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AppleCare+ on unlocked iPhone?

mavis

mavis

macrumors 601
Original poster
Jul 30, 2007
4,734
1,452
Tokyo, Japan
I have an iPhone 6 Plus, locked to au/KDDI here in Japan. Like all iPhones sold by carriers here, it is locked and the carrier will never, under any circumstances whatsoever, unlock it.

If I pay an unlocking service $200 or whatever it is, I can get it unlocked ('official' unlock, where iTunes tells you the phone is now unlocked). My question is, if I do that and then ever need to have my phone replaced under AppleCare+, will I get a locked or an unlocked phone back from Apple? Has anyone else tried this?
 
siurpeeman

siurpeeman

macrumors 603
Dec 2, 2006
6,318
23
the OC
i bought an iphone 5s from t-mobile (locked to their network) last year and requested it to be unlocked. before selling the phone, i went to apple to have it swapped out (due to a dead pixel). the replacement was unlocked as well, so i think you should be good.
 
EDH667

EDH667

macrumors 65816
Nov 25, 2009
1,035
278
Northern California
Doesn't matter where it is unlocked. As long as it shows in the Apple database as unlocked, you will receive one that is unlocked as a replacement.
 
A

Acronyc

macrumors 6502a
Jan 24, 2011
905
392
It's too bad Apple isn't selling unlocked versions of the 6/6 Plus in Japan anymore. I bought my 6 unlocked from Apple last October with AppleCare+, but Apple suddenly stopped selling them in December (they still sell unlocked versions of the 5s). If I need to replace my phone for any reason I hope they have unlocked versions available as replacements here.
 
ET iPhone Home

ET iPhone Home

macrumors 68040
Oct 5, 2011
3,823
529
Orange County, California USA
Acronyc said:
It's too bad Apple isn't selling unlocked versions of the 6/6 Plus in Japan anymore. I bought my 6 unlocked from Apple last October with AppleCare+, but Apple suddenly stopped selling them in December (they still sell unlocked versions of the 5s). If I need to replace my phone for any reason I hope they have unlocked versions available as replacements here.
Click to expand...

Do you know anyone here in the USA that can get you a sim-free unlocked 6/6+?
 
A

Acronyc

macrumors 6502a
Jan 24, 2011
905
392
ET iPhone Home said:
Do you know anyone here in the USA that can get you a sim-free unlocked 6/6+?
Click to expand...

Yes, but I already have a factory unlocked iPhone 6 I bought here in Japan before Apple stopped selling them, so I have no personal need for one now.
 
A

Acronyc

macrumors 6502a
Jan 24, 2011
905
392
ET iPhone Home said:
I re-read your post - sorry. Hopefully, Apple will resume selling unlocked iPhones in Japan. Do you know why Apple stopped?
Click to expand...

No worries. Apple Japan hasn't made an official statement yet. From the tech news here the rumors have been it's due to the weak Yen and people from other countries buying tons of them to resell back home. I believe the unlocked Japanese iPhone 6/6 Plus has all of the various radio bands, making it more desirable than some other versions.
 
I

imlynxy

macrumors 65816
Mar 8, 2012
1,409
611
If you unlock you phone it will be unlocked in Apple data base, so if you need to exchange it, you get inlocked. But it always let them know that your phone is unlocked. They gave me once locked phone, I think it was 4s era. I change iphones every time new model shows up. I came back, they fixed it in no time.
 
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