Unlocked iPhone 4S To Launch In November, GSM Only

style="text-align: left;">href="http://www.everythingicafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-Shot-2011-10-07-at-11.15.07-AM.jpg">class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-24145" title="Screen Shot 2011-10-07 at 11.15.07 AM" src="http://www.everythingicafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-Shot-2011-10-07-at-11.15.07-AM.jpg" alt="" width="578" height="228" />If you want the new iPhone 4S, but don’t feel like signing up for two years of a contract on a single carrier, then take heart because you’ll only have to wait a month to get the full-price, unlocked version. href="http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_iphone/family/iphone/iphone4s">Apple’s iPhone 4S order page now contains information on the unlocked iPhone 4s which will be available in November from $649. The other big caveat is that it’ll only work on GSM networks, not CDMA. Apple explains:

The unlocked iPhone includes all the features of iPhone but without a contract commitment. You can activate and use it on the supported GSM wireless network of your choice, such as AT&T in the United States.* The unlocked iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S will not work with CDMA-based 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.

Bizarre, huh? That said, most international networks are GSM, but it’s still weird.