Used 1st Gen iPhone prices will go up...

[MisterEd]

It seems that the 3G iPhone will not realistically be unlockable - as activation will be required in-store, it'll be pretty much impossible to get your hands on one in the first place let alone jailbreak / unlock it!

The 1st Gen iPhone will be running exactly the same software (2.0), and the only real features it won't share with the 3G are, well.. 3G and GPS, both of which a lot of people don't need.

Therefore I can see - if the 2.0 sofware can be unlocked - that prices for used iPhones will stay pretty high, and perhaps even increase.

Just a tip: Don't get rid of yours yet while everyone's throwing them around, there will be much more demand for them in a couple of months or so

Ed

 

[thor79]

The "only in store" stuff is for launch....they just want to hook all the early adopters for the phone into a new contract. I'm sure they'll be available online and without contracts no later than 2 weeks after launch. So maybe for that period of time between launch and when they are available without a contract...the prices will increase...but after that look for them to drop.

 

[mhuk01]

not true - if people in the US weren't so short sighted they would realise that O2 are offering the iphone through their website, meaning activation will be at home. Therefore it will be available to unlock.

Isn't it just great that the UK have a better deal when it comes to apple for once?!!!!!

 

[acearchie]

At mhuk01

Yes but surely they will only let you buy it online if you agree to the contract and therefore begin paying atleast £30 a month for 18 months!

 

[Aravintht]

my plan is to buy two on pay as you go o2 uk

then bin the sims

put it my current o2 sim, and it should work as it has already been activated, if not wait for the hack to be posted

hack the second one and make some $$$/£££/€€€

 

[01jamcon]

It seems that the 3G iPhone will not realistically be unlockable - as activation will be required in-store, it'll be pretty much impossible to get your hands on one in the first place let alone jailbreak / unlock it!
Ed

Uhm, maybe in the US, but in other countries (UK, France, Germany) the iPhone will be on sale on pay-as-you-go, aka unlocked, so as to your theory of 1st gen iPhone prices going up, unlikely, and certainly only in the US where you are being a bit more locked in by AT&T.

 

[marksman]

At mhuk01

Yes but surely they will only let you buy it online if you agree to the contract and therefore begin paying atleast £30 a month for 18 months!

Yeah this is what I don't think some understand. Even if some countries offer it online initially, or eventually like might happen in the US, strong indications are you will still contract to activate it within 30 days and if you don't you will have to pay a stiff penalty which will likely be billed to your credit card.

Which of course you could then dispute, and have it go to collections and become a mark on your credit report.

 

[edesignuk]

Yeah this is what I don't think some understand. Even if some countries offer it online initially, or eventually like might happen in the US, strong indications are you will still contract to activate it within 30 days and if you don't you will have to pay a stiff penalty which will likely be billed to your credit card.

Which of course you could then dispute, and have it go to collections and become a mark on your credit report.

Some don't seem to understand that in countries offering PAYG models there is no contract.