Apple is now selling an unlock version of iPhone 3G through its online Apple Store in Hong Kong. This arouses much interest in the iPhone communities. A number of news websites or tech blogs such as Engadget, PC World, Wired have coverage on the news. The unlock version of iPhone 3G is selling at HKD$5400 (USD$692) for 8G version and HKD$6200 (USD$795) for 16GB version. As checked out at Apple Store, Apple explains when you plan to purchase the iPhone 3G that iPhone 3G can be used freely with any carrier:
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.
Earlier, iPhone 3G has been available in Hong Kong since mid-Jul but exclusively sold via 3HK, a carrier in Hong Kong. Same as iPhone 3G sold in other countries, you can only purchase it along with 2-year contract with 3HK. As reported by computer magazines in Hong Kong and source from CNet Asia, at that time, iPhone 3G is already unlocked. It can work with any SIM card. But it’s just not a wise decision to buy iPhone 3G along 2-year data plan and use SIM card from other carriers.
From what I know, this should be the first time Apple selling unlock iPhone 3G online. As I checked, Apple Store Online in US, UK, Canada or Singapore does not have such offering. This probably will trigger some Hong Kongers to purchase it and resell unlock iPhone 3G to other countries.
There should be a huge demand for unlock iPhone 3G. As what Apple advertised in Hong Kong online store, “iPhone 3G – Buy directly from Apple. And choose your carrier”. Yes, we all want to choose our own carrier. Hope the unlock version of iPhone 3G will be extended to other markets.
[Image via Apple Store]
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{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for the info. I’m heading to HK next week and would like to purchase an unlocked 3g but I don’t have an address to ship to or a HK credit card to buy it with. Are there any physical apple stores, or do the electronic dealers in Wan Chai have the unlocked 3g for sale with a slight mark-up? And if so, are they trustworthy? Any other ideas for procuring one of these babies if I’m doing a few-day fly-by in the Kong?
Alec, no apple store in Hong Kong. And, I’m not sure if you can buy unlocked iPhone (without joining a HK carrier) through authorized Apple dealer. But you can find quite a lot of electronic/mobile phone dealer in Mongkok or Wan Chai. I’m sure you can buy one during your trip. In case you find any problem searching iPhone during your trip, leave me email.
Hi Simon I brought my IPhone 3G in Malaysia and intent to upgrade to firmware 2.2. How do I confirm whether my IPhone is an unlock version from HK?
Alan, you can check out this support web page from Apple. It lists out the model number for all unlocked iPhone.
Hi Simon,
Are the stores in Mong Kok and Wan Chai grey market ? Are they selling cheaper than the online stores ?
The iPhone sold thru apple online, can it be used using the SIM card from other countries ?
Denny, the one are sold online by Apple is an unlocked one. You can use SIM card from other countries. You may get a cheaper one at stores of Mongkok and Wan Chai. But they are not the official resellers.
hi Simon,i bought my iphone 3g ver2.2 from hong kong,the seller told me that this can be use international,so do i need to jailbreak it?
wayne, the iPhone should already be unlocked. So you can already use other SIM cards. Jailbreak and unlock are not equal. If you wanna learn more about jailbreak, you can refer to this post.
Hi simon,
I was wondering if u’ll have any problems while updating the iphone if u do it in another country? I mean, for example, i buy the OFFICIAL UNLOCKED IPHONE 3G from hong kong, and use it in India, will i have problems updating the firmware which will be released in the future? Moreover are u sure that i can use my current sim card ( a local sim card in India ) in the Iphone 3g? please answer this.. Ive been tryin to find ans to my questions for a long time.. please help.. thanks in advance.. cheers..
@Madhu, if you’re purchasing the unlock version of iPhone 3G, you should be able to use sim card in India. Regarding your question about firmware update, I’ve heard that some iPhone users failed to update the firmware. But they can upgrade the iPhone 3G after jailbreak.
As I already live in Hong Kong, I can’t test the firmware update in other countries. Anybody here can exactly answer Madhu’s question?
