SIM-Free iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus Now Available From Apple Online Store

[MacRumors]

As of this afternoon, Apple has started offering a SIM-free version of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus from its online store in the United States, allowing customers to buy an unlocked iPhone without choosing a carrier.

SIM-free versions of the iPhone 7 Plus in all capacities list shipping estimates of three to four weeks, with the exception of the Jet Black SIM-free iPhone 7 Plus, which lists a shipping estimate of six to eight weeks.

For the iPhone 7, SIM-free models in Silver, Gold, Rose Gold, and Black feature delivery estimates of October 17 to 19, while Jet Black models ship in three to five weeks.

According to Apple, SIM-free models (A1660 and A1661) will work with any carrier and have full support for CDMA and GSM networks, much like the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus devices available from Sprint or Verizon. iPhone 7 and 7 Plus models from AT&T and T-Mobile do not support CDMA networks and are not compatible with all carriers.

SIM-free models are not yet available for in-store pickup from the online store, but should be available in the near future as supplies improve. Retail stores will also likely begin offering SIM-free models in the next few days.

SIM-free iPhones must be purchased at full price, with the iPhone 7 starting at $649 and the iPhone 7 Plus starting at $769.

Article Link: SIM-Free iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus Now Available From Apple Online Store

 

[alexmarchuk]

Finally. Now faster ship times are needed.

 

[friedmud]

Can you get these on the iPhone upgrade program?

To be clear: I'm NOT on the program yet... but have been considering joining. I would love to do it with an unlocked... sim free phone...

Edit: the line at the end of this article seems to suggest not...

 

[JFazYankees]

Can you get these on the iPhone upgrade program?

To be clear: I'm NOT on the program yet... but have been considering joining. I would love to do it with an unlocked... sim free phone...

No, the program requires activation.

 

[pat500000]

In other news: iPhone 2017 is happening.

Customer a: "aww...time to wait on that. It killed my mood to get 7."

In other news: "specs and design of 2017."

Customer" I'm gonna get my 7....wait.....awwwkilled my mood to go buy it now..."

 

[shurcooL]

Finally. Wish it were available on day 1.

 

[lordofthereef]

So, does Apple get some kind of kickback for selling a phone with a sim in it on their program? I'm asking because I can't imagine why a sim free model would be excluded from program such as this.

 

[garirry]

Why did it take so long? You should have been able to get the iPhone 7 SIM-free from the very beginning.

 

[Saipher]

Why doesn't the iPhones ship with an Apple SIM card? Are those SIMs for data only? I thought they were supposed to offer flexibility to consumers but I never understood the point of them if you can easily get a SIM card from most providers.

 

[M5RahuL]

Why did it take so long? You should have been able to get the iPhone 7 SIM-free from the very beginning.

You could from day one...it's the Verizon and Sprint model!

 

[gss7881]

What is the benefit of a SIM free phone? and how do you take it to other countries?

 

[Small White Car]

Why did it take so long? You should have been able to get the iPhone 7 SIM-free from the very beginning.

It's to curb scalping. By the time these are out the demand in non-first-tier countries has ebbed.

 

[tmiw]

Sounds like the SIM-free ones will use Qualcomm radios. Not sure it really matters though unless you expect to use the phone with Verizon or Sprint at any point during its lifetime.

 

[pika2000]

Why did it take so long? You should have been able to get the iPhone 7 SIM-free from the very beginning.

To prevent scalpers from taking advantage of the lower US prices before Apple launch the iPhone in other countries.
[doublepost=1476402691][/doublepost]

So, does Apple get some kind of kickback for selling a phone with a sim in it on their program? I'm asking because I can't imagine why a sim free model would be excluded from program such as this.

Not a kickback per se, but probably a preset deal in advance for the carriers.

 

[natebookpro]

Anyone else quickly scroll down the front page hoping the airpods were released too?

 

[Biofreak12]

Thanks, just ordered 7 plus black 128gb.
It is disappointing to see 3-4 weeks delivery time tho.

 

[swordfish5736]

So, does Apple get some kind of kickback for selling a phone with a sim in it on their program? I'm asking because I can't imagine why a sim free model would be excluded from program such as this.

You mean on the iphone upgrade program? Maybe its a condition of the deal with citizens one and not the carriers. There could be a concern about identity theifs fraudulently buying phones with other peoples information and selling them. I'd guess requiring a valid post-paid cell account would make this more difficult to do. The major cell providers all have there own version of the 0% interest loan programs so they'd probably prefer you sign up with there's not apples.

 

[Stella]

Strange. Sim free iphones have been available on the Canada, and a lot of other country's apple stores from day one.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

Can you get these on the iPhone upgrade program?

To be clear: I'm NOT on the program yet... but have been considering joining. I would love to do it with an unlocked... sim free phone...

Edit: the line at the end of this article seems to suggest not...

No, the program requires activation.

That's correct.

Apple gets a percentage of every monthly fee you pay to your provider if you activate with them so they have a very big interest in getting you to buy from one of them.

 

[lordofthereef]

You mean on the iphone upgrade program? Maybe its a condition of the deal with citizens one and not the carriers. There could be a concern about identity theifs fraudulently buying phones with other peoples information and selling them. I'd guess requiring a valid post-paid cell account would make this more difficult to do. They major cell providers all have there own version of the 0% interest loan programs so they'd probably prefer you sign up with there's not apples.

Fair, it even if I have a valid post paid cell account I can't choose the phone I want. The limitations seems arbitrary in that sense.

 

[firewood]

So what's the real difference between buying an (unlocked) T-Mobile iPhone 7 (and perhaps just throwing away the T-Mobile SIM), and buying a SIM-Free iPhone 7?

 

[C DM]

So what's the real difference between buying an (unlocked) T-Mobile iPhone 7 (and perhaps just throwing away the T-Mobile SIM), and buying a SIM-Free iPhone 7?

Different models: the T-Mobile model (which is also the AT&T model) only supports GSM, while the SIM-Free model (which is also the Verizon/Sprint model) supports GSM and CDMA.

 

[MareLuce]

I read in a thread in the iPhone forum that

1) Based on a MacRumors member's testing of 2 iPhones, the GSM-only (ATT, T-Mobile) iPhone 7 has better battery life than the one that supports CDMA
n=1

2) Based on a Reddits member's testing of 2 iPhones, the iPhone 7 that supports CDMA shows faster LTE data speeds than the one that supports GSM
n=1

I'd love to see in-depth testing with a meaningful sample size in a variety of conditions of both
- speed
- battery life
between the 2 flavors of iPHone 7's / 7+'s

I have 1 week left to decide whether or not to trade my Jet Black 256 ATT iPhone 7+ for the CDMA, unlocked version.

 

[macman312]

Does anyone know the difference between the A1784 and A1661 for the 7+?

I'm from Australia currently in the US. My 6+ has touch disease and thinking I might just replace it if I can reserve on online.

The bands look the same so what's the difference?

 

[C DM]

Does anyone know the difference between the A1784 and A1661 for the 7+?

I'm from Australia currently in the US. My 6+ has touch disease and thinking I might just replace it if I can reserve on online.

The bands look the same so what's the difference?

A1784 only supports GSM, while A1661 supports GSM and CDMA.