One iPhone to rule them all?

[KidKid99]

I know that this might seem like a silly question. But I was just wondering about this for some time after I watched Apple's Keynote.

The iPhone 4S is going to be a GSM/CDMA world phone. Does that mean I would be able to go to any carrier to purchase the new iPhone 4S and activated my carrier.

Say if I walked into an AT&T store to buy an iPhone 4S for Verizon.

Also side note, I haven't heard if Apple going to have this phone unlocked in the US Market or not.

 

[Alli]

Judging on past experience, you will never be able to walk into an AT&T store to get a phone to activate on Verizon. You would be able to walk into an Apple store for that, though.

Since the 4 is available unlocked in the US through Apple, I see no reason why they won't offer the 4S unlocked.

 

[Jellotime91]

Apple is saying on their site that any phone purchased through the Apple Store is unlocked, or at least that's what I gather from their usual semi-cryptic text (and maybe that's just the Canada site since literally everyone has the iPhone here).

But if you purchase from any carrier, rest assured it will be hard locked to that carrier.

 

[anon(4698833)]

This is like the 4th thread with this same question...and for the life of me i can't see why, because this is certainly not the first "world" phone to be released to the masses, and every other world phone that carriers had still were locked to the specific carrier you bought it from unless it was an unlocked variant, which you plainly paid more for...

Why is this confusing to people? Does common sense not kick in to tell you that there is no chance...ZERO...that you would walk into a store, buy a phone under contract price with them and receive a factory unlocked phone to use on any carrier...lol.

I dunno, maybe i assume too much from society...i'd just HOPE that people would not be that oblivious to reality.

 

[sting7k]

"The iPhone model you purchase is subject to your wireless service provider?s policies, which may include restrictions on switching service providers and roaming, even after conclusion of any required minimum service contract." -Apple fine print.

If you get an iPhone at the subsidized price it is going to be carrier locked to which ever carrier you choose. It is 100% certain. AT&T (or Verizon or Sprint) are not going to sell you a subsidized phone from any retailer unlocked, it will never happen; ever.

"For those who are not qualified customers, are not eligible for an early upgrade, are purchasing an unlocked iPhone (for supported GSM wireless service provider networks only), or wish to buy an iPhone as a gift, see your carrier, an Apple Retail Store Specialist, the Apple Online Store, or an Apple Authorized Reseller for pricing." -More fine print