Apple’s iPhone 4S is available to pre-order today, but if you’re ordering in the U.S., you’ll have to purchase it with a commitment from either AT&T, Sprint or Verizon. Those wanting an unlocked device will have to wait until November, and they won’t get a world phone.
After updating its website to begin pre-orders early this morning, Apple also offered information regarding the contract-free iPhone 4S. The device will be “Coming in November” and will start at $649 for the 16GB model. The 32GB model will cost an additional $100 at $749, and the 64GB is $849. Yeah, that’s $250 more than a Mac mini.
Furthermore, unlike those device that are accompanied by a contract, which support both CDMA and GSM networks, the unlocked iPhone is GSM only:
The unlocked iPhone works only on supported GSM networks, such as AT&T in the U.S. When you travel internationally, you can also use a micro-SIM card from a local GSM carrier. The unlocked iPhone 4 will not work with CDMA carriers such as Verizon Wireless or Sprint.
That’s bad news for those of you who stayed up late to pre-order an unlocked iPhone 4S, and even worse new for those of you hoping for an unlocked iPhone 4S to use on a CDMA carrier.
[via The Next Web]
