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Unlocked iPhone 5 on sale in US, cheaper than UK - but not cheap

Cost of being British is a high one for fanbois

It has only taken three months, but from last night, Americans will now be able to buy an unlocked iPhone 5, and it will set them back $649.

Available online since last night and in physical Apple Stores from today, it's a sign that the supply pressure on the flagship phone is easing off.

Apple iPhone 5

Slim, aluminum and now without a multi-year contract

Unlocked it's pretty pricey: $649 for the 16GB model, $749 for the 32GB model, and $849 for the 64GB model. But that's still a whole lot cheaper than unlocked models in the UK, which start at £529 for 16GB ($848), which means buying an unlocked 64GB in the US costs roughly the same as an unlocked 16GB model in Blighty. An unlocked 64GB iPhone in the UK costs an eyewatering £699, equivalent to $1,120: the cost of being a British fanboi is a high one.

The iPhone 5 has been available in the States since October, for $199 on a minimum two-year contract with AT&T, Sprint and Verizon. ®

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