iPhone unlocking, why has the cost increased dramatically?

[Recipe7]

There are various ways to unlock your phone online. I recently had my 5s unlocked for only 2 dollars beginning of October. Now prices range from 50-100 dollars. What is the reasoning behind this?

 

[Recipe7]

So essentially there is only a few ways it can be done at the moment, and someone at the top is getting paid for something only few can do?

 

[Recipe7]

Darn.

 

[BreakingKayfabe]

Out of curiosity, how much did you pay for your phone? At the subsidized price or full retail?

Twice I've bought a 5S for AT&T at full retail in the last few weeks from the online Apple Store. I didn't purchase them unlocked. I purchased them as being for AT&T. Both times I bought at full retail and my devices were unlocked during iTunes activation.

 

[Massie]

Buying at full retail means they're unlocked, even if you buy them with the intent of using them with a certain carrier.

 

[BreakingKayfabe]

Buying at full retail means they're unlocked, even if you buy them with the intent of using them with a certain carrier.

Yeah. I'm just saying that it's weird that when the Apple site says the unlocked version is "not available" then they should just tell you already during checkout that the phone is unlocked if you're checking out at full retail: i.e. A supposed AT&T branded iPhone.

I think what happens is that once you're buying or picking up the phone at the store, it automatically becomes unlocked once they scan a phone being paid in full.

 

[wbkm85]

lol if the iPhone is AT&T branded, shoot me a PM.
i can get them unlocked for way less than this.