1 Million iPhones Unlocked!

When you buy a cellphone from a service provider it usually comes locked, set to recognize only your carrier's SIM cards. It's a standard practice. After all, your phone does come with a plan, so it makes sense to stick to it until it expires. In the case of the iPhone, everyone is limited to one carrier: AT&T, which is the reason why unlocking it is such a big deal. People can use whatever SIM card they like, but the unlocking process comes at the risk of turning the unit into a brick. So, just how many iPhones have been unlocked? It's a bigger number than I imagined:

Some here may doubt the veracity, or truthiness, of reports suggesting that somewhere out there lie 1.7 million inactivated iPhones, 1 million of which are said to be unlocked. Two well-placed analysts think that's exactly what's going on. They believe there are groups that buy iPhones in bulk, unlock them, then re-sell them to folks like you and me (or maybe not you and me, but people who wouldn't know how to unlock an iPhone). Apparently this is common practice is popular in Asia. Let's not forget that the U.S. dollar isn't what it used to be. Foreigners can snap up iPhones here dirt cheap, then re-sell them at a profit back home.

Apple is still earning though, gaining roughly $50 USD per iPhone sold. Even with the feared recession, that's still a hefty sum.

Source: CrunchGear

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