Telstra undercuts Apple on iPhone 5s pricing

The iPhone 5s may have recently turned two, but Apple is still asking customers for a minimum of AUD$749 for an outright purchase. If that's a little too pricey, Telstra is now selling Apple's last "small" smartphone for AUD$499 as a high-end prepaid option.

The AUD$499 price tag includes the iPhone 5s, a AUD$30 SIM kit and 5GB of bonus data on activation. Telstra's AUD$30 recharge includes 1.3GB of data, an additional 1.3GB of night data (until January 25), unlimited text, and AUD$700 of call credit. Telstra will offer this deal while stocks last, or up until January 25, 2016.

The offer is available online for existing Telstra subscribers, and through Telstra retail outlets and JB Hi-Fi for new customers.

While the iPhone 5s certainly isn't the latest and greatest iPhone, it was the first to feature Apple's Touch ID fingerprint reader, and its camera was a huge leap forward over the iPhone 5. Based on Apple's current approach to software updates, the iPhone 5s should be continue to receive major iOS upgrades for at least another two years.