Last night I asked what the deal is with the new unlocked iPhones Apple is selling in Hong Kong. Apple is now selling an unlocked version of the iPhone 4S , appealing both to those not keen on a carrier contract and to global businesses that use the device heavily overseas. If you don’t want a multiyear service contract or if you prefer to use a local carrier when traveling abroad, the unlocked iPhone is the best choice,” said Apple on its website. Unlocked iPhone 4 handsets went on sale at the US Apple Store website today, and the prices certainly aren't cheap – $649 for the 16GB model, and $749 for the 32GB model.
IPhone 3G purchased at the Apple Online Store can be activated with any wireless carrier,” it said on the site. The unlocked iPhone 4S starts at $650 for 16-gigabytes. How to unlock iPhone 4 can only be done using GSM iPhone devices.
That was a long-winded explanation, but I wonder if Apple has made the phones available through their website (and not just through their carrier partner in HK) as a part of their bargaining process with the mainland Chinese carriers (i.e., “If you won’t agree to our terms, we’ll just sell unlocked phones directly in HK.”). So, assuming Apple is not interested in selling crippled Wi-Fi-less iPhones to satisfy China Mobile’s demands, but still wants to profit from the enormous Chinese market, selling unlocked contract-free iPhones in Hong Kong is the optimal way to supply the mainland Chinese gray market. Keep in mind that there is a difference between unlocked and contract-free Countries where you can buy iPhone 3Gs both unlocked and contract-free include Italy, Belgium, South Africa, Czech Republic, and Greece.
The interface has the same slick, high end design that Apple fans have come to love, but with even smoother and faster transitions. In addition, an unlocked iPhone allows users to opt out of a multi-year contract; the trade-off, according to Computerworld , is that you won't always get a 3G connection. The unlocked iPhone works only on supported GSM networks, such as AT&T in the U.S. When you travel internationally, you can also use a micro-SIM card from a local GSM carrier.
Unlocked devices allow customers to jump between carriers without being tied to a contract. Htc 7 Trophy Windows Phone7-Wi-Fi Black-8gb-Camera 5mp Unlocked Smartphone. This is more or less how unlocked phones in Hong Kong used to work, through Apple’s carrier partner 3 Hong Kong (Also, there has long been a vibrant market in gray market iPhones in Hong Kong; e.g., here’s a photo from Fredrik Björeman taken in January, showing a kiosk of unlocked (and jailbroken) original iPhones for sale in a Hong Kong gadget market.)
IPhone 3G purchased at the Apple Online Store can be activated with any wireless carrier,” it said on the site. The unlocked iPhone 4S starts at $650 for 16-gigabytes. How to unlock iPhone 4 can only be done using GSM iPhone devices.
The interface has the same slick, high end design that Apple fans have come to love, but with even smoother and faster transitions. In addition, an unlocked iPhone allows users to opt out of a multi-year contract; the trade-off, according to Computerworld , is that you won't always get a 3G connection. The unlocked iPhone works only on supported GSM networks, such as AT&T in the U.S. When you travel internationally, you can also use a micro-SIM card from a local GSM carrier.
Unlocked devices allow customers to jump between carriers without being tied to a contract. Htc 7 Trophy Windows Phone7-Wi-Fi Black-8gb-Camera 5mp Unlocked Smartphone. This is more or less how unlocked phones in Hong Kong used to work, through Apple’s carrier partner 3 Hong Kong (Also, there has long been a vibrant market in gray market iPhones in Hong Kong; e.g., here’s a photo from Fredrik Björeman taken in January, showing a kiosk of unlocked (and jailbroken) original iPhones for sale in a Hong Kong gadget market.)
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