AT&T may be considering offering limited monthly data plans to iPhone users as an option to help draw in more subscribers. The data cap option would include a US$10 price cut compared to the current iPhone data plan price, which fits in nicely with rumors that AT&T is planning on reducing data plan costs.

The lower cost data plans could roll out to customers as early as late May, according to BusinessWeek. If true, the move could help draw the interest of consumers that can't afford the iPhone's current price structure.

Some analysts are speculating that in addition to offering a lower priced data plan, AT&T may cut the US$199 iPhone price down to $99, and that Apple is considering offering a pre-paid version of the iPhone, too.

Currently, AT&T offers only an unlimited data plan option for the iPhone, and a data plan is required to be able to use features such as Visual Voice Mail. That $30 data plan, coupled with the $199 price tag for an 8GB iPhone, is seen by some as a deterrent for many consumers.

If AT&T does cut iPhone data plan prices, Palm, RIM and other cell carriers might start feeling more pressure to lower prices, too. If so, consumers may soon find smartphones more affordable even if they aren't interested in an iPhone.