They have been doing this in the UK for a while (<a href="http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/shop_iphone/family/iphone" rel="nofollow">http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/shop_iphone/family/iph...</a> £499-599). Is this a particularly revolutionary thing?<p><i>Apple's move, however, will force the carriers to compete for the business of customers with unlocked iPhones, possibly even on a monthly basis.</i><p>I don't buy that somehow. They are pretty expensive (at least here anyway) compared to the currently subsidized prices. Currently I see no real benefit of not getting a contract device for 18 months then getting the free upgrade.<p><i>Customers will only need to buy a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) or micro-SIM, which typically sell for about $10, to switch to a different carrier.</i><p>What about data costs? I know you couldn't do that here because internet access costs would crucify you quickly.
Interesting. Here in eastern europe, unlocked has always been the 'usual' way. Even now, telecos generally go for partnerships with established retailers rather than opening their own chains. Buying a subsidized phone is more of a "I'm already using operator X, might as well get the device cheaper" kind of deal.
Has anyone ever tried to model the benefits of going with an unlocked, contract free phone over one tied to a specific carrier with a fixed contract?<p>I know that a lot of people, here in particularl, find the notion of locked down hardware repugnant, but from a cost/benefit perspective, I have just not seen that much of a problem, personally. I mean, are there usage scenarios with an assumption that you will have continuous approximate service (for the purposes of the iPhone, that would be a voice and data plan) that are common where carrier lock-in is very costly?
Good stuff. I had my iPhone stolen a few months ago and I had to buy a replacement through my service provider (Rogers) as Apple wasn't selling them unlocked at the time. I think, if anything, this will help dispel the feeling I had at the time that I was getting screwed by my provider for the replacement phone cost even if it's actually not the case.
I don't really see a big plus for this, we have 4 big GSM providers Rogers, Telus, Bell, and Wind Mobile.<p>Wind Mobile works off a different spectrum so that doesn't help. Rogers, Telus, and Bell all have almost the exact same plans for the iPhone and if you don't buy the iPhone from them the monthly cost is usually higher not cheaper.
Although this is great for consumer choice, I shudder when I think of all the corporate heads at telecom companies thinking of how to screw customers on this. The phone becomes a sunk cost and companies can then screw us on a higher go-forward price for their service. This is especially true in Canada where the industry is practically a duopoly.