Apple began selling an unlocked version of the iPhone 4S through its U.S. online store on Friday. The unlocked phone can be used on most any GSM-based cell service in the U.S. and abroad.
Unlocked iPhones aren’t restricted to use through a single service provider such as AT&T. The phones are sold without a contract, so users aren’t locked into a multi-year deal with a single carrier.
The iPhone 4S is available unlocked through the Apple website
The unlocked iPhone 4S is also handy for traveling internationally since users can pick up local micro-SIM cards and avoid hefty long distance roaming fees.
That freedom, however, comes at a price. There aren’t any subsidies on unlocked iPhones, which means they cost substantially more than in-contract phones.
The 16GB iPhone 4S costs US$649, the 32GB version is $749, and the 64GB model comes in at $849. Apple doesn’t offer an unlocked version of the CDMA-based iPhone.