Apple Once Again Selling Contract-Free iPhones in U.S. Without Proof of AT&T Service
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
ceilingcat
macrumors newbie
Teh Don Ditty
macrumors G4
so it's $199 + $175 + $36 + $70 = $480?
Still a little cheaper than $599...
Don't forget tax on the purchase of the phone and on the wireless bill... unless you live in a tax free state or in Europe.
Well, I can see a number of reasons to buy one like this.
1) You develop software for iPhone, and you want a 3GS model with video camera, compass, etc, to test with. (no need to ever activate on AT&T)
2) You left your 3GS on the airplane last week at SXSW, and need a new one.
3) You want to get a 1 year plan, instead of the required 2 year plan with the subsidized phone.
4) You have WiFi at home, work, campus, and on the train for your commute. No need for AT&T (with Skype, etc) and you want the Video, Autofocus, Compass & GPS, that the iPod Touch doesn't have.
5) You're going to get an AT&T 2G plan with Edge Only Data. Or you want a "0G" plan, with voice only at $9 a month.
I already own a first generation iPhone, but I'm thinking of getting a 16GB 3GS for reasons 1 and 4...
ChrisD34
macrumors newbie
This is the exact scenario I am in. I need an iPhone to develop on but I do not want the commitment of the AT&T contract. For the development project I need the camera and the GPS (so the iPod Touch is out). Can I use this device for development (e.g. will the GPS chipset work without AT&T activation, will the phone keep asking me to activate, etc.)?
Little clarification to those asking… Unlocked ≠ Jailbroken. Jailbraking and unlocking a phone are two different things.
Someone might jailbrake to unlock but there are situations when one can legally unlock. And in that case the phone’s IMEI is added to Apple’s list of unlocked phones so iTunes knows it is… one can reset all they want.
Someone might jailbrake to unlock but there are situations when one can legally unlock. And in that case the phone’s IMEI is added to Apple’s list of unlocked phones so iTunes knows it is… one can reset all they want.
ceilingcat
macrumors newbie
True, but if you have to pay tax on that, you would have to pay tax on $599 too. So the saving is $121 + tax, instead of just $121
winninganthem
macrumors 6502a
Thanks very much for this
Chris,
The GPS question is easy.
GPS is independent of the Cellphone / Cellular Radio. When you use the location services API, the order the device uses is WiFi > Cellular > GPS due to response time. WiFi and Cellular are pretty fast, while it takes a moment for any GPS system to get a lock from a cold start. The device will give you a location, and then continue refining the location as long as the location service is active. If either WiFi or Cellular is off, it will skip that system. You'll absolutely get a location back even with the cellular radio powered off.
I can't answer the other question with 100% certainty.
I've done development on "blank" phones without SIM cards and had no issues with XCode/Organizer updating the OS, and debugging apps. This makes me think it will work.
That said -- I have never pulled a brand new phone from the box and tried to load a program on it on first power up. Can any developers out there confirm this for us?
Thanks!
A friend of mine says, "No, you must activate a new phone before you can use it for development."
There are a lot of threads in the iPhone section of the forums that talk about every imaginable way to activate an iPhone, so I won't go into them here. All the phones I've played with had been activated in the past, so I never had to deal with this issue.
billmister
macrumors 6502
the employee that posted that is looking to get fired to never work for apple again. Can't wait until they catch the person
Gizmodo shares an internal Apple document revealing that the company's U.S. retail stores will now sell unsubsidized iPhone 3G and 3GS models without requiring proof of an existing AT&T service plan.The contract-free iPhones, which reportedly will be sold locked to AT&T's network but can easily be unlocked for use on other GSM networks, are being offered at $499 (8 GB iPhone 3G), $599 (16 GB iPhone 3GS), and $699 (32 GB iPhone 3GS). Such unsubsidized, "device only" iPhone sales have been available for some time, but until this change customers were required to provide evidence of existing AT&T service.
Apple and AT&T offered similar deals for contract-free iPhones in the U.S. around this time last year as Apple presumably sought to unload excess inventory ahead of a refresh later in the year.
Article Link: Apple Once Again Selling Contract-Free iPhones in U.S. Without Proof of AT&T Service Required
Sounds like liquidation. New iPhones mean new OS's.
Exactly I dont see a big iPhone upgrade interms of hardware but i think 4.0 OS will be huge.
eseminario
macrumors member
wow help!
can somebody tell me where can I buy a $699 (or so) factory unlocked 32 gb 3gs?
I see now that apple sells iphones without AT&T contract but they are still locked?
can somebody tell me where can I buy a $699 (or so) factory unlocked 32 gb 3gs?
I see now that apple sells iphones without AT&T contract but they are still locked?
There are a few countries where Apple sell them factory unlocked (because of legal reasons). Hong Kong is one. I think Germany is another. But good luck with finding one in the US. Used on ebay is probably your only option...
Germany is not one of them.
Other countries are Italy, Belgium, Czech Republic, France and many more.
ThomasJL
macrumors 68020
What a horrible, anti-consumer move by Apple! "Contract-free" does not mean "unlocked." The phone is still locked to AT&T.
What the Hell is the point of paying full price for a phone that is still locked? Why? So I can have the privilege of not being able to use a local SIM card in whatever country I travel to, and instead, pay AT&T for both international long distance AND international roaming???
What the Hell is the point of paying full price for a phone that is still locked? Why? So I can have the privilege of not being able to use a local SIM card in whatever country I travel to, and instead, pay AT&T for both international long distance AND international roaming???
jb510
macrumors regular
ROTFLOL.... Massive writter fail. Seriously? you check you rumors better than you news reports.
I hope...
I hope T-Mobile USA Gets the iPhone. The only thing thats stopping me from getting one is that I have to use sorry assed EDGE and Jailbreaking it. My HTC Touch Pro 2 is getting the job done right now, but with the impending launch of WM7. Devs left and right are abandoning WM 6.5. HURRY UP T-MOBILE AND GET US THE IPHONE INSTEAD OF CRAPPY-ASS ANDROID PHONES!!!! I'm sure the exclusivity agreement between att & apple has expired by now! (maybe?)
I hope T-Mobile USA Gets the iPhone. The only thing thats stopping me from getting one is that I have to use sorry assed EDGE and Jailbreaking it. My HTC Touch Pro 2 is getting the job done right now, but with the impending launch of WM7. Devs left and right are abandoning WM 6.5. HURRY UP T-MOBILE AND GET US THE IPHONE INSTEAD OF CRAPPY-ASS ANDROID PHONES!!!! I'm sure the exclusivity agreement between att & apple has expired by now! (maybe?)
No iPhone 4?
Hong Kong Apple Store lists the iPhone 4 as unavailable but you can buy a 3GS. The prices are sick!
I wish I could legally buy an unlocked iPhone 4. Need to use it in different countries with different sims.
Hong Kong Apple Store lists the iPhone 4 as unavailable but you can buy a 3GS. The prices are sick!
I wish I could legally buy an unlocked iPhone 4. Need to use it in different countries with different sims.
LightSpeed1
macrumors 6502a
That's good news.
