Unlocked iPhones in US For $649

Endoflow2010 writes "Apple on Tuesday started selling an unlocked version of its iPhone 4, starting at $649. A 16GB unlocked iPhone 4 will set you back $649, while a 32GB version is selling for $749. Both are available in black or white; the black will ship within one to three business days, while the white is available in three to five days, according to the Apple Web site. The benefit of an unlocked phone is that you are not locked into a two-year contract with a particular provider. But it also means that you don't get the subsidized pricing provided by someone like AT&T or Verizon. The same phones with a contract cost $199 and $299."

Comments

Re:Data plan cost the same

[node 3]

I wonder why Apple is offering this if no carrier has an appropriate pricing plan to support it? This is like paying cash for a car and STILL making a payment on it every month. Why?

The short answer is: because people want it.

(it's funny, people bitch about phones being carrier-locked, then act confused when a phone is offered without a carrier-lock)

The longer answer is:

- So you don't have to enter a 2 year contract.
- For use overseas, being able to buy a local SIM instead of paying AT&T's high international roaming rates
- It makes the iPhone more readily available in countries and on carriers which it's not currently sold on

Which is to say, because people want it.

Re:Data plan cost the same

[mspohr]

You can use this phone with an ATT 'pay as you go' plan. You can get calls for 10 cents a minute and buy data ($15 for 100 MB $25 for 500 MB). No contract required.

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phone-plans/pyg-cell-phone-plans.jsp

I don't use the phone part much so my calls are only a few dollars a month. I only use data for email and web browsing so use less than 100 MB a month.

My cost is usually about $20 a month.