iPhone Buying Methods

[MattyK]

Now with all this speculation on instore activations and the 3g iphone release, What do you guys personally think is going to happen in store?

I have a couple of ideas on what could happen.

1. Apple may allow online purchases, but will not allow a shipping order until you sign up for a contract with Vodafone, Optus, At&t and whoever the provider is. The selling price would be the subsidized prices, remember, just a theory.

2. The apple store will be selling them and unlocking them with any carrier that is supporting the iPhone 3G. eg. Walk into the apple store, walk up to concierge "Hey there, i'd like to purchase a iPhone" Then they would ask you're details, ask you which provider you wish to sign up with, which plan, and if you wish to pay the subsidized price prior to you're purchase or included in your plan.

3. Apple will sell you the iphone at subsidized price and let you walk out of the store with it locked, and you must take it home and unlock it with iTunes to whichever provider you wish.

Anyways those are just my ideas, Post yours!

 

[anim8or]

I am not sure you understand the concept of 'locked' phones....

Apple do not have the authority to unlock a phone without permission from O2, AT&T, etc, that would surely break the contract that Apple have with these companies....?

What i mean by that is it isn't so simple for apple to just assign a carrier to the phone.... plus what would stop the customer from saying a different carrier.... that is the risk that the carriers will not take and im sure that ind of thing is written in length in the agreements apple has with them.

 

[MattyK]

I am not sure you understand the concept of 'locked' phones....

Apple do not have the authority to unlock a phone without permission from O2, AT&T, etc, that would surely break the contract that Apple have with these companies....?

What i mean by that is it isn't so simple for apple to just assign a carrier to the phone.... plus what would stop the customer from saying a different carrier.... that is the risk that the carriers will not take and im sure that ind of thing is written in length in the agreements apple has with them.

That is quite true, but they may possibly have certified carrier worksmen behind the desks? Only then can they find out if you're lyeing about your carrier