You can buy an unlocked iPhone in Hong Kong for US$800 from an Apple shop. Optus in Australia sells it with a pre-paid line for US$600 + US$80 prepaid card top up.

Today I was reading about Apples International Warranty on the iPhone and guess what I see

. Can I get my iPhone serviced outside the country of purchase?
No, service for eligible repairs is only available in the country where your iPhone was purchased.

I cannot remember the last time I bought a laptop or phone that did not have a truly international warranty where it can be repaired anywhere. Apple really SHAME on you for setting the telecommunications industry back so many years. What has a product warranty got to do with the carrier.

I have a operational line with Singtel, I bought the iPhone in another country but it is unlocked by the carrier also according to policy, now I suspect if anything goes wrong Apple and Singtel will try to screw me over again. By the way am not an Apple Basher, I have gone through two iMacs, this is written on a Macbook Pro and I “used to be” to be telling everyone I know that they should buy an iPhone. After what I have discovered over the last 4 weeks, I tell my friend to run for their lifes and not to touch an iPhone with a ten foot pole unless Apple changes it policies. I guess the two iPods I was planning to buy for my kids will have to wait, just on a matter of principle.

I have been loyal to the Apple Brand for over 20 years and it looks like Apple is starting to repeat its mistakes of the past and getting way to arrogant in how it treats its customers. By the way e-mails to Apple received no acknowledgement, so I guess my a customers opinion doesn’t matter anymore.

Hopefully you learned the important lesson to test a product before purchasing it.