Sprint today announced a new offer that bundles together the iPhone and iPad and waives the monthly cost of a 16GB iPad mini 3 when both are leased through the carrier’s iPhone/iPad for Life program and a 2GB data plan is purchased for the tablet.
For example, a 16GB iPhone 6 on Sprint’s $50 Simply Unlimited plan and a 16GB iPad mini 3 with a $30 2GB data plan will run $100 per month after the iPad’s monthly lease rate is erased in the form of a $17 monthly service credit.
The deal is also available with the iPhone 6 Plus and iPad Air 2, as well as 64GB and 128GB models of all four Apple devices but the overall monthly cost goes up.
Of course, it seems like it would be cheaper to just pay the lease on an iPad and then tether it to the iPhone. The monthly lease payment for a 128GB iPad Air 2 is $28, less than the cost of 2GB of tablet data in this plan. But Sprint doesn’t offer tethering with phones on its Simply Unlimited plan.
Sprint does offer mobile hotspot add-ons with its Simply Unlimited plan: those run $10 for 1GB, $20 for 2GB and $50 for 6GB. But factoring in the iPad lease payments, adding a hotspot prices above Sprint’s new offer in most instances.
The new iPhone/iPad for Life bundle is available now until April 9.