Apple Australia today confirmed it was directly selling unlocked iPhone 3GS devices in both the 16GB and 32GB models from its own outlets.
The unlocked 16GB device will be sold at Apple stores for $879 while the 32GB model's price tag has been at $1040, Apple spokesperson Fiona Martin told ZDNet.com.au this morning. Customers can only purchase the phones outright via a credit card purchase, said Martin.
Telstra has also finally released pricing for Apple's iPhone 3GS after the device went on sale overnight. The 32GB or the 16GB iPhone attracts a $0 upfront fee on its $150 per month two-year Phone Plan Ultimate, which offers around 2000 "standard voice call" minutes, 2000 text local messages and 150MB data.
Its lead offer has come in higher than Optus' and Vodafone's equivalent options. Optus has offered the 32GB version for $0 upfront on its $99 "Timeless" plan, which includes unlimited national calls, SMS and MMS plus a 1.5GB data pack under a two-year contract. Vodafone's 32GB $0 upfront offer under a two-year deal has been priced at $114 per month and includes 2GB data, unlimited calls, and text. Vodafone also structured its upfront costs as monthly charges.
Telstra's pricing schedule divided its deals into three categories: phone-only, the Phone Plan Ultimate, and its 3G and Next G Cap plans.
Telstra Customers that want the 16GB 3GS on a $30 per month phone-only plan face upfront fees of $349, while customers on $80 per month face a $49 fee. The total cost over two years for these packages range between $919 and $1969, or $6000 on the $250 per month plan.
For the 32GB 3GS on the phone-only plan, the upfront fee ranges from $549 for $30 per month, which drops to $49 under the $100 per month plan. Total costs over two years for these deals range from $1269 to $2499.
Telstra's 3G and Next G Cap pricing under a $49 cap attract an upfront fee of $395 for the 16GB model or $549 for the 32GB model. At the high end, customers on a $129 per month plan face upfront fees of $50 for the 16GB model and $199 for the 32GB model.
Browsing packs are charged separately, ranging between $5 per month for a 5MB allowance, $59 for 1GB and $119 for 9GB. If a pack is not chosen, data is charged at $2 per MB.
Telstra has also outlined a number of other packages.
"The unlocked 16GB device will be sold at Apple stores for $879 while the 32GB model's price tag has been at $1040, Apple spokesperson Fiona Martin told ZDNet.com.au this morning. Customers can only purchase the phones outright via a credit card purchase, said Martin."
This statement is incorrect according to both Apple Technical Support and information received from my local Next Byte store (Apple Premium Reseller).
Apple and Next Byte have both stated that the $1040 32GB iPhone 3GS will be locked to a carrier, and the purchaser will need to contact the carrier to have the device unlocked.
I was hoping if you could kindly correct this information so it doesn't mislead other readers.
Thanks!