http://www.iphoneatlas.com/2008/06/0...is-subsidized/

I think this may be the case as the price is too cheap to sell at those prices without the tel co's subsidising. Also no preorders on apple site just find your local seller (authorised Tel company)

It might be very hard to get our hands on these iphones without contract!

EDIT - UH OH - looks like it may be true - now confirmed according to this

http://www.iphoneatlas.com/2008/06/0...line-ordering/

if you look closely on the requirements of the 3G iphone on the american website it mentions "a 2 year minimum AT&T contract."
so yes... getting one now would be a pain... but we'll wait and see...

and i don't think they allow pre-orders because of stock issues... last time they had a huge stock problem because everyone was baying 2 or 3 so they can't commit now to the online users. keep in mind they are releasing the same product in 22 countries at the same day! that's one hell of a mission by itself...

online orders will maintain... only no pre-orders...they can't risk loosing their online costumers and they know that... besides... it also mentions that you need itunes 7.7 which would probably enable the rest of the countries for activation and allow the appstore to work...