All Phones Purchased *Device Only* are Unlocked
- Thread starter IpadMania
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lordofthereef
macrumors G5
Including the Sprint model?
Mahler12x
macrumors regular
Not bad if you want a 6. 6+ however? Probably not.
famoussasjohn
macrumors 6502a
Never Sprint. Entirely different model on Sprint from the other carriers. Maybe next year when they're forced to change their unlocking policy.
Inframan
macrumors 6502
Correct - Only because AT&T royally screwed up my 2 year contract renewal and I had to pay full price for my 128 plus. Cost me freaking $1100.00 bucks !!! 
When I plugged my phone into iTunes it said "Your Phone is Unlocked"
I went back to Apple yesterday after AT&T finally fixed my contract renewal in their systems and Apple told me that I can't exchange my phone for the same phone because Apple burns out the IMEI number....So basically I would have to exchange it for another phone and nothing was in stock.
Expensive error for me
When I plugged my phone into iTunes it said "Your Phone is Unlocked"
I went back to Apple yesterday after AT&T finally fixed my contract renewal in their systems and Apple told me that I can't exchange my phone for the same phone because Apple burns out the IMEI number....So basically I would have to exchange it for another phone and nothing was in stock.
Expensive error for me
Unlocked iPhone 6 is no different from a carrier locked iPhone 6. To make it unlocked, you have to buy full price. So if Apple has your carrier on iPhone 6, get it full price to make it unlocked.
Are full priced, unlocked iPhones a "model" that are stocked alongside locked AT&T/Verizon/T-Mobile iPhones, or do iPhones become locked/unlocked during the purchase process, e.g., pay full price, your iPhone is unlocked; pay subsidized price, your iPhone is locked to network?
technopimp
macrumors 6502a
Do you have to buy service to buy a full priced model?
For instance, if I wanted to get an unlocked verizon so I could use it on ATT/TMO, would I have to sign up for a months worth of service?
For instance, if I wanted to get an unlocked verizon so I could use it on ATT/TMO, would I have to sign up for a months worth of service?
Verizon full-price/contract free is unlocked. You don't have to get a contract with it if you buy it full-price.
Correct. Locked or unlocked is determined at time of activation based on info on Apple's servers. So during a purchase that info is updated based on subsidized or not.
All Verizon (edit) since the iPhone 5 are unlocked no matter what. For Verizon, it is mandated by the FCC, for whatever reason. They even have fine print that reads all 4G LTE smartphones are carrier unlocked. All T-Mobile iPhones from the Apple Store are unlocked, I'm not sure the case from the T-Mobile store since I know my Note 3 at full price was not unlocked.
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technopimp
macrumors 6502a
So I'm assuming this has to be done in the store? Online it gives you the option to upgrade a line or make a new account. The only "no-contract" option is for T-mobile.
Oh, I just saw this:
So I guess you already have to be a Verizon customer to do this. Oh well.
Yes, it's valid at Apple stores only, not carrier stores. You then have to restore it through iTunes to get it unlocked.
That is correct. The only way you can walk out of an Apple Store with a new iPhone and without signing up for service is by paying full retail price ($650 and up). It's the signing up for service that locks the phone in most cases.
shunting123
macrumors member
But do we know for sure LTE will work in Europe? There was concern that the non-Sprint model would not....
I'm not a Verizon customer. Just went to Best Buy and convinced them to sell me a phone without a contract for the full retail price (had them price match Apple since Best Buy is $50 more expensive).
Then, put AT&T SIM in it. Done.
technopimp
macrumors 6502a
Right, but what I'm saying is, online you don't have the option to buy it without service.
I purchased the AT&T iPhone 6+ with new 2 year contract on the online Apple Store for pickup. I want to pay full price and use on prepaid but my "We're Ready for you" pickup email says the following:
I've read here that many people have had success ordering as contract and then paying full price. I'm concerned because I'll be driving 3 hrs (!) to pick this up.
Can I change my iPhone order when I pick it up?
You can make some changes, such as color or storage size, subject to in-store availability. You cannot, however, replace a carrier-contracted iPhone with an unlocked iPhone. If you wish to cancel your Personal Pickup order, we'll be happy to refund your iPhone purchase price in store.
You can make some changes, such as color or storage size, subject to in-store availability. You cannot, however, replace a carrier-contracted iPhone with an unlocked iPhone. If you wish to cancel your Personal Pickup order, we'll be happy to refund your iPhone purchase price in store.
I've read here that many people have had success ordering as contract and then paying full price. I'm concerned because I'll be driving 3 hrs (!) to pick this up.
Winona Northdakota
macrumors 6502a
That wasn't my point. All Verizon 4G LTE phones are unlocked and they have been since iPhone 5. It doesn't matter if you subsidize, buy from the Apple Store, or buy from the Verizon store. It is unlocked. Period.
Winona Northdakota
macrumors 6502a
All Phones Purchased *Device Only* are Unlocked
Then it really doesn't matter much if it is carrier unlocked. If you are hoping to take a Verizon iPhone 5 to any other carrier in the US, T-Mobile USA, AT&T and use LTE, you are SOL. A better comparison would be the iPhone 5S, which has compatible LTE bands across US carriers, Sprint excluded.
Then it really doesn't matter much if it is carrier unlocked. If you are hoping to take a Verizon iPhone 5 to any other carrier in the US, T-Mobile USA, AT&T and use LTE, you are SOL. A better comparison would be the iPhone 5S, which has compatible LTE bands across US carriers, Sprint excluded.
For GSM phones:
- If it's bought from Apple directly "device only", it will be unlocked.
- If it's bought from Apple directly "with carrier", it will be locked with that carrier".
- If it bought from a carrier store (with the exception of Three in the UK) it will be locked to that carrier.
- If it is bought from another store (NOT Apple) "device only/sim free" it will be unlocked, but will lock to the first network it uses.
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You can't. Pay-online and pickup-instore are just that - you will already have a contract phone waiting for you. If you want to buy it outright, you'll have to go to the store, get a refund, and hope they have another one in stock to sell you full price (they won't be able to sell you the one you ordered/refunded).
- If it's bought from Apple directly "device only", it will be unlocked.
- If it's bought from Apple directly "with carrier", it will be locked with that carrier".
- If it bought from a carrier store (with the exception of Three in the UK) it will be locked to that carrier.
- If it is bought from another store (NOT Apple) "device only/sim free" it will be unlocked, but will lock to the first network it uses.
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You can't. Pay-online and pickup-instore are just that - you will already have a contract phone waiting for you. If you want to buy it outright, you'll have to go to the store, get a refund, and hope they have another one in stock to sell you full price (they won't be able to sell you the one you ordered/refunded).