Unlocked Phones
Wireless companies subsidizing smartphones has generally been how business is conducted ever since the first iPhone was released "locked" on AT&T's wireless network. It makes sense: without a subsidized price, smartphones are prohibitively expensive for most consumers, and wireless companies get to sell an incentive to get or keep customers on two-year contracts.
After a lot of consumer and political pressure has built up, the Federal Communications Commission has issued an official letter telling the wireless industry to allow for unlocked mobile devices or face the consequences.
Americans should be able to use mobile devices they bought on whatever networks they choose. That's what the White House believes, as it filed a petition to the FCC on Tuesday, requesting that the federal regulatory agency "immediately initiate the process of setting rules" that will allow consumers to unlock their devices without fear of punishment.
The Sony Xperia Z is slated for release on T-Mobile soon, but impatient customers can buy one directly from the Sony online store for $629.99.
The HTC One 64GB Developer’s Edition and 32GB unlocked model have been delayed once again, this time until the end of April.
Two HTC One special editions will be back in stock on Apr. 23 on the HTC website, after they sold out last week due to high demand.
An unlocked 32GB GSM version of the HTC One is now available for pre-order for $574.99.
All the focus lately has been on the BlackBerry Z10 smartphone just hitting the U.S. market. But the QWERTY keyboard-enabled Q10 is on the way, and it will be available unlocked in the U.K. on Apr. 26 for £529.98.
Customers in Europe impatient to get their hands on the Samsung Galaxy S4 can now pre-order the 16 GB version of the phone from Amazon for €649.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 is now available in the UK from Unlocked Mobiles for an unsubsidized price of £529.98. Pre-orders are open and the phone will be released on Apr. 26.
The BlackBerry Z10 will be available through Verizon Wireless in the United States on Mar. 28. Pre-orders are open now on the Verizon website.
Aas European retailers slash prices on the BlackBerry Z10, the unlocked version has also gotten cheaper, dropping to $749, down from $999.
White House's Director of International Cyber Security as responded to the offical petition concerning the recent outlawing of unlocking cell phones.
Can’t wait for the waterproof, slim and sleek Sony Xperia Z smartphone to hit the United States? Now you don’t have to.
While a controversial ruling by the Library of Congress has made unlocking smartphones illegal in the United States, Canada is moving to require carriers to unlock phones.
