Apple is set to release the iPhone 4 this Friday in 17 more countries including Canada. The iPhone 4 will be available in Canada and other parts of the world unlocked for use with any carrier.
Customers will be able to walk into any Apple Store on Friday and pick up an unlocked, contract-free iPhone 4 and be able to shop around from the big three carriers and select which plan suits their needs. Rogers, Telus and Bell will all be selling the iPhone 4 this Friday, including Micro-SIM cards for $5 to $10 each, so users will be able to use pre-paid contracts with their device as well.
Customers in the United States are restricted to using one carrier, AT&T, which has an exclusive contract with Apple to carry the phone. The iPhone 4 is sold locked in the U.S., while their neighbours to the north will be able to choose from any of the available carriers in Canada. Apple might try and prevent hackers in the U.S. from trying to unlock their devices, but recent law changes insist that unlocking or jailbreaking the iPhone is now considered legal.
Apple launched the iPhone 4 on June 24 in US, France, Germany, UK, and Japan and will be releasing it in 17 more countries including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
It's likely Apple delayed the launch in Canada to prevent customers from crossing the border and purchasing an unlocked iPhone 4. None of the major carriers in Canada have officially released pricing, but according to CBC, the iPhone 4 16GB will retail for $659 while the 32GB will cost $779 CDN.
Despite the antenna problems with the phone, they don't seem to slow down the 1.7 million consumers from purchasing the device so far.
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