If you were able to overcome the madness this morning and preorder an iPhone 4, your only option was to get it with AT&T. That’s not the case for our friends across the pond and in Canada, as these users can preorder Apple’s latest smartphone without a contract.
Sure, you can just buy the device outright and not sign up for an AT&T contract but the handset will still be locked. While this can be quickly overcome with a little tinkering, it’s a pain that those in Europe and Canada won’t have to deal with. Canadians can preorder the iPhone 4 directly from Apple (when its site is working, that is) for about $550 and then use it with the carrier of their choosing.
“When you purchase your iPhone from the Apple Online Store, you’ll get it commitment-free. So you can sign up for service with the carrier of your choice and change your carrier at any time,” Apple said.
The unlocked iPhone 4 won’t be available in every European market but it will definitely be available in the U.K. It’s going to cost a pretty penny because there won’t be any subsidies but can you put a price on not signing a long-term deal?
One thing that may irk phone service hoppers is that the new handset from Apple will use the micro-SIM format. This isn’t as standard as the SIM format and some carriers may not offer this yet. Sure, there are hacks to make a normal SIM fit in the new, smaller slot but it’s still kind of a pain.
Apple is using the micro-SIM format for fairly practical reasons though, as the extra space will lead to a larger battery for the iPhone 4. Additionally, that extra space, coupled with making the stainless steel frame the antenna, makes the iPhone 4 one of the thinnest smartphones on the planet.
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