What phone is worth the most money?

[SLCentral]

Long story short, I'm able to pick up any AT&T phone for the price it costs with a new contract. Since I'm very happy with my Samsung Focus, I want to buy a phone at new-contract price (ex. iPhone for $199, Focus for $99, etc. and resell it immediately.

Is the iPhone still the one with the highest resale value (provided that I jailbreak/unlock it)? If not, what is?

Thanks guys!

 

[kaerflog]

iPhone.
You can JB it but no way to unlock version 4.2.1 right now.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

yes iphone definitely. i was looking on craigslist and the going price for a verizon iphone is about $600

 

[akugami]

Kaerflog is correct in that there is currently no way to unlock (unlock is to make it available on any carrier, jailbreak is to allow unsigned apps) a GSM iPhone 4 on the most recent baseband versions but one is coming as soon as firmware 4.3 is released.

Is it some sort of compensation or special promotion where you can pick up a new phone? Because keep in mind that with any smart phone you're on the hook for a data plan and that's at least $15+tax for two years.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Kaerflog is correct in that there is currently no way to unlock (unlock is to make it available on any carrier, jailbreak is to allow unsigned apps) a GSM iPhone 4 on the most recent baseband versions but one is coming as soon as firmware 4.3 is released.

Is it some sort of compensation or special promotion where you can pick up a new phone? Because keep in mind that with any smart phone you're on the hook for a data plan and that's at least $15+tax for two years.

True, but if you do the math, selling an iPhone basically covers those costs and puts some $ in his pocket.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

why is the data contract an issue. isnt he going to buy iphone, activated it, deactivate it, reactivate his focus and then sell the iphone?

 

[ew915]

Long story short, I'm able to pick up any AT&T phone for the price it costs with a new contract. Since I'm very happy with my Samsung Focus, I want to buy a phone at new-contract price (ex. iPhone for $199, Focus for $99, etc. and resell it immediately.

Is the iPhone still the one with the highest resale value (provided that I jailbreak/unlock it)? If not, what is?

Thanks guys!

a quick look on ebay will reveal the iphone is the king when it comes to resell value

 

[kaerflog]

why is the data contract an issue. isnt he going to buy iphone, activated it, deactivate it, reactivate his focus and then sell the iphone?

No issue.
Lets just say he has the focus which require a data plan already but hes not under contract.
He can just buy the iphone at the contract price, never even have to activate it and just sell it.

 

[SLCentral]

Thanks guys...looks like I'm going to grab the iPhone and flip it.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Leave it pristine and offer to JB if they want it done...

 

[runawayprisoner]

Don't take it out of the box if you don't really need to use it for anything.

A brand-new in-box iPhone sells for probably 3-4 times its contract price on eBay, especially close to 5 times if it's unlockable.

 

[zerocool84]

I know many people that have made money selling their new iPhones.

 

[kaerflog]

Thanks guys...looks like I'm going to grab the iPhone and flip it.

You'll make some money but it wont be that much.
IP4 will sell for $400-$450 on CL.
You'll be lucky to get a net $500 on ebay meaning you need to sell it for at least $550.
IP4 are not desirable right now cause its not unlockable.
I think you are better off waiting till the IP5 comes out and pre-order it.
Then you can probably get $700++ for it.
Or if once they release the unlock for IP4, it will sell easier.

 

[shortylickens]

I heard Paris Hilton put diamonds all over her RAZR.

 

[makken]

with the iPhone 5 set to release in a few months, the demand for the iPhone 4 should fall off sharply pretty soon. depending on how your upgrade schedule is, it may be better to wait a few months, pick up an iPhone 5, then sell it for a considerable markup quickly.

judging from the previous iPhone launches, there should be no shortage of ... umm 'fans' that will gladly pay a hefty amount to have the new iPhone on day 1.

 

[WelshBloke]

They do these on AT&T? :sneaky:

 

[Teknic]

iPhone.
You can JB it but no way to unlock version 4.2.1 right now.

Are you sure about this? My friend gave me an iPhone 3g with 4.2.1 that is working with T-mobile. Maybe iPhone 4 is different though, but I would think it would be the same.

