under the radar chatter to expand market share... $AAPL

While a bullshit WSJ "rumor", who's numbers really did not make any sense, controlled the chatter today, few interesting items, that test new ways to expand market share (while maintaining margins) received little traction:

1. A payment plan is being tested in China to target those who want the iPhone, but can not afford the upfront costs. 

For 1, 3, 6 and 12 installment options, there’s no interest, but the 18-payment choice comes with 6.5% interest, and the 24-installment plan charges 8.5%.

2. Wal-Mart, and StraightTalk, to sell no contract plans where the data plan is $45 a month, but the cost of the phone will be built into a monthly plan. (Equating to $70/mth, less costly than the major carriers.)

The program, which requires a Walmart Credit Card, allows customers to pay off their iPhones for $25 a month on top of the $45 unlimited prepaid plan.

The above are obviously not as juicy as no-lines for an iPhone5 in China, which later prove to be misleading and give completely false perception of actual events.  But the above items are an interesting approach to expand the market for the iPhone to people who thought were unable to obtain it, while maintaining margins.

One would think, those media outlets that keep harping on Apple to produce a low-end worthless cheap phone, would pick up stories like the above that begin to address under served market segments. But I am not holding my breath.