# Selective Cell Carriers The New Virgin Mobile Inner Circle Will Be iPhone-Only By Michael Hines | Published 2017-06-23 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/virgin-mobile-inner-circle References: [mashable](http://mashable.com/2017/06/21/virgin-mobile-iphone-only-carrier/#Ark9QXqhGqq7) & [virginmobileusa](https://www.virginmobileusa.com/) Virgin Mobile Inner Circle is a bold new approach to selling cell phone services. For starters, the new Virgin Mobile USA will only allow [iPhones](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/classic-c1) on its network. It will also have no physical stores. Instead, those who want to sign up must go to an [Apple](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/target-circle) Store. The company plans to offer unlimited talk, text, and data for $50 a month. However, there's a promotional sale going on that drops the cost to $1 for 12 months unlimited. That promotion is only available for less than a month, though. In addition to offering a low-cost plan Virgin Mobile Inner Circle is also selling iPhones, both new and used, at a reduced rate. Virgin Mobile has been an afterthought when it comes to U.S. cell carriers for many years now. Virgin Mobile Inner Circle and its cheap rates plus iPhone-only focus could change that. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.5/10 - Popularity: 50% | Activity: 76% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Mobile](https://www.trendhunter.com/mobile) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Low-cost Cell Phone Plans:** The promotional sale of $1 for 12 months unlimited talk, text, and data offers a disruptive innovation opportunity for companies to explore low-cost cell phone plans. - **Exclusive Phone Network:** Virgin Mobile Inner Circle's iPhone-only approach presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for other phone carriers to create exclusive phone networks targeting specific smartphone brands. - **Online-only Business Model:** Virgin Mobile Inner Circle's decision to have no physical stores creates a disruptive innovation opportunity for other cell phone carriers to adopt an online-only business model, reducing costs and increasing convenience. ### Where This Applies - **Cell Phone Carriers:** The exclusive iPhone-only approach of Virgin Mobile Inner Circle opens up disruptive innovation opportunities for cell phone carriers to target niche markets with specialized phone networks. - **Mobile Phone Retail:** The reduced rate on new and used iPhones offered by Virgin Mobile Inner Circle creates a disruptive innovation opportunity for mobile phone retail to explore lower prices on smartphones and attract more customers. - **Online Retail:** Virgin Mobile Inner Circle's online-only business model provides a disruptive innovation opportunity for online retail companies to expand their offerings to include cell phone plans and devices. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Long-Term Wireless Plan Guarantees](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/longterm-wireless-plan.md) - [Presidential-Themed Mobile Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/trump-mobile.md) - [Price-Locked Mobile Plans](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/experience-more-and-experience-beyond.md) - [Fee-Free Phone Plans](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/visible-plan.md) - [Lucrative Mobile Service Programs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mobile-service.md) - [eSIM Mobile Networks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/slice-mobile.md) - [BNPL Mobile Phone Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/klarna-mobile-service.md) - [Phone Service Provider Rebrands](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/total-by-verizon.md) - [AI-Powered Plan Matching Features](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tmobile.md)