After the iPhone 3G launch, consumers want the original, hackable iPhone, and vendors are springing up to sell them — for a premium.
On eBay, a 16-GB version of the first-generation iPhone isn going for about $600, and an 8-GB model in good condition commands $500. When it was new, the 16-GB phone sold for $499. The 8-GB model went for $399. Today, AT&T's most expensive iPhone 3G model sells for $300 with a two-year service contract. "The old iPhone (in mint condition) is very hard to find," says Shawn Zade, who sells mobile phones through New York-based WirelessImports.com. "There's a lot of demand."
Why will buyers pay a premium for an older, less advanced model? Some users don't want to be tied to a long-term contract with AT&T -- the only authorized iPhone carrier in the U.S. The old phones can be unlocked fairly easily, making it possible for people to choose another carrier or to simply use the device with no charge at Wi-Fi hot spots. Currently, there's no way to reliably unlock the iPhone 3G.
On eBay, a 16-GB version of the first-generation iPhone isn going for about $600, and an 8-GB model in good condition commands $500. When it was new, the 16-GB phone sold for $499. The 8-GB model went for $399. Today, AT&T's most expensive iPhone 3G model sells for $300 with a two-year service contract. "The old iPhone (in mint condition) is very hard to find," says Shawn Zade, who sells mobile phones through New York-based WirelessImports.com. "There's a lot of demand."
Why will buyers pay a premium for an older, less advanced model? Some users don't want to be tied to a long-term contract with AT&T -- the only authorized iPhone carrier in the U.S. The old phones can be unlocked fairly easily, making it possible for people to choose another carrier or to simply use the device with no charge at Wi-Fi hot spots. Currently, there's no way to reliably unlock the iPhone 3G.
What's Hot: Used Apple iPhones
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