When Steve Jobs took the stage early last week and unveiled the iPhone 3G to the world, I thought that you would not be able to walk out of an AT&T or Apple Store without having the handset activated. As it turns out, this isn't exactly the case. With the original Apple iPhone, buyers were able to walk out the store without any sort of AT&T contract in tow, activating the phone at their leisure when they got home. It was through this procedure that unlocked iPhones started popping up in Canada and the rest of the world. I thought that Apple and AT&T were going to curb this practice by making you activate in-store with the iPhone 3G.  Well, you can still do that, but you can also walk away from the store and activate the iPhone 3G yourself too.

Specifically, Apple in its UK press release hinted that activation outside of retail stores will be possible, stating that in addition to O2 and Carphone Warehouse retail stores, "iPhone 3G will also be sold online through O2 and Carphone Warehouse." When responding to questions on what other measures AT&T was taking to prevent unlocking, de la Vega in the aforementioned conference call similarly indicated that not all iPhone 3G units would be fully activated during the point of sale.  "Without getting into details of the contract [with Apple], there are penalties if the phones don't get activated in the first 30 days, or if they are returned in the first 30 days, that we're working with Apple on," he said.

It suggests that customers may be able to leave a retail store without a fully activated iPhone 3G, but only after having signed their intent to adopt a new 2-year service agreement and iPhone data plan with proper identification. This information would immediately make its way into AT&T's systems along with the IMEI number of the new iPhone 3G, allowing the customer to complete activation at home via iTunes if they so chose.

"The new 3G device will be activated in store in both AT&T and Apple stores. Customers must accept AT&T and Apple Ts & Cs, sign a 2-year agreement, and select the data plan for the iPhone 3G before leaving the store," the memo says. "The current iTunes activation process will no longer be required for iPhone 3Gs, however a short tether process to unbrick the 3G device will be performed in all AT&T stores (tether cords will be provided). Apple stores will also perform this tether process, however in the event that a customer's device is not tethered in the Apple store, their device will be inoperable until they get home and tether through iTunes. Prepaid and Pick Your Plan will not be allowed on the 3G device."