Who'd Buy an Unlocked iPhone?!

Not sure you understand what "unlocked" means: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIM_lock. An unlocked iPhone would be able to accept a SIM card from other carriers (e.g. as a Sprint user, I could make phone calls from my iPhone). Unlocking or locking has nothing to do with wifi use.

Sprint is a bad example as they use CDMA technology which does not have SIM cards for their phones... A better example is a TMobile user who wants to get an unlocked iPhone to use it with his TMo SIM.

The only problem with buyimg an unlocked iphone is that there is no sim card used. You activate the phone through itunes, AT&T then will transfer your account info to the phone within a few hours. So I really don't see how one could unlock a phone that doesn't use a sim card in the first place.

olga: why are you writing for business week? You do not understand technology or its applications, that much is obvious.

You fail to understand the value of the iphone and that its emotional connection lie in its ability to do what it does better than other phones...cell manf do not get it and apple has moved the ball...

So it will take some time for people like you to GET IT..by that time apple would have moved the ball even further.

Who wants an unlock phone..about 3/4ths of the world that is used to buying phones and cellular service separately (all GSM users) and the US users that do not care about ATT but want to replace the 5 devices that they are carrying by a single one or people like me who want web access on the move with an experience similar to a notebook.

GET IT? Now please go and return your salary to business week and apologize to them for not adding value.

I would gladly pay $800 for an unlocked iPhone. I am a TMobile user that travels overseas a lot and an unlocked iPhone would be fantastic for me. I absolutely hate AT&T and will never go back to them regardless of the cell phones they offer. An iPhone that I can take world-wide and slip in any GSM sim card is on the top of my list of gadgets to get. It would replace my laptop, ipod and cell phone into one convenient apparatus.

Olga: I agree with the post by "P": Posted by: P at August 1, 2007 03:36 AM

If you have no idea why people would pay for it then, please go back to school and learn about business and the smart tactics that Apple has used to market this product.

who wants to buy it?well,maybe someone who lives outside us, where it isn't available,and needs to be unlocked so it can be used on other networks/providers

ALot of people want unlocked iphones. In America, most people dont use atnt so iphone isnt an option for them. Unlocked iphones enables them to use it with any network. I bought one from Http://www.ebaysweep.com its a new branch off ebay.

Recently bought an iphone from http://www.gameconsolesshop.com which lists all the good ebay auctions so I managed to get an unlocked one for quite a cheap price.

I want one, but not for $800 - I'm goin to wait until they go down in price, I think it's unfair Apple only went with one UK tariff - O2 - their contract is ridiculous - 35 pound for only 200 texts and minutes!! I prefer pay as you go and cannot believe Apple never thought of bringing one out also on Pay as you go. Plus how many times do you change your phone because the network goes expensive, if that happens with an unlocked iPhone you won't have to change your phone. All you'll need is another sim.

I almost always buy unlocked phones so I can hop carriers the instant they lie, mislead or otherwise piss me off. Having the freedom of the middle finger option ends up being cheaper than a low cost phone and being locked in.

Does anyone know exactly what functionality is lost by not being on AT&T? I am on TMob. Also you may be able to put a pay as you go SIM in the phone as well...

...so, I'm an American who travels to the uk on a regular basis, and would love to have something as multi-tasking as an iphone, and I dream of a phone I can take anywhere, and be able to switch from my O2 min.s to my U.S. cell phone company.Now,a question for someone more informed, would an unlocked iphone reject my O2 pay as you go sim card or is this the answer to my mobile dreames? (ohpleaseohpleaseohplease)

I’m right there with you, Marko. AT&T is a horrible provider in many ways. But I refuse to pay $800 for a phone no matter how many cool things it can do. I’ll just sit back, wait until the iPhone situation changes and continue to enjoy my Mac.

This to Olga how did you ever get a job writing for business week, when clearly you don't know what in the hell your talking about. Have you ever heard of a simcard? Guess not!

People in Asia where new phones can easily cost upwards of $1,000 would drop $800 on this.

An unlocked iPhone in Thailand used to cost close to $2000

Gloria really, go and write about handbags and shoes, cuz definetely tech is not strong in you
And I mean that

In Canada the iPhone contracts are outrageous. If you buy an iPhone unlocked you can put in an inexpensive pay-as-you-go SIM and save yourself thousands of dollars a year. You would do this if you used the iphone apps as well as the phone itself.

Well I would say this.. Bringing this article on web is still not bad.. Atleast those who have no clue what unlocking is would know now.. And trust me there are millions who wants to know what unlocking really is and why pay so much extra just to get one!

Thanx to ya all...

I don't believe I'm reading it from BusinessWeek. Either you have no clue of what you're talking about or you work for AT&T part-time.