When can I purchase an ATT phone w/o contract?

[iqwertyi]

As the title says:
When can I go to an Apple store and purchase an ATT phone without contract?

I'm assuming an ATT phone without contract will cost less than an Unlocked phone.

Long story:
I am still under contract.
If I purchase the 4S I would need to pay $250 on top of the contracted price.
To me, it would make more sense to buy one without contract, and sell mine to my friend. That way, my contract is not renewed (Yeah, I'm waiting for a new one next year) and I pay about the same as a contracted one.

for example:

$300 for 32 GB
+$250 for fees
=$550 out of pocket, plus two year contract.

or

$700 for 32 GB (I'm guessing this is the price for no contract)
-$300 (selling my 4)
=$400 out of pocket, AND NO CONTRACT.

so...
Any ideas when I'll be able to pick one up? (assuming it's in stock).

Thanks!

oh, and no, pre-orders wouldn't allow me to buy one without contract.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

AT&T non-contract price is the same as unlocked price. Sucks, but true.

Theoretically you can buy one from AT&T non-contract starting on Friday, but if you're going to pay that much, it would benefit you to wait a month and get an unlocked instead for the better resale value.

 

[iqwertyi]

Ah! Didn't know the prices were going to be the same.
I thought ATT was going to be $50-$100 less than the unlocked version.

Yeah, in that case, I'll just wait till November to purchase the unlocked one.
Thanks.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

One other point, in your calculations in the original post you account for selling your current phone in one scenario, but not in the other. Either way, you can sell it - so your out-of-pocket comparison is apples vs. oranges.

 

[NorfolkMustard]

come over and visit an apple shop in Blighty on Friday and you can take one (unlocked iP4S) back with you.

 

[MacManTexas56]

As the title says:
When can I go to an Apple store and purchase an ATT phone without contract?

I'm assuming an ATT phone without contract will cost less than an Unlocked phone.

Long story:
I am still under contract.
If I purchase the 4S I would need to pay $250 on top of the contracted price.
To me, it would make more sense to buy one without contract, and sell mine to my friend. That way, my contract is not renewed (Yeah, I'm waiting for a new one next year) and I pay about the same as a contracted one.

for example:

$300 for 32 GB
+$250 for fees
=$550 out of pocket, plus two year contract.

or

$700 for 32 GB (I'm guessing this is the price for no contract)
-$300 (selling my 4)
=$400 out of pocket, AND NO CONTRACT.

so...
Any ideas when I'll be able to pick one up? (assuming it's in stock).

Thanks!

oh, and no, pre-orders wouldn't allow me to buy one without contract.

how come you would sell your current phone in the 2nd scenario but not the 1st??

 

[iqwertyi]

Reason for not selling the second phone (4S) in the calculation is that I like to keep it as a collection.

I kept my 3G (still with packaging)
I did miss out on the original iPhone (my brother has one).

I just want one of each design, not necessarily ALL of them.

So, just sentimental value, nothing more

I guess, somewhere down the line, I'd like to keep a display with the iPhone's throughout the years.

I do wish I was in Europe where I can just pick up an unlocked one right away.

Now, I do hear reports that the US Unlocked versions are only GSM? But if I buy an ATT with no contract, will that be GSM and CDMA capable? Not that it makes a huge difference to me since I'll be ATT anyway. Just thinking out loud.