Apple unlocks the iPhone 4: Winners and losers

At long last, the tech giant is offering an untethered iPhone to U.S. customers — though the price is high, and the benefits are questionable

Apple has unlocked the iPhone 4 so that customers can own the popular smartphone without being tied to a particular carrier. But it's not all good news.
(Image credit: Emily Anne Epstein/Corbis)

Apple proved the rumors true on Tuesday, when it began selling unlocked iPhone 4s in the U.S. For the not-so-low price of $649 (for a 16 GB phone) or $749 (32 GB), U.S. customers can now get Apple's mega-popular smartphone without signing a two-year contract with AT&T or Verizon. Besides paying a lot more (an iPhone 4 starts at $199 if you sign a contract), owners of unlocked phones won't be all that free, since the iPhones will only work on AT&T or T-Mobile (though not on T-Mobile's 3G network). These caveats have left tech bloggers scratching their heads. Just who wins and loses with Apple's latest offering? Here, a brief guide:

WINNERS

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