You may have thought that Apple’s iPhone goes with a long-term AT&T contract like peanut butter with jelly, but a new report indicates some things may be changing. Several Apple enthusiast sites Monday displayed an image of an internal company memo allowing U.S. customers to pay full price for an iPhone at an Apple Store without having to show an AT&T contract.
However, contrary to some earlier reports, there is no indication that the iPhone is unlocked, meaning the customer will still need to arrange some kind of AT&T service. Customers can buy service plans that don’t obligate them for two years, as the regular AT&T/iPhone deal does.
To ‘All Employees’
Unlocking the iPhone isn’t especially difficult, although Apple has said doing so violates the device’s warranty.
The memo, addressed to “All Employees” at Apple, said customers can purchase an iPhone at a price not subsidized by AT&T and without proof of a contract. The prices are $499 for the 8GB iPhone 3G, $599 for the 16GB iPhone 3GS, and $699 for the 32GB iPhone 3GS.
With a two-year AT&T contract, including a data plan, the cost is $99 for the iPhone 3G, $199 for the 16GB iPhone 3GS, and $299 for the 32GB 3GS. Industry analysts have speculated that Apple would decrease iPhone prices in the not-too-distant future, which could ultimately lower the value of AT&T’s exclusive iPhone deal.
There is a limit of one unsubsidized iPhone per customer per day, and 10 non-contracted iPhones per customer.
Since the unsubsidized phone is still locked to AT&T, the question becomes why would anyone want to pay a high price for an unsubsidized device and still be required to go with AT&T? One answer could be the advantage of getting a shorter-term AT&T contract, and going with another carrier later — if and when Apple authorizes another…