Responding to criticisms of "anticompetitive" iPhone deals, primarily from the vocal mouthpiece that is Arun Sarin of rival Vodafone, T-Mobile Germany has released the first officially unlocked Apple cellphone to buyers less than keen on signing a new contract.  Before you book flights, however, and pick out a German phrasebook, you should know that they're pricing it at €999 - a staggering $1,464 or £714 - instead of the normal €399 with a two-year contract.

Already analysts are weighing in with opinions as to whether the contract-free deal is worth it; for UK customers, Guardian columnist Richard Wray estimates that, when you take into account actually using the iPhone (albeit without visual voicemail and possibly YouTube functionality), it only makes financial sense if you're facing severe cancellation fees having signed a new contract elsewhere:

"My view is if you're a few months into an 18 month or two year contract with some other operator and really (and I mean really) desperately want an iPhone and would otherwise be willing to pay a severance charge to jump ship to O2, then yes, it probably is worth your while to buy an unlocked phone and put your current SIM in it.  For everyone else, at the €999 price of an unlocked phone I just can't see the maths adding up. Which, I suspect, is the idea" Richard Wray, Guardian

T-Mobile Germany is currently seeking to challenge the preliminary injunction which Vodafone initiated against them, which prevented them from selling locked iPhones while an unlocked version was unavailable. 

[via SlashGear]