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No contract required with Virgin's iPhone 4 (pictures)

Though it doesn't look any different from all the other carriers, Virgin's iPhone 4 doesn't lock users down with a two-year contract. But this comes at a hefty price.

Lynn La
Lynn La covers mobile reviews and news. She previously wrote for The Sacramento Bee, Macworld and The Global Post.
Lynn La
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1 of 6 Josh Miller/CNET

Virgin's iPhone 4 is commitment-free

Although $550 is a steep price, Apple's iPhone 4 for Virgin Mobile doesn't require a two-year carrier contract. In addition, on top of the carrier's $55 monthly unlimited talk and data plan, it also has mobile hot-spot features for an extra $15 a month.
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2 of 6 Josh Miller/CNET

Virgin on the left-hand corner

Physically, the Virgin iPhone 4 is no different from the iPhone 4 from other carriers. The only way users can tell it's from Virgin is its name on the top-left corner.
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3 of 6 Josh Miller/CNET

Still the same build

The Virgin iPhone 4 retains the same front and back glass panels.
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4 of 6 Josh Miller/CNET

Comparing it to the others

Unfortunately, while Virgin's iPhone 4 is perfect for commitment-phobes, its 3G data speeds were slower than the 3G speeds I timed with AT&T's iPhone 4 and Verizon's iPhone 4S.
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5 of 6 Josh Miller/CNET

The same 5-megapixel camera

Apple's iPhone 4 for Virgin Mobile still retains the same 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash.
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6 of 6 Josh Miller/CNET

A look to the side

Just like the Verizon model, Virgin's iPhone 4 accommodates a CDMA antenna, so the ringer mute switch is slightly closer to the volume rocker than on AT&T's version.

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