Since this Thursday, Apple limits sales of the iPhone to two per person, and has prohibited cash-only sales of the cellphone, presumably to stop people from reselling them.¬† Before Thursday’s policy change announcement, there was no cash restriction and the purchase limit was five per person.

Company spokeswoman Natalie Kerris said that limiting purchases to two per person will ensure adequate iPhone supplies for those who would buy the phones for themselves or as a gift.  “We’re requiring a credit or debit card for payment to discourage unauthorized resellers.”

More than 1.4 million units of the hybrid cellphone-iPod have been sold since it was introduced June 29, according to Apple. In an earnings conference call earlier last week, Apple Chief Operating Officer Timothy Cook estimated that 250,000 of those phones (approx. 15% of the total sold) have not been activated with exclusive iPhone US mobile service provider AT&T.

One presumes that this quarter million iPhones have been purchased in order to modify or unlock the phones so that they might work on other, non-AT&T mobile networks.