iPhone for sale, unlocked by end october?

I stopped by the Apple Shop (or is it Apple Store *thinkin*) in ABC Mall yesterday, which happens to be one shop away from the new Nokia FCC-Middle East shop. I asked the guys one question: when will the iPhone arrive? The salesman told me "end october". I know for one that I've already asked them quite a few times about iPod accessories or iPod new models arrival dates and they were never wrong, or at most it took a week more than they said. But they always were right. So I asked him if the iPhone will be unlocked to be used with any provider, which is the case in Lebanon (there are no provider-specific devices at all), and he answered "of course, you can use it with your MTC or Alfa SIM card" (MTC and Alfa being the 2 services providers in Lebanon)...

Now that leaves me puzzled, if what he said is true, than the iPhone will be finally available unlocked by end october. Of course it will cost 20% more than in the USA, that's a mere fact with Apple products in Lebanon, but that doesn't annul the truth that it WILL be unlocked. What astonishes me is that, if you browsed the whole internet, you wouldn't *i think* find a rumor about Apple releasing unlocked iPhones, let alone this soon, especially that if a certain device is to be released in Lebanon, it usually is a couple of weeks/months after other countries.

Of course I won't be buying an iPhone, I think its idea is amazing but it's definitely not for me. Maybe the 3rd or 4th generation iPhone would make it to my standards, but right now, it's a no-go. But it's still nice to see that it's coming to Lebanon.

I don't take any responsabilities for the salesman's word, i'm just reporting my conversation with him. And if this post makes it to the Apple fanboys, if you're looking for Lebanon on a near-by atlas, it's in Asia, in the Middle East, the little dot above Israel ;)