Unlocked iPhone

[singtopher]

Posted: 8/10/09 at 7:57pm

I found one of those "trade in your old electronics for cash" stores in SoHo. I believe it's called The Phone Exchange (Broadway and W. 4th-ish.) I have an old laptop and cell phone that I was going to bring down there. I could get cash, but they are worth more in store credit.

Recently, I got a craptacular phone (Samsung Gravity: two thumbs down). I have t-mobile, I share a family plan with my folks, and all in all i'm very happy with them. According to the staff at the phone exchange, if I were to trade in my current phone as well as my ipod nano with the laptop and old phone, i'd have plenty of credit to get an unlocked iPhone.

One friend said that iPhones, whether or not they are "locked", are only compatible with AT&T. According to the iPhone blog, the unlocked iPhones work great with t-mobile service. Another friend made a very compelling argument that if I were to buy the unlocked iphone, I wouldn't be able to bring it to the Apple store if I had issues.

Do any of you have experience with or knowledge of unlocked iphones? I could always stick with my phone, and take the cash (or get an ipod touch).

[yay_gerb]

Posted: 8/10/09 at 9:30pm

i would ask him to show you that it works in the store before you buy it. or instead of googling it, youtube it. maybe there are videos of people using iphones on tmobile.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 8/10/09 at 9:37pm

Once an iPhone is unlocked any and all warranties are null and void. I believe only the first generation iPhones were able to be unlocked.In the later versions Apple made it more difficult.

[singtopher]

Posted: 8/10/09 at 10:33pm

Yeah, SNAFU, if it were to break, I'm totally SOL.

Youtube had several videos with iPhones working fine with T-mobile. There are even more instructing how to unlock one. Possibly I could get the money, but the iphone, then unlock it myself, but the more I read the harder that sounds nowadays.

[Craig]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 12:11pm

t-mobile doesn't offer 3g data - just edge for the iphone.

Many people are using unlocked iPhones with t-mobile without issue.

As for repairs,etc - I'm not 100 positive that Apple wouldn't fix. You could, I believe just pop in a ATT sim card from an older phone of Pay As You Go when you bring it in and you'd be fine.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 12:24pm

^ They can tell. A friend of mine tried.

[Craig]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 1:28pm

1 case doesn't make a rule tho. It's always safer to not. But it never hurts to try. Worst they can say is no - and you're no worse off than before you entered the store...

[Elphaba]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 2:07pm

Verizon is supposed to hae the iphone in January. I do believe you void any ATT iphone warrenty when you unlock.
From what I am being told it is almost impossible to unlock the 2nd or 3rd generation.....and frankly the 1st pales in comparison.

[Craig]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 2:58pm

Verizon will not be getting the iPhone ever - or at least not for a long time. Verizon's network is CDMA and the iPhone works with GSM networks. I don't see Apple completely redesigning their phone that quickly if at all.

It is easy to unlock and jailbreak your iphone 3gs or 3g - there are several sites which walk you through the steps. I don't condone it because, as you said, it violates ATT and Apple's user agreement.

[singtopher]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 3:59pm

Well, it's all a moot point now. I went to the store today with the old laptop and phone and they wouldn't take either back. The phone has a crack in the screen, and the laptop is missing the cover for the wireless card port. Does anyone know of any similar stores in NYC besides that one? I can get about $150 store credit if I trade in my current phone, and ipod, but the un-locked iphones are at least $500.

[IAMWHATIAM]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 4:25pm

There's a store called CeX (I think they have 2 or 3 locations in NYC, one on 8th Avenue in the 50s) where you can ostensibly sell/exchange electronics. I think that you generally get next to no trade in value, can't get cash (even though they say you can, although it would be less than trade in value), and the items they sell are high, under the circumstances, so you'll probably always be going out of pocket. That's just my general sense (my 12 year old son wanted to trade in a brand new Xbox 360 that he won, but we didn't end up doing it because it didn't make sense).

[antonijan]

Posted: 8/12/09 at 5:49am

When is T-Mobile getting the I-Phone?

With the current My Touch, Idk if it would...but I am crossing my fingers.

[Craig]

Posted: 8/12/09 at 8:22am

I doubt they are.. and this just in...

http://www.tuaw.com/2009/08/11/t-mobile-stops-offering-prepaid-sidekick-data-service-to-iphone/