — a slightly inflated price tag — due to the brand itself. AT&T is still selling Samsung's previous flagship, the Galaxy S III, for its original starting price of $199. An AT&T spokeswoman told NBC News Thursday the company had nothing to add when asked about the pricing of the S 4.
AT&T did not say on its consumer blog when the S 4 will be delivered to customers, but the phone is expected to be widely available by late April.
Here's what NBC News' Rosa Golijan had to say about the phone after a recent hands-on with it.
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