Hong Kong’s online Apple Store has started selling unlocked iPhone 3Gs! To my knowledge, its the only Apple Store to be doing that. Not cheap though!
The 8GB is HK$5,400 (SG$990) and the 16GB is HK$6,200 (SG$1,133). Ouch. Shipping is free, and its supposed to ship “within 24 hours”.
The site says: “iPhone 3G purchased at the Apple Online Store can be activated with any wireless carrier. Simply insert the SIM from your current phone into iPhone 3G and connect to iTunes 8 to complete activation.”
So it seems like Three’s exclusive deal for the iPhone 3G lasted just 2 and a half months, since it was first launched here on July 11. And it seems like Three has sweetened their iPhone plans with “free unlimited wifi“. And all this happening right after the G1 launch. Hmm.
Just in case you didn’t already know, Apple’s warranty for the iPhone 3G is local only – “Warranty service is restricted to the country where Apple or its authorized distributors originally sold the iPhone.”
Hey Alf, want one?

Seems like a good deal, letting people choose their own operators. Compared to the ahbeng price of $1,400 at Sim Lim, Apple’s S$990 also makes it attractive when put next to competitors like the Samsung Omnia and HTC Touch Diamond.
Now you wonder how long SingTel’s gonna have this exclusivity for… and when the market would be flooded by it… but one thing hasn’t changed – i still don’t want one!