yes. as a matter of fact, the "goodness" of officially unlocked units is amplified multiple times.

yes.

or since you have a friend in the airline industry, you can try settling down for an australian bound iPhone.

they are unlocked officially (from the box) and outright (do not require any contract)

especially beneficial if you do not have any plans to be on the maxis cellular network.

eh dah naik harga meh?

it has always been AUD1040 from the start no?

besides there is no temper flaring up over the allegedly long waiting queues from maxis, if one opts for the australian unit.

1. you don't need to read rumours to know this; if you are genuinely an apple user, a new iPhone generation is imminent next year june/july.

2. the shortage is affecting all networks globally. maxis isn't alone

they are of course, private and confidential.

i would be a rich bloke if i'm privileged to such an information.

generating hype, curiosity and publicity are part of apple's marketing strategy.

anyway, this piece of news should bring you a hint or two? RIP to the man by the way.

China iPhone man commits suicide

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Added on October 13, 2009, 7:51 pmhint: we are currently at the third iPhone generation cycle...

This post has been edited by nokia2003: Oct 13 2009, 07:55 PM

the waiting game will never cease to end if you perceive it that way.

always purchase something that you actually need.

there is almost a good 7 months before the time comes and if you have to succumb yourself to another round of waiting, you might as well not purchase an iPhone.

is there really a need thread for something like this? in addition to that, you are not a new user.

anyway to answer your question, this issue has been discussed before (and also appeared amongst maxis users).

it is not uncommon for other model parts to resurface as a result of apple's policy to refurbish the 3G.

IMHO, it will not take long before seeing this phenomenon occurring to the 3GS generation.

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Added on October 15, 2009, 5:19 pmupdate: even better, if you could check out PeeEl's reply above.

This post has been edited by nokia2003: Oct 15 2009, 05:19 PM

@ buyou12

it depends how much you plan to utilise it on a daily basis.

making/receiving calls and texting are the essential bits of a phone, so we will leave that variables out.

if you intend to use it like daily and rely on it as if it mimics a netbook, opt for the 3GS. you will be surprised every little extra amplifies a long way.

a female friend of mine is keen to get an iPhone too, and judging from her usage pattern and daily life, she is better off with the 3G.

that's my experience as an iPhone user since the first generation.

This post has been edited by nokia2003: Oct 29 2009, 10:29 AM

very likely. if budget is not on your side, opt for the 3G

however please do get an official unlocked unit (from maxis for example) to save yourself from agonising firmware upgrades and network issues.

AFAIK, there is no inventory issues with regard to the 3G.

you can walk in and sign up for one.

yup. to ensure that i ultilise my 3GS at least or approximately one full cycle, i lined up religiously on the day of launch.

yesterday marked my fifth month!

i dare to say it is a scam.

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Added on November 3, 2009, 12:20 pmand it is not normal, especially if it is " fully Unlocked ,sealed in their original boxes with complete accessories from the manufacturer"

This post has been edited by nokia2003: Nov 3 2009, 12:20 PM

i could, however be wrong, of course.

hence it is up to your discretion to purchase it; if you deem it to be fit.

not sure what is SQ, but i would anytime prefer 3G (because of its availability of officially unlocked version) albeit less appealing design and composite material as compared to 2G

not that i can observe/hear any drastic improvement; tried on relatively good earphones and speakers.

can't you google for such a distinctive question?

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Added on November 5, 2009, 1:51 pmand how hard is it to check the first post of this thread itself?

This post has been edited by nokia2003: Nov 5 2009, 01:51 PM

for some reasons (possibly due to circulation of refurbished units) apple has decided not to publish these model/part numbers anymore.

basically, if you restore your iPhone as a new phone and still use any sort of supported GSM sim cards, it is extremely likely, that you are tentatively holding an unlocked unit.

alright then.

as i was pointing out earlier, the best way to determine such an incident is to experiment it by yourself

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Added on November 9, 2009, 9:53 pmyeah, but it is true isn't it?

apple has indeed remove such information from its website

This post has been edited by nokia2003: Nov 9 2009, 09:53 PM

to understand the situation with regard to the iPhone in china better, kindly read this article; How Apple And IPhone Blew It In China

a rather interesting piece

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Added on November 11, 2009, 12:35 amlesson to be learnt; just because you are tentatively holding a precious cargo and attempting to hold it hostage; don't just assume that you will win against the majority, by default

This post has been edited by nokia2003: Nov 11 2009, 12:36 AM

however if warranty does bother you a little, i do suggest getting it from australia.

it is definitely easier to find someone who is flying to australia (due to its nature as a tourist and education hub) and claim it for you