Apple released the iPhone 4S unlocked and contract-free today in the United States as promised, but you’ll have to dump the piggy bank if you want to get your hands on one. The 16GB version goes for $649, 32GB is $749, and 64GB is a whopping $849 — $20 more than the top-of-the-line 64GB 3G iPad. The black and white color options are available, too. Chances are you’ll only consider this a good investment if you travel around the world frequently or if you believe freedom is never too expensive.
The unlocked iPhone 4S accepts any micro-SIM card from any carrier around the globe. Apple has made it very clear that CDMA carriers are not supported, so if you’re in the U.S., AT&T and T-Mobile are your only main choices. Apple already let freedom ring in other countries on October 31st.
Though this adds an alternative — as pricey as it may be — to the chained iPhone 4S lineup in the U.S. starting at $199, even Apple knows it’s not very popular among regular consumers. If you want to buy the unlocked iPhone 4S online, you’ll have to go to the Apple online store, select the iPhone 4S, and scroll through a sea of contracted unholiness until you arrive at the tiny link that reads “Or get iPhone unlocked and contract-free.”