Unlocked iPhone 3GS on play.com (UK) for £499.99!?

[wpc]

Hello. I have frequented these boards for a long time but have never posted, but just came across something today I thought I would share...

Today I received a notification email from play.com that the iPhone 3GS 16GB sim-free was available for pre-order... so I followed the link and ordered one (listed at £799.99)... upon placing it in the basket the list price changed to £499.99... so I ordered it - I suspect I will receive an email from Play saying the order can't be completed but fingers crossed they don't!

They have since removed the 3GS 16GB from pre-order and it's now listed as coming soon. However, if you follow the link below you can still 'order' one at £499.99

http://www.play.com/HOME/HOME/6-/ShoppingBasket.html?add=10674551&pid=307766

Very odd...

 

[tomwebster99]

Why would anyone pay so much over the odds for one of those when you can walk into an O2 store and get one for much less?

Unlokced I guess but surely that can be achieved if really necessary for £10 down any high street?

 

[wpc]

Agreed - £799 for 16GB and £899 for 32GB is steep (can get a MacBook Pro for that kind of money!)... I only placed an order in the hope that I can get it for the £499.99 (versus £440 on Pay & Go from O2) - I'm not delusional, it's unlikely but worth a try for an unlocked iPhone.

 

[iSimon]

Unlokced I guess but surely that can be achieved if really necessary for £10 down any high street?

You can't unlock the 3GS - at least not yet anyway. For the time being factory unlocked 3GS like these ones from play (that will have been sourced either from Jersey telecom or Italy or another EU country with unlocked handset deals with Apple) will be the only option for those who want a 3GS but use their own SIM from a different network. In time the iPhone dev team may well work out how to network unlock the 3GS, but then it will be back to a continual cat & mouse game with Apple as they incoporate fixes into future firmware upgrades that close off whatever vulnerability is allowing the unlock.

 

[max9]

Good spot there, link is still up and working so I've ordered one too. Considering the 32GB model is £899.99 I reckon it must be a mistake. Still you never know

 

[wpc]

Although it's been 5 hours since I ordered the phone, and the link still works I very much doubt the price is correct and also doubt Play will honour that price given their terms and conditions:

If an error is discovered in the price of the goods that you have ordered, we will inform you as soon as possible. We shall be under no obligation to fulfil an order for a product which was advertised at an incorrect price, if the item(s) has been charged and not dispatched we will cancel and refund your order.

Although my credit card is showing a 'pending transaction' (has to be the phone since I haven't used the card in over a month), the play website still says 'order taken' and given the above we'd be very luck if we got the phones at that price.

 

[wpc]

Another update - the above link now shows a price of £799.99 however my order status says 'pre-ordered' with a price of £499.99... max9 is yours the same and are you still pressing ahead with your order? do you think they'll spot the error?

 

[kAoTiX]

I highly doubt they will let you have it for the original £499.
Like the site says, they are under no obligation to sell it to you at an incorrect price.

Will be funny if you get it though, so good luck!

 

[max9]

Yep mine's down as preordered too. I'm just going to wait and see what happens...

 

[nwlondonlad]

You can't unlock the 3GS - at least not yet anyway. For the time being factory unlocked 3GS like these ones from play (that will have been sourced either from Jersey telecom or Italy or another EU country with unlocked handset deals with Apple) will be the only option for those who want a 3GS but use their own SIM from a different network. In time the iPhone dev team may well work out how to network unlock the 3GS, but then it will be back to a continual cat & mouse game with Apple as they incoporate fixes into future firmware upgrades that close off whatever vulnerability is allowing the unlock.

Good point, I have the 2g iphone and i did the unlock thing courtesy of the iphone dev unlocks but the whole cat and mouse thing is a nightmare. Always holding your breath when your doing an update hoping your phone doesn't get bricked. I think im going for the £900 32gig on play.com

 

[nwlondonlad]

Hello. I have frequented these boards for a long time but have never posted, but just came across something today I thought I would share...

Today I received a notification email from play.com that the iPhone 3GS 16GB sim-free was available for pre-order... so I followed the link and ordered one (listed at £799.99)... upon placing it in the basket the list price changed to £499.99... so I ordered it - I suspect I will receive an email from Play saying the order can't be completed but fingers crossed they don't!

They have since removed the 3GS 16GB from pre-order and it's now listed as coming soon. However, if you follow the link below you can still 'order' one at £499.99

http://www.play.com/HOME/HOME/6-/ShoppingBasket.html?add=10674551&pid=307766

Very odd...

Doesn't work. It says £499.99 but when you sign in and click checkout it shows £799.99 on your existing order. I quickly cancelled the order

 

[wpc]

yeah, the link now shows £799.99. but yesterday it was £499.99. I ordered it and today on my outstanding orders it still says £499.99. I suspect when it comes time to process the order they'll spot the error.

 

[nwlondonlad]

yeah, the link now shows £799.99. but yesterday it was £499.99. I ordered it and today on my outstanding orders it still says £499.99. I suspect when it comes time to process the order they'll spot the error.

Well all the best, it would be great if the order does go through via that loophole. Do let us know tho

 

[AlfaLavala]

Any luck yet?

 

[wpc]

Any luck yet?

The order is still listed as 'Preordered' and due for release on 30/06/09. I'm not sure when they are likely to process the actual order... sometime over the weekend maybe or Monday?! The suspense is killing me. I received a 16GB one today from Apple but I'm leaving it boxed just in case the Play order goes through - finding it very hard!

 

[wpc]

My order is now listed as 'packing'... which means the payment of 499.99 has gone through. how about you max9?

 

[CocoaPuffs]

Soft unlock for standard 3G S is only days away, I would definitely wait.

 

[wpc]

It worked!!

Update on the order... it has gone through! An iPhone 3GS 16GB (unlocked) has now been dispatched at a cost of £499.99. Should get it in the next couple of days.

I'm surprised it's gone through... sadly I've started using my O2 one that I got from Apple since I never thought this Play order would have been successful! I might sell the unlocked one on eBay... they seem to be going for £700-800.

Question... if before selling it on eBay I wanted to open up the packaging in order to see if it had the slightly 'yellow' screen my O2 one has, would that devalue the price it could go for on eBay? If it was less 'yellow', I might hold on to it and return the one I got from Apple/O2.

Thanks.

 

[wpc]

Final Update

I recieved the phone today.
My card has indeed been charged only £499.99.
The phone is indeed an iPhone 3GS 16GB from Italy.

I'm considering selling this on eBay now... hopefully someone will bite. I've grown attached to my O2 iPhone even with its warm/yellow screen... I don't want to risk getting a phone that's in worse shape.

 

[nick9191]

On contract from O2:
£185 for the phone + £35 a month for 18 months

= £815

Why would anyone not pay the extra for £16?

Is an iPhone really worth £799?

 

[wpc]

On contract from O2:
£185 for the phone + £35 a month for 18 months

= £815

Why would anyone not pay the extra for £16?

Is an iPhone really worth £799?

Probaby not... but they are going for £750 - 850 on eBay. Some people I guess want to stay on their current networks or not be tied down to a contract or don't want to switch to O2 or travel a lot and want to be able to switch sim cards... plenty of reasons out there I guess.