14 DAY TRIAL // “Apple iPhone 3G 16GB Never-Locked w/Full Apple Warranty”, reads a post over at Buy.com's site. As 9to5Mac also reports, Buy.com is now offering Apple's iPhone 3G as unlocked, making it possible for buyers to choose services from the likes of T-Mobile, or switch SIM cards on the go. The catch, as usual, is the price you pay for being offered an iPhone that hasn't been unlocked to begin with, particularly $799.
Buy.com dubs its offering as “the never locked iPhone,” while noting (in red writing) that the devices are "Capable of Software Updates!" The retailer states that “Apple iPhones have typically been locked to only use on the AT&T network, so they are not capable of being used on other GSM carriers such as T-Mobile or for overseas travel. Hackers were able to break the software to use the iPhone on carriers other than AT&T, but any connection to iTunes or any software updates provided by Apple lock the iPhone and render it useless,” Buy.com explains.
Needless to point out, the seller is now proud to announce that the iPhone is available “without any locks or restrictions to any GSM carrier,” while “the Apple guarantee is valid for all never-locked iPhones.”
According to Buy.com, those who opt for the unlocked device will be able to connect the iPhone to iTunes and update the iPhone software when the updates are available from Apple, something that sometimes has irreversible side effects on devices unlocked with tools like those provided by the iPhone-Dev Team.
Most importantly, buyers of the unlocked iPhone 3G will be able to purchase apps and games in the App Store directly from their device, while using one of the 30 different GSM carriers all over the US, including AT&T and T-Mobile (although the unlocked phone is also a ticket out of the two carriers' plans). Lastly, Buy.com mentions the ability to use the device with any mobile operator on the globe carrying the iPhone 3G.
Go here to check out this attractive (yet expensive) offer.