hong for (sometimes called hong goods) = official HK version, which means you can claim
warranty here in HK. On grey imports (which sell for less) you can't
as for the price quote, it can't be the 4s, I think they misunderstood you. That should be the price of a used iphone4.
That's the LL version where people didn't wait in line to purchase. Although unlocked, it's the version where all stores in Sin Tat collectively refuse to purchase when 4s was still hot in the market.
I don't know the internal story, but when iphone 4s was selling for $8000 at Sin Tat, that version could be purchased for $4500 / piece in bulk. So before Sin Tat purchase from queuers, they do a serial check and make sure it's not LL. The LL version was the one where Sin Tat collectively refuse to purchase as people are paying premium they need to guarantee their customers are purchasing the unlocked retail
version from Canada/France/Australia.
I suspect it's flawed in some ways during the manufacturing process, so apple decides to abandon that batch but since it had been made, it is still purchasable through the manufacturer (using some middle man) but at a price cut.
That would be my guess.
btw, that batch was supposed to be sold to US.
Last edited by Creative83; 11-12-2011 at 03:09 PM.