iPhone makes the ‘Leap’ into the prepaid zone

The iPhone has taken a leap into the prepaid, no-contract world. Beginning in late June, the prepaid carrier Leap Wireless will sell Apple’s iPhoneunder the Cricket service. This makes it the first carrier to sell the iPhone without a contract. But don’t expect the iPhone to come cheap. The 16 GB iPhone 4s will be priced at $500 dollars.

So that leaves T-Mobile in the corner, just tapping its foot waiting for its turn to dance with Apple. With the iPhone in more places, it’s become the common, every-(wo)man phone now. It’s the safe pick of the smartphone world, and I’ve been talking with my colleague Roger Cheng who wrote a column about how the iPhone may be losing its cool factor. It’s nothing special to say you have an iPhone. How much does the “cool” factor still matter in a phone? I’d like to hear your thoughts on it. Use Tout to send a short video reply, and your comments could end up on the show.