iPhone 3G must be activated in the store

The new iPhone 3G can­not be acti­vated using iTunes. Con­sumers must visit an autho­rized retailer to acti­vate the phone.

In the USA, that means a trip to the Apple Store or an AT&T store, and not to a gray mar­ket retailer or an eBay seller.

The jail­break­ers will find ways around this new rule, I’m sure.

Of course, Apple hasn’t announced what will hap­pen if an iPhone 3G isn’t acti­vated within 30 days of sale. The ser­ial num­ber is already on a bar code on the pack­age, so Apple would know when and where each iPhone is sold.

There is a loop­hole for enter­prise cus­tomers: cor­po­rate accounts can acti­vate iPhones with­out a trip to a retailer. Every mobile tele­com car­rier offers sim­i­lar priv­i­leges to their large cor­po­rate customers.

Engad­get has more details.

Related posts on billso.com

• iPhone
• 13 June 2008: 3G cov­er­age for the new iPhone: Hon­olulu vs the North­east Corridor
• 9 June 2008: iPhone 3G com­ing on July 11
• 7 June 2008: The impos­si­ble solar iPhone
• 29 April 2008: New iPhone will be sub­si­dized, faster and thinner
• 28 April 2008: Should Apple sell hard­ware on two-year contracts?

Tagged as: Apple, at&t, enterprise, iPhone