1 Surprising & 1 Not-So-Surprising Move by Apple

Today, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) released an unlocked GSM iPhone 5s in its U.S. Online store. The story, originally reported by 9 to 5 Mac, indicates that the unlocked iPhone 5s will feature the same capabilities as the standard, non-unlocked models, but comes without a SIM card.

Of course, the primary benefit of any unlocked phone is that it can work with different GSM networks without a contract. The unlocked iPhone 5s can be used on both the AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) and T-Mobile US Inc (NYSE:TMUS) networks in the Unites States, thus freeing users from a contract. The 16GB SIM-free iPhone 5s costs $649, with additional memory costing additional money, as is standard.

This is the first time that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has released an unlocked 5s without a SIM card. Previously, the company has sold unlocked varieties of the iPhone 5s with a T-Mobile SIM card, which could be tied to a T-Mobile account.

An unlocked, SIM-free iPhone 5c has been on the market since September.

Pain, Misery for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Book Author

Cult of Mac editor Leander Kahney recently penned a bio on Apple’s creative lead, Jony Ive. The book, titled Jony Ive: The Genius Behind Apple’s Greatest Products is due to be published later this month by Penguin Press.

Writing about the process of penning the book for Wired UK the Ive bio, Kahney writes, “Writing a book about Apple is a world of pain and misery unrivaled by anything else in tech journalism. It’s an exercise in extreme masochism. It’s lonely and thankless and even when you try to do a good job, everyone hates you.”

Kahney reveals that in the profoundly secretive Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) culture, “Staffers don’t talk about their jobs with their friends, their spouses, or even their co-workers. Not even the people they sit next to! There are stories of cubicles shrouded with curtains.”

Nevertheless, Kahney persisted in the face of significant stonewalling, eventually getting some key sources to dish. The resulting work is sure to be significant for history. Not merely the history of the company, but for art, design, and cultural histories as well.

Recommended Reading:

Apple’s Potential Manufacturer Shake Up

Is the iPhone 5C Not Selling Enough?

Finally! Google Inc (GOOG) Focuses on Getting Better Pics!