For the patient folks up north, the wait has been worth the while. After US customers were forced to dole out some pretty heavy dough for the mandatory AT&T contract while buying the new iPhone 4, Apple has declared that the gadget will be made available commitment-free in Canada: but that will come with a price.

Apple has declared a 30^th July date for the new launch, when it will provide the same options in 16 other countries as well. The new customers will be able to pick from three carriers- Bell, Rogers and Telus. A report published by CBC says:

“The iPhone 4 is compatible with all three companies’ networks so customers would only have to pop in a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card, which carriers generally sell for between $5 and $10, to make it work. Customers will also be able to switch providers whenever they like and use the phone in other countries with SIM cards from local carriers, which will allow them to avoid roaming charges from Canadian providers.”

All looks sweet and cozy right now. But you should probably know how much you might be paying to get the freedom of choice. The unlocked iPhone 4 16GB will come at a dear cost of $659 and you will have to shell out a mighty $779 for the 32 GB one. Compare this with the AT&T offers in US of $199 and $299 respectively for the two models. The 8 GB iPhone 4 will come unlocked at $549.

As for the rest getting this option, a hefty list has been prepared, which includes those in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Italy and Singapore. Indians will probably get a taste of the new craze when Airtel and Vodafone succeed in pulling it in by September or October.