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Apple to Begin Offering Unlocked, SIM-Free iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Models in the U.S. Tomorrow

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Apr 12, 2001
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Apple will begin offering unlocked, SIM-free versions of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus starting tomorrow on its online store and at its retail locations, reports 9to5Mac.

iphone_6_plus_6_side_by.jpg
Pricing will remain the same alongside the other unsubsidized iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models, with 16/64/128 GB versions of the iPhone 6 selling for $649/$749/$849 respectively, while the 16/64/128GB versions of the iPhone 6 Plus will be available for $749/$849/$949.

Notably, many of the carrier-specific iPhone 6 models sold by Apple have been unlocked since launch when purchased at full retail price, although the company has not been specifically marketing them as such. As with other unlocked devices, the unlocked versions of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus will allow users to insert a nano-SIM card from a compatible GSM network for cellular voice, texting, and data connectivity. Apple launched unlocked versions of the iPhone 5s last year in November, which followed the release of carrier-specific models in September.

Article Link: Apple to Begin Offering Unlocked, SIM-Free iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Models in the U.S. Tomorrow
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2015/01/05/apple-unlocked-iphone-6-6-plus-tomorrow/
What's the difference between this to be available, unlocked iPhone 6 and the existing full price t-mobile iPhone 6?
 
cheesyappleuser said:
And why is it any different from T-Mo iPhones?
Click to expand...

I believe that the T-Mobile version is locked in the US for 2 months to T-Mobile's service.

I just told my friend to get two of those for a family member that is visiting him from overseas.

The thing is that if you take the T-Mobile version outside of the US, it will work right away.
 
According to what I understand, if you buy a T-Mobile version from T-mobile, you are locked in for about 40 days.

The T-Mobile version from Apple online store isn't locked to T-Mobile, but comes with T-Mobile's nano sim. I bought my T-Mobile version from Apple online store and activated with my AT&T sim card on the day it arrived. Works perfectly find.
 
i had my 6+ swapped out and they gave me an unlocked one. all the models they have for swapping are not locked
 
I have a GoPhone plan pay-per-month which I am using with an iPhone 5. Can I just buy one of these unlocked iPhone 6+ models, and take the phone to an AT&T store and have them swap the SIM card? And it will work??
 
Odd. Here in Canada, they have always offered carrier specific and sim free iPhones from launch day forward since the iPhone 4 release.
 
That guy in the forum who was always whining about this is probably going to throw a huge house party in celebration of this.
 
Yakuzahi said:
I believe that the T-Mobile version is locked in the US for 2 months to T-Mobile's service.

I just told my friend to get two of those for a family member that is visiting him from overseas.

The thing is that if you take the T-Mobile version outside of the US, it will work right away.
Click to expand...
Only if you finance.

TMo iPhone since day 1 with an AIO SIM.

----------
r3loaded said:
Meanwhile outside the US we've been able to buy unlocked iPhones from day 1!
Click to expand...

We have here in the US, it was called the TMobile or Verizon full price option from Apple Store.
 
In the U.S. at least, isn't the Verizon model the most versatile? As I understand it, Verizon will not activate even a SIM free iPhone since it wasn't made specifically for that carrier. However, you can take the Verizon iPhone to AT&T and T-Mobile (but not Sprint). Correct me if I'm wrong on this though.
 
WardC said:
I have a GoPhone plan pay-per-month which I am using with an iPhone 5. Can I just buy one of these unlocked iPhone 6+ models, and take the phone to an AT&T store and have them swap the SIM card? And it will work??
Click to expand...


Yes you can.
 
This is strange. I ordered my sim-free iPhone 6+ from apple USA online store on the very launch date. I Live in Sierra Leone and I use other carrier sim on it without any issue. I'm still puzzled why the article says Apple to begin when it has already begun.
 
If you bought an ATT, T-mobile, or Verizon phone "device only" from Apple they were all immediately unlocked. The main difference now is just that Apple is allowed to call it unlocked. Also they will sell them by online order, not just in store. You could buy the Tmobile one online before, but availability was terrible so it was faster and more reliable to go to the store and buy one of the other carrier's phones. I personally use T-mobile, but bought an ATT 6+ on launch day since that was the only carrier still in stock when they got to me in line. A previous poster was right that a VZ phone is most versatile, though many have posted that ATT and T-mobile phones will work on VZ if you just swap SIMs. But VZ won't officially activate a phone from the other carriers.

And Sprint is an odd-duck. I'm pretty sure they won't accept any other carrier's phones on their network and their SIMs are somehow set up to only work with the phone they are assigned to, so you can't just swap SIMs. Also Sprint won't unlock their phones, so you can't use them on the other carriers.
 
Yakuzahi said:
I believe that the T-Mobile version is locked in the US for 2 months to T-Mobile's service.

I just told my friend to get two of those for a family member that is visiting him from overseas.

The thing is that if you take the T-Mobile version outside of the US, it will work right away.
Click to expand...

No. This is simply false. There was NEVER a 2-month "lock".
 
Yakuzahi said:
I believe that the T-Mobile version is locked in the US for 2 months to T-Mobile's service.

I just told my friend to get two of those for a family member that is visiting him from overseas.

The thing is that if you take the T-Mobile version outside of the US, it will work right away.
Click to expand...

If you buy a TMo phone from apple the phone is unlocked (I can confirm that, becuase as I bought one). However I am told that if you by it from TMo store the phone is being locked and you can request a lock after 45 days or so. I don't think the phones are different, but my feeling is that maybe when you buy it from TMo store they immediately activate it and that how it gets locked to the provider. That last part is speculation off course.
 
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