This is especially true since Italy is on the list of countries for the initial rollout; none of the other countries on that list (US/Canada/France/Germany/Spain/Switzerland/UK) currently have unlocked iPhones available at retail. If they do sell the 3GS unlocked, that'll be the earliest available option.Just wondering if the new iPhone will be sold unlocked in Italy and Belgium as in the following years? If so, a trip to Italy might be on the cards!!
As far as I know, the iPhone (and any mobile) is sold unlocked in France, too.
Graefe
does that mean (excuse my ignorance) that i could buy the iphone 3gs payg from a phone company in France and just simply stick my irish meteor sim in it and it will work fine??
if that's true i think i will be doing that!!
A regular, over-the-counter contract iPhone in France will be sold to you locked to the carrier. However, due to French law, it is mandatory to offer an authorized system to unlock the phone upon request.
Within the first 6 months of ownership, it will cost you extra to unlock a phone in France. After the first 6 months are up, you can have the phone unlocked for free.
But if you entered into a fixed-term contract, you'd still be bound by the rest of the terms of the contract even after having your phone unlocked.
Man, I really wish they would sell them unlocked here in the UK. I don't even have a problem keeping a contract with O2, I just want to be able to pop a local SIM in when I'm traveling so my phone is always operational and I don't have to worry about voiding the warranty by unlocking it myself.
Last year I brought my iPhone 3G from TIM in Italy. It's unlocked so I could put my Orange UK SIM in (and my ATT when I go to the US). I will probably do the same again with the 3GS, as I get a great deal from Orange and travel a lot with work.
The only issue is the premium price - I think I paid £400 for the phone (but I brought 12 others and put them on eBay to pay for it!!)
If you buy an unlocked iPhone from another country how does the warranty work?
Both Tim and Vodafone will sell it unlocked from June 19th. Similar prices as for the iPhone 3g are expected (i.e. 499 lower memory unit,599 higher capacity ones).
nothing official yet, but definitely unlocked and a friend of mine told me the prices will be as before, probably 399 for the 8GB 3g, and 499 for the 3g s⃣ 16gb and 569 for the 32gb and not 599, but we'll see in a few days.