buying iphone 4 without a contract

[vshah]

Is it possible to just walk into an apple store and buy an iphone 4 at full price without signing up for at&t service?

how would one activate the phone in this case?



(my dad wants to get one for a friend of his in india. the friend would take care of the unlocking etc.)

 

[murphy55d]

I think you just walk in and as for an off-contract one. I'm pretty sure they're $699 tho.

 

[jalaram]

If you know someone in Canada, you can also buy a new factory unlocked version.

 

[vshah]

I think you just walk in and as for an off-contract one. I'm pretty sure they're $699 tho.

sweet, just wanted to make sure that worked so I didn't end up arguing with some apple store guy. i think it's 599 for the 16gb and 699 for the 32.

thanks

 

[Pliablemoose]

What are you up to vshah?

I've been considering getting an ip4 and putting my iPad sim in it, am using a 3G like that now...

Edit, whoops, just re read your post.

Just send it to India the way it is, let the friend unlock/jailbreak it.

Or do this: http://www.redmondpie.com/unlock-iphone-4-ios-4.0.1-4.0-with-ultrasn0w-how-to-guide/

 

[vshah]

What are you up to vshah?

I've been considering getting an ip4 and putting my iPad sim in it, am using a 3G like that now...

it's for my dad's friend in India. I don't step into an apple store unless I absolutely have to :awe:

 

[Pliablemoose]

it's for my dad's friend in India. I don't step into an apple store unless I absolutely have to :awe:

I edited my previous post, see link for unlocking/jailbreaking

 

[vshah]

I edited my previous post, see link for unlocking/jailbreaking

yeah, there are dudes in little shacks in the markets in india who can unlock it, so i'll let the friend deal with it. he did the same for a 3gs last year.

 

[jpeyton]

You can buy mint condition 16GB IP4s for $500 on CL, even less if you look hard enough.

I paid $425 for my 32GB IP4.

They aren't "rare" anymore. You can find tons of mint used ones on the second-hand market.

 

[vshah]

You can buy mint condition 16GB IP4s for $500 on CL, even less if you look hard enough.

I paid $425 for my 32GB IP4.

They aren't "rare" anymore. You can find tons of mint used ones on the second-hand market.

if i was buying for myself that's the route i'd go, but this guy want's a new one.

 

[jpeyton]

if i was buying for myself that's the route i'd go, but this guy want's a new one.

Don't new ones all ship with 4.1?

 

[vshah]

Don't new ones all ship with 4.1?

not sure...does that make a difference for unlocking?

 

[kaerflog]

I don't know what people are telling you but 4.1 aren't unlockable right now no matter what was told to you.
Updating to 4.1 also update the baseband and theres no unlock for the newer baseband.
Unless someone preserved the baseband when they updated to 4.1, no way to unlock it.
They dev team are saying that will wait for 4.2 before they do anything about unlocking.
Your dad's friend will be getting a very expensive ipod touch in the meantime

 

[vshah]

thanks for the info re: unlocking...i'll pass it along.