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(Mashable) — If you thought Apple would be absent from the news during CES (which it traditionally doesn’t attend), you were wrong.

Apple may not have any new products to show off at the moment, but the iPhone 3GS just became a lot more affordable, as AT&T cut its price to a mere $49, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Right now, the price tag on the 8 GB version of the iPhone 3GS is still $99, but, starting Friday, the price will be cut in half, making the iPhone 3GS quite an attractive option for users on the lookout for an affordable smartphone.

The new price tag, of course, also comes with a two-year service contract and data plan.

It’s a logical move for AT&T, which is expected to lose iPhone exclusivity in the U.S. soon.

The phone went on sale in June 2009 for $199, but Apple cut its price to $99 last year.

AT&T announced at CES that it plans to start offering 20 new smartphones this year, which should reduce its dependence on Apple’s smartphone.

Via: CNN.com