Purchase off contract iPhone?

[kapalua12]

I was told by Apple that they have an agreement with ATT, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile to hold off on selling official factory unlocked phones, so that they can push contract sales first. According to Apple, the unlocked one's will be out approx. 2 months from the official release.

Well then it would seem that Apple Stores are "bending" their own agreements and selling unlocked, contract free phones to some customers now.

Is this only when we buy a contract bound phone and return it the next day only to repurchase it immediately as an unlocked contract free phone?

 

[Nothlit]

Now I'm going to figure out how to open this sim card tray...

Use a paperclip?

 

[ET iPhone Home]

Well then it would seem that Apple Stores are "bending" their own agreements and selling unlocked, contract free phones to some customers now.

Is this only when we buy a contract bound phone and return it the next day only to repurchase it immediately as an unlocked contract free phone?

It's all too confusing. I was just PM'd (private messaged) by someone here stating that a T-Mobile 5S purchased from Apple is unlocked, yet a T-Mobile 5S purchased from T-Mobile is locked. I don't understand. I get that you can elect to finance a 5S from T-Mobile, but if you pay full price for it (whether it be T-Mobile or Apple), it should be unlocked period.