[whizkid]

Weeks after the iPhone came out, and days after the price drop I still see so many auctions for iPhones going for much more than you can get it it for from the store or Apple.com. Why?

iPhones are not like other cellphones you've bought that give you a cheaper price if you sign a 2 year contract. The iPhone is $299-$399 no matter what. No contract, 2 year contract, 10 year contract...whatever, thats the price of the phone. You don't even activate the phone in store. You go home and do it anytime you want thru iTunes. Even if you never activate that phone, its still $299-$399. When you finally decide to activate the phone is when you agree to a 2 year contract. Do yourself a favor, go to an AT&T Store or Apple.com for an iPhone and save $$$. Stores and Apple.com still have plenty stock of the 4gb's too. If you can't find it on Apple.com, type it into the search box.

Unlocking...there are many sites showing for Free that give directions and the software needed to unlock you iPhone. This should get easier as time goes by, but right now it's a bit more complicated if your not tech savvy, but there are very good sites & instructions out there to help you. Google it. There's no guarantee that an Apple update won't lock your phone again, this is something to think about when buying an "unlocked" phone too. Also some people have been getting AT&T Prepaid Service with the iPhone. This way you have no contract and pay monthly for a certain amount of minutes depending on you plan. Google it.

If you do unlock it and use another service, you might want to look into a Unlimited Data Plan. The iPhone checks for email and other things thru out the day. If you don't have unlimited Data, or your Roaming this can get very expensive, very fast! There are stories of people going to Europe on vacation and coming home with $3000 bills. Ouch

Good Luck!

[sentient_robot]

Agreed. I guess there's a lot of iMorons out there. Here in Canada people are paying upwards of $700 for the phone.

Some people are just not resourceful at all I guess. They won't spent the extra time to do the research and figure out what's needed.

[Walter Sobchak]

How do you not just go to Apple and buy one online? I suppose if you have no credit card that might be a problem, but I really am surprised Ebay is even successful selling IPhones.

Bought mine for $432.17 afgter taxes online and received it in 3 days.

[BigPete]

They are not availible in Canada. Thats why they are paying such high prices. Usually the phone comes unlocked aswell. So you are paying for that aswell. I have seen them sold as high as 1000 here.

[whizkid]

i bought 8 gb brand new sealed from craiglist for 290 best deal ever made and that even factory sealed and got it unlocked without paying a penny isnt that cheaper or wat u do call cheapest of all.....wat do u think

[fox0r]

You have to keep in mind that there are still a good number of computer/internet stupid people out there who just use their computers for email or whatever. Someone like that is going to have no idea at all on hacking their phone, so they'll pay more for one that's already done.

As for people paying more than $299-$399 for a locked phone.. They're just stupid. All it takes is a phone call to any Apple store to find the current pricing on them.

[im_a_iphone]

buy me ten iphones and sell to me for $399 each + shipping to aus.
if people from o/s want a iphone and its not available to buy in there country from apple other will benefit.

its simple:
Supply And Demand

[bookmark]

Highest i have seen was 1 in Hong Kong, apparently that was the first iPhone unlocked.

USD 2,158

Another even higher was on ebay UK (2 weeks ago too)

USD 2400, i guess some rich arab prince needed that badly

[whizkid]

thats insane he would hav got 8 of them in tht price

[bookmark]

I know. I guess we just have too many rich ppl who don't know how hack things.

[danman227460]

Like people said, its supply and demand. Most people in Canada are content on being ignorant and paying more for the phone while some aren't. Some people feel its more of a convience to find a phone already unlocked and are willing to pay extra for it. Some people do not have the means to get an iphone. I am planning a trip to Buffalo to pick one up but if I didn't have access to a car, that would be impossible to plan. So it all depends on your situation. Some people are more resourceful and can get it cheaper while some have lots of money and can pay whatever the asking price is.

[aziatiklover]

they r still high because of the high demand other than the state plus some ppl dont know how to unlock the iphone.

[yowiphone]

Yeah i agree i don't get why dome people pay $800+

[ojx]

well the first time i bought the iphone at the apple store, i bought it for 600 (first day when it came out) and sold it for 800 to someone on ebay. then about a month back, i bought it from a store that my friend owns and he sold it to me for 370 brand new no tax in wrapping with a tmobile sim card with 1500 min, unlimited n/w, text, and total internet plan =D

[Amosrock]

got mine for 360 plus tax ;-D benefits of being an employee of the deathstar