Apple to offer unlocked GSM iPhone 4S starting in the US from November

Apple will offer the iPhone 4S in an unlocked flavor starting from November in the United States. This is nothing new for most other countries who can already pre-order an unlocked iPhone 4S today.

The unlocked iPhone works only on supported GSM networks, such as AT&T in the U.S. When you travel internationally, you can also use a micro-SIM card from a local GSM carrier. The unlocked iPhone 4 will not work with CDMA carriers such as Verizon Wireless or Sprint. If you don’t want a multiyear service contract or if you prefer to use a local carrier when traveling abroad, the unlocked iPhone is the best choice. It arrives without a micro-SIM card, so you’ll need an active micro-SIM card from any supported GSM carrier worldwide. To start using it, simply insert the micro-SIM card into the slot on your iPhone and turn it on by pressing and holding the On/Off button for a few seconds. Then follow the onscreen instructions to set up your iPhone.

The benefit of buying an unlocked iPhone is mostly to those that travel. The ability to buy a local SIM card and avoid the heavy roaming charges is a huge benefit to some. The downside is the price of the handset. Apple will be selling them for $649 for the 16GB, $749 for the 32GB and finally a whopping $849 for the 64GB. It is GSM only and should work even with T-Mobile but only with Edge; don’t expect any 3G data!