In a somewhat surprising move, AT&T has brought back home activation for the 3G iPhone. No, this is not just some pre-order scheme to make things easier for iPhone buyers, it’s the real deal. The implementation of this old scheme is probably to decongest the long lines at retail stores in anticipation for the mad holiday shopping rush, but while it does provide for faster transactions, it likewise opens the door to potential resale of unlocked 3G iPhones at a much lower price.
This possible scenario might not become apparent in the immediate future since there is no unlock tool available yet for the 3G iPhone due to the in-store activation policy which made it unnecessary. However, with the return of at-home activation, we might see a resurgence of unlocked 3G iPhone units hitting online stores come 2009. As of now, US residents can purchase their 3G iPhone online and have it delivered straight to their doorstep without having to head on over to a local AT&T store to have it activated.
Will other 3G iPhone partner telecoms follow suit? While I’m deeply hoping the answer to this question is a definite yes, logic is telling me otherwise.
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