Hi Madhu,
My iPhone 3G is a Hong Kong unit and have no problem upgrading to firmware 2.2 in Malaysia.
Last week I have accidently delete the application folder in my iPhone and cos my phone malfunction. I manage to restore it back to 2.2 without go through the unlock process. Trust it is a full unlock version from Apple.
Oh thats cool alan, thanks for your info.. And simon where exactly do u get the officially unlocked phones in hong kong? Is there an apple store where i can drop in and purchase the iphone 3g? And is it OFFICIALLY UNLOCKED or the illegally unlocked phones sold apart from apple stores? I want this to be clearly answered coz i don wanna mess up with my iphone after buying and comin to know its not officially unlocked. Apologies conveyed if this question is being repeated.. And my final question is do u get the same iphone 3g ( the officially unlocked one, like how u get in hong kong ) in taiwan? thanks in advance
There is no Apple Store in Hong Kong. You need to purchase it online via http://www.appleclub.com.hk. But you can also purchase unlock iPhone in Wan Chai Computer Centre or computer store at Mongkok. They also sell unlock iPhone (but may not be the official unlock one).
thanks simon!!! but any idea u get the same in taiwan? where did u get yours by the way?
I bought mine in Hong Kong.
Hi Madhu,
If you refer to Simon earlier post by visiting http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1937 you can confirm whether the iPhone is an official unlocked version by matching the part number on the bottom of the box.
Alan, how did you activate your iPhone bought in Hong Kong? Did you do it in Malaysia with iTunes, or did you have to activate it in Hong Kong?
I’m travelling to HK in Eastern, and am thinking of buying iPhone 3G. I am just concerned about the activation prosess once I’m back home in Switzerland.
Hena
Hi, I love 3G iPhone. I bought my 3G iPhone from Greece last month. It has really wonderful features, I enjoy it. You can contact to good person who can help you out. Here is his email ID zoomobileslimited@gmail.com
Hi Hena,
Apologize for my very late reply. I activate my iPhone with iTune in Malaysia.
You need to ensure the model you purchase is a fully unlocked version from HK. I have a friend brought a non-fully unlocked model which cause lots of trouble.
You can check the model number from http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1937 and compare with the model at the bottom of the box.
Alan
Hi Simon, so did you actually buy the unlock version online via appleclub? I am from Singapore and I would like to buy one. But I am not sure if the SIM card can be used in SG? Currently there is one carrier here and we need to sign on a 2 year plan which we do not want to.
@Wen, it’s fully unlocked. So, it should work with any carrier.
Hi Simon,
You website has really helped me. Thank you.. I’ve got another question for you, I’m planning to go to HK and get the unlocked iphone (perhaps order online and get it sent to my hotel). My question is i hear that sometime when you do a software update or restore or whatever, the phone becomes unlocked again. They do sell an unlocked version in Thailand but the price is higher than in HK. So my question is when you do a software upgrade to 3.0, does it lock itself again? If anyone could help me with this when you have done the upgrade, it would be much appreciated.
Thanks so much
@Pim, the one you can buy from Apple store (HK) is a factory unlocked iPhone. So, even after firmware upgrade, the phone is still an unlocked one.
** i meant the phone becomes locked again….
I have an iPhone brought in HK a few weeks ago which is also unlocked by default. I just upgraded to the latest 3.0 iPhne firmware and after upgrade it was locked. However, after I restart the iTune and let it sync with iPhone again it becomes unlocked…
@Johney
Thanks for the info. So basically what u did was plugged your iphone in and upgrade your firmware. Close itunes, then reopen itunes again and it was fine??? Also since i’m asking, how do you find the performance of it? any lag or slowness? Also does the key board show any delay?? Thanks so much
simon,
how do you exchange the hong kong factory unlocked iphones from apple? since apple does not have a retail store in hk, do you have to send it directly to them? or can you exchange it at their official resellers? or do resellers only handle locked phones? thanks