Can I buy my iPhone at the Apple Store ?

[duplessisn]

Hi dear Iphone lovers!

I'm thinking about getting an iphone 3G at an Apple store but I am not sure of the following:

- Can I get it at the Apple store without having to subscribe an O2 contract?
(understand buying it at the app store and jailbreak it straight away)
- Can I jailbreak it if it hasn't been used at all? (not used on an O2 network)
- Will the warranty still be valid if I restore the iPhone via itunes?

Sorry if these are stupid questions and thank you for your help

Nick

 

[Vandam500]

1. No, you have to get it with a contract. There is no way around this unless you buy it unlocked online or anywhere else.2
2. Yes, you can jailbreak it if it hasn't been used.
3. Apple says jailbreaking voids your warranty, but yes if you do a complete restore then there will be no trace of the jailbreak and your warranty should be fine.

 

[jmann]

Your best bet to find buy one would be to look on craigslist and buy it local. You might be able to find a good deal. That is how I got mine.

 

[john316]

You can just buy it PAYG from O2 stores or the Carphone Warehouse without a contract.

 

[SFStateStudent]

Are the activation rules different for O2 than the AT&T? I know Europe has many factory unlocked 3G iPhones in different countries...

 

[sparkyms]

You can get a pay as you go iPhone 3G at Apple Stores now, but that will set you back 342 and 392 respectively for the 8 and 16 gb models.

Jailbreaking is fine

Warranty will be intact if you restore and then go to apple.

 

[duplessisn]

Thanks all for your useful replies !

I guess I'll just go to the apple store and get a PAYG one (I dont mind the high price) and then unlock/jailbreak it with WinPwn.

do you reckon this is technically feasible with a PAYG iphone from the Apple store ?

thanks

 

[sparkyms]

It's not as easy as using WinPwn to unlock it.

You'll need to jailbreak it (hope it has firmware 2.2 on it, if it has 2.2.1 you're SOL), and then install Yellowsn0w to unlock.

Remember you can only do this if it has the 2.2 baseband. If not, can't.