I cant wait to see how many people switch carriers once other carriers get the iphone. Also, I just don't see why apple can't sell the stupid phone unlocked in the usa, They could stop going through a middle man
because its how the american cell phone market works. Unlocked phones have historically never sold well here in the USA.
8/10 customers will take a subsidized phone with a contract over a full-price "unlocked" phone...on top of this carriers here will then charge you additionally for a SIM card (or at least they used to)
The only way for a phone carrier to subsidize sales on a phone (usually...there are exceptions...such as with the razr) is to offer a exclusivity agreement...at least at the phones initial launch.
There are pros and cons to this across the board. But thats just the way things here work in the states.
Why would they sell a phone unlockled that would only work on AT&T. No other major carrier uses the same band for data that the iPhone uses. Verizon and Sprint are CDMA and TMobile's 3G uses a different frequency. An unlocked iPhone in the US would be for calls only on Tmobile.
The reason that unlocked phones don't sell well here is that you STILL have to sign a 1-year or 2-year contract to switch carriers (at least to ATT or Verizon). So it doesn't do any good to buy a phone off ebay or anywhere else without a contract because you're losing that subsidy money.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
I cant wait to see how many people switch carriers once other carriers get the iphone. Also, I just don't see why apple can't sell the stupid phone unlocked in the usa, They could stop going through a middle man
because its how the american cell phone market works. Unlocked phones have historically never sold well here in the USA.
8/10 customers will take a subsidized phone with a contract over a full-price "unlocked" phone...on top of this carriers here will then charge you additionally for a SIM card (or at least they used to)
The only way for a phone carrier to subsidize sales on a phone (usually...there are exceptions...such as with the razr) is to offer a exclusivity agreement...at least at the phones initial launch.
There are pros and cons to this across the board. But thats just the way things here work in the states.
Why would they sell a phone unlockled that would only work on AT&T. No other major carrier uses the same band for data that the iPhone uses. Verizon and Sprint are CDMA and TMobile's 3G uses a different frequency. An unlocked iPhone in the US would be for calls only on Tmobile.
The reason that unlocked phones don't sell well here is that you STILL have to sign a 1-year or 2-year contract to switch carriers (at least to ATT or Verizon). So it doesn't do any good to buy a phone off ebay or anywhere else without a contract because you're losing that subsidy money.
Sucks.