Unlocked iPhone Could Be Coming to U.S.
Written on July 1, 2011 by Douglas R
Few moves by Apple have been as unpopular as the initial decision to offer the iPhone exclusively through AT&T, but one of the lingering effects of that deal comes close. For those who have railed against the service locks on iPhones, CNET reports Apple might finally respond with an unlocked version.
The news was broken by a source on Twitter, @chronicwire, who has released a number of rumors about Apple products recently. CNET advises cautious optimism at the news, since this source has emerged only recently and largely remains an unknown. That said, Apple has little reason not to sell an unlocked iPhone in the U.S., since they are already sold abroad and the company no longer has any type of exclusive contract.
PC World, however, notes that the unlocked iPhone would represent a major change for American consumers who are generally accustomed to lower-cost phones that come attached to a multi-year contract. A 16GB iPhone that costs roughly $200 locked would instead run around $600.
Electronista sees the decision as a way for AT&T to better defend its acquisition of T-Mobile, but Apple has also taken considerable flak for the policy and dealt with a number of customers who inadvertently crippled their own phones.
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