Activation. Question (Verizon)

[maxinflixion]

So I pre ordered three iphones for the family. My wife will use my iTunes because she really doesn't care to know how things work.

The third is for my daughter who is away at school. If I activate her phone on my iTunes, is it then tied to my iTunes? I want her to have it set up for her iTunes up at school, but don't want her to have to accept any liability.

I am probably over thinking this, but am clueless and also trying to avoid accompanying my wife for the phone delivery ride this weekend.

 

[maxinflixion]

Ok, with hundreds of views, I figured I'd find someone who could answer.

If my daughter wants to use her iTunes on her PC up at school, will I have to activate her phone on her computer? Or can I activate it on my computer and then ship it to her and have her associate it with her iTunes then?

 

[paulold]

If you're talking about the new iPhone 4S, keep in mind that with iOS5 preinstalled, you can activate and use the iPhone without ever attaching it to a pc or laptop. It's a new feature. From Apple's website:

Independence for all iOS devices.
With iOS 5, you no longer need a computer to own an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. Activate and set up your device wirelessly, right out of the box. Download free iOS software updates directly on your device. Do more with your apps — like editing your photos or adding new email folders — on your device, without the need for a Mac or PC. And back up and restore your device automatically using iCloud.​

I would think if your daughter has a cellphone currently where she will want to transfer her telephone number to the new iPhone, she will want to do that herself since she would be without a phone if you did it for her until she received the shipment. If she's uncomfortable activating the phone herself, she could always go to an Apple Store and ask for help or call Apple. It's not too difficult a process though.

 

[maxinflixion]

Thanks for the info. I was not aware of this new development.

She has a phone, but we are switching carriers and porting #'s so I want to ensure it is done properly. I am not looking to extend my old contract/bill longer than necessary and don't want to leave any minutiae to chance.

She'll have no phone for a matter of a couple of hours since my wife will be delivering it same day after I activate.

I truly appreciate the answer. Not that it is a huge concern, but I couldn't get a solid answer, and sitting on hold for Verizon didn't sound fun.

 

[paulold]

Just thought of something. Does your daughter currently have an iPhone or is her current phone something else? If she has an iPhone and this is just an upgrade to the latest iPhone, she will want to sync her new iPhone with her iTunes to restore her backed up stuff, like her contacts, her text messages, etc. In fact, she should back up her old iPhone one last time before making the switch to make sure she doesn't lose anything. You can still activate the new phone for her without connecting it to a computer and then she'll finish the process when she connects it to her iTunes, restoring her details from the backup.

But if this is her first iPhone, then no problem. She's starting from scratch and she can choose to use her iTunes to manage the apps, her music, books, files, etc. on her phone. Or she could learn to use iCloud and do everything without a pc. Or a combination of both. Lots of options now. Best of luck.