Apple lovers, who are waiting to buy the next generation iPhone 5 but are skeptic about the high price tag of the phone, can now settle for the predecessor iPhone 4S at a discounted price of $49.99.

Best Buy has cut down the price of the two-year-old iPhone 4 from the usual $99.99. Although the website says that the discounts apply to all carriers across colors, only the 8GB model will be available at the discount price. The deal, however, can be an in-store only promotion of Best Buy, says CNET, as no model is available for shipping.

Meanwhile, citing some third-party reports, PCMag has said that Best Buy sells almost similar numbers of iPhones as Apple does.

According to data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, which took into account the iPhone buyers in December 2011, January 2012, and February 2012, Apple sold 15 percent of all iPhones while Best Buy sold 13 percent, just two percent less than Apple itself.

The recent discount and clear-out-inventory decision of the company can also be seen as a possible launch of the next generation iPhone, popularly dubbed as iPhone 5.

Some recent reports from the Wall Street Journal and Reuters have claimed that Apple has already placed orders for bigger 4-inch screens for its next generation iPhone. The phone is also expected to be launched in October, following the same launch cycle after the release of iPhone 4S last year.