These are true world phones. They support all bands. Not like T mobile etc which didn't support sprint or China.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple to Begin Offering Unlocked, SIM-Free iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Models in the U.S. Tomorrow
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
These are true world phones. They support all bands. Not like T mobile etc which didn't support sprint or China.
No. Verizon will not activate any phone unless the IMEI number is in their database.
US is usually the first to get anything from Apple.
I always have been wondering why not from the first day unlocked SIM free iPhones in US? In UK we get them the very first day.
I always have been wondering why not from the first day unlocked SIM free iPhones in US? In UK we get them the very first day.
Seriously hope you are right. I am looking to buy another 6+ but wanted to wait till they announced the Sim-Free unlocked phone. However i was slightly put off when i visited the Canadian Apple website and observed that their "Official" unlocked phone has identical 16 lte (and not 20 lte bands) just like their American counterparts. Only phone with the 20 bands is the Sprint version but that is out of our purview due to their bizarre locking policies. The unlocked or SIM FREE phone would probably not even work with Cdma carriers (Please see my earlier post regarding the disclaimer on the Canadian apple website)
Therefore if the new Sim free phone does not happen to be the 1586/1524 version, then I'm going ahead and buying another verizon 6+. i have been using my current full price Verizon iPhone 6+ with T-mobile and it has been working flawlessly and i get LTE/WIFI-Calling...no problems whatsoever. i also have that peace of mind knowing that i can always switch to Verizon at a later stage without incurring any unnecessary complications.
Last edited:
This is correct, Sprint SIM cards will not provision the CDMA in non Sprint phones, it'll just say invalid SIM
It came! It came! All my topic took off. And it finally came.
TOOK THEM LONG ENOUGH.
.. But too long.
But still, the carriers make it harder to get them by making Apple obscuring them. (Not offering them in the way they start doing now.) From day one were I live, you can buy from 3 carriers or sim unlocked. The carrier versions are unlocked as well.
About 7 years after everybody else, and after forcing some of its customers to get well ripped off by some providers. Including me in Germany with the first Iphone. Never bought one again after 2010 and not looking back.
Anytime they've sold unlocked in the US a s unlocked they've always been the TMO\ATT banded versions, except without a lock.
In the back room, the phones are all the same. It's not until they scan them and apply a cellular profile that they become locked... so the "unlocked" is just in the way they apply or don't apply a lock profile. They're going to be the same model they're currently selling.
The 1524 is almost identical (the world GSM version) to our 1522 but offers more LTE bands... but even as I travel internationally 2 weeks out of the month, the US unlocked (TMO) version has worked everywhere without a hitch.
Looks like it is going to be the A1586!!! I just placed my order online and will be picking it up at the store later on today.
From the website
The unlocked iPhone includes all the features of iPhone but without a wireless contract commitment or a carrier installment plan. You can activate and use the unlocked iPhone on the supported wireless network of your choice, such as AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, or Sprint in the United States.
If you dont want a multiyear service contract, or if you prefer to use a local carrier when traveling abroad, the unlocked iPhone is the best choice. If you choose T-Mobile, your iPhone comes with a T-Mobile SIM card already installed. You will need to contact T-Mobile or visit an Apple Retail Store to activate your iPhone.
Otherwise, the unlocked iPhone does not come with a nano-SIM card for iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5s, or iPhone 5c so youll need to get one from any supported carrier worldwide. To start using your iPhone, simply insert the SIM card into the slot and turn on iPhone by pressing and holding the On/Off button for a few seconds. Then follow the onscreen instructions to set up your iPhone.
Purchasing an unlocked iPhone means you will not qualify for the lower iPhone price associated with a contract or a carrier installment plan. The unlocked iPhone 6 model is A1586. The unlocked iPhone 6 Plus model is A1524. The T-Mobile iPhone 6 model is A1549. The T-Mobile iPhone 6 Plus model is A1522. For details on LTE network support, please see www.apple.com/iphone/LTE.
To help decide whether the unlocked option is right for you, compare wireless service plans. Or call our iPhone Specialists at 1-800-MY-APPLE.
----------
Looks like they are going to be selling the A1586/A1524 variety which is the most versatile and the one that supports the most bands. So it's not the same at the T-Mobile / AT&T version.
See below from the website.
The unlocked iPhone includes all the features of iPhone but without a wireless contract commitment or a carrier installment plan. You can activate and use the unlocked iPhone on the supported wireless network of your choice, such as AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, or Sprint in the United States.
If you dont want a multiyear service contract, or if you prefer to use a local carrier when traveling abroad, the unlocked iPhone is the best choice. If you choose T-Mobile, your iPhone comes with a T-Mobile SIM card already installed. You will need to contact T-Mobile or visit an Apple Retail Store to activate your iPhone.
Otherwise, the unlocked iPhone does not come with a nano-SIM card for iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5s, or iPhone 5c so youll need to get one from any supported carrier worldwide. To start using your iPhone, simply insert the SIM card into the slot and turn on iPhone by pressing and holding the On/Off button for a few seconds. Then follow the onscreen instructions to set up your iPhone.
Purchasing an unlocked iPhone means you will not qualify for the lower iPhone price associated with a contract or a carrier installment plan. The unlocked iPhone 6 model is A1586. The unlocked iPhone 6 Plus