 

[kaerflog]

Are you sure about this? My friend gave me an iPhone 3g with 4.2.1 that is working with T-mobile. Maybe iPhone 4 is different though, but I would think it would be the same.

Yeah, I'm quite sure..........
You're comparing a phone from 2 yrs ago.
I can even show you a IP4 on 4.2.1 and it still doesn't prove that 4.2.1 can be unlocked.
1) You can upgrade the IP4 to 4.2.1 and preserved the baseband on 01.59.00 and it can still be unlocked.
2) Or its a world phone which mean its permantly unlocked.

 

[Teknic]

iPhone.
You can JB it but no way to unlock version 4.2.1 right now.

Yeah, I'm quite sure..........
You're comparing a phone from 2 yrs ago.
I can even show you a IP4 on 4.2.1 and it still doesn't prove that 4.2.1 can be unlocked.
1) You can upgrade the IP4 to 4.2.1 and preserved the baseband on 01.59.00 and it can still be unlocked.
2) Or its a world phone which mean its permantly unlocked.

Wait what?

 

[s44]

Wait what?

If you already had it unlocked, you can maintain that while updating.
BUT
If it was never unlocked/jailbroken, you're SOL.

Anyway, get the Atrix -- comes out TODAY and there's no secondhand glut/Verizon alternative.

 

[shortylickens]

If you already had it unlocked, you can maintain that while updating.
BUT
If it was never unlocked/jailbroken, you're SOL.

Anyway, get the Atrix -- comes out TODAY and there's no secondhand glut/Verizon alternative.

I am not seeing it on AT&T's website.

YOU LIED!

 

[Teknic]

If you already had it unlocked, you can maintain that while updating.
BUT
If it was never unlocked/jailbroken, you're SOL.

Anyway, get the Atrix -- comes out TODAY and there's no secondhand glut/Verizon alternative.

My friend gave me his iphone which had 4.2.1 installed on it, never jail broken, always kept at stock with AT&T. I jailbroke it and unlocked it to T-mobile last week. Again, not sure if the model matters or not, because he had a iPhone 3g, but it was unlocked with 4.2.1 installed and for sure it was never jailbroken previously.

Sorry to derail your thread SL Central.

 

[s44]

I am not seeing it on AT&T's website.

YOU LIED!

Heh. It's only in every AT&T store, Best Buy, Costco, and Wal-Mart (yes, Wally World has the best price).

My friend gave me his iphone which had 4.2.1 installed on it, never jail broken, always kept at stock with AT&T. I jailbroke it and unlocked it to T-mobile last week. Again, not sure if the model matters or not, because he had a iPhone 3g, but it was unlocked with 4.2.1 installed and for sure it was never jailbroken previously.

Yes, the 3G is different. The 4 is the problem.

 

[akugami]

The iPhone 3G and iPhone 4 uses different baseband chips which essentially are the processors that handles cellular communications. So yes, it matters a lot which phone you're using.

The initial batch of iPhone 4's has a baseband version of 1.59.00 with later ones having a higher number. The later baseband versions can't be unlocked.

However, there is a workaround. Some have resorted to updating the iPhone 4's baseband version number to the iPad's version 6.15.00. The iPad and iPhone 4 uses the same baseband chip though not the same version numbers. Since you can't downgrade but you can upgrade baseband versions you can move from the iPhone 4's lower number to the iPad's higher number. There seems to be issues with the GPS when you do this though.

The iPhone 4 is slated to receive an unlock on the 2.10.04 and 3.10.01 baseband version numbers after iOS 4.3 is released.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

However, there is a workaround. Some have resorted to updating the iPhone 4's baseband version number to the iPad's version 6.15.00. The iPad and iPhone 4 uses the same baseband chip though not the same version numbers. Since you can't downgrade but you can upgrade baseband versions you can move from the iPhone 4's lower number to the iPad's higher number. There seems to be issues with the GPS when you do this though.

The iPad shares the same baseband chip as the 3G and the 3GS. You can't put the iPad baseband on the iPhone 4.