Apple's "official" policy is that they are not selling "unlocked" iPhones. So it has to be tied up to a carrier if you want to buy one, be it online or at the store.
Although, at some stores, they're allowing people to buy "device only", which is basically carrier unlocked. Now, I don't know what's the exact situation some people are in when they buy the phones as "device only" as it may vary with location.
When I placed my order online, it's one of the stores that had maybe a decent amount of stock of the Verizon 64GB Gray, and there's no line at all. What I didn't mention in my thread yet was that I actually told the specialist that I'm using this purchased phone as a BYOD replacement for a Verizon 4S at work (which I'm not allowed to access the account at all, only my IT Dept can), and the only way they'll do it is I have to purchase the phone as device only and the phone not tied to any contract. And since ordering online won't allow me to purchase without an existing or new line, I have to order the phone with a new line.
Of course, since I have the phone, they believed it! lol... Then, they told me, I have to activate, then do the return, then repurchase it as "device only", not tied to any existing or newly activated line with Verizon. Then call Verizon to cancel.
