With the release date of Apple's iPhone coming closer and closer, the competition is getting ready for the inevitable showdown. Sprint Nextel Corp. has announced plans to trim the prices of its digital downloads to match those offered by Apple through the iTunes Store.

Sprint announced the step a day before the CTIA Wireless conference, no doubt a part of a long-term plan. The difference in price is significant considering that currently Sprint charges $2.49 per song, but undoubtedly, the company is aware that it needs to have a competitively priced offering by the time Apple comes out with its own. Not only will the new price help cement the relationship between the company and its current customers, but also help it gain new ones.

The new price also comes with a new music-playing phone from Samsung Electronics Co., known as the UpStage. This new two-faced device has a big screen and music controls on one side and a smaller screen and mobile phone controls on the opposite side. While this new phone has nothing of the iPhone, it is quite attractive for those who are only interested in music playing capabilities.

Between the new phone and the new pricing on songs, Sprint is positioning itself to be ready for Apple, and no doubt, Verizon Wireless and Vodafone Group are also preparing for the upcoming war.