I'm pretty sure the policy is 90 days, although I understand it's quite common for them to unlock it at practically any age if you ask nicely. But I'll be surprised if you can't buy it unlocked straight from Nokia.

People keep saying this, and yet dozens of JDM phones have 800x480 or higher on 3.5" or lower screens. It must make some sense to them...

The picture is either out-of-date, a fake, or both. Everyone knows that, right?
No, the original leak and accompanying sketch, from mobilecrunch, are definitely plausible, and given the responses by in-the-know people, one would have to be in serious denial not to credit it.

Nothing major. Just that Apple would then know the rumor-pieces about a 4.2" tablet before Christmas were true, and would do what it takes to get its perpetually rumored iPad/iTablet/iWhatever launched before then, to steal Nokia's marketshare. Is it likely that Apple is working on that, would currently launch after Nokia's new entry, but would beat it if given this statement? Not very likely, no. Possible, and harmful enough to make up for its low probability? I think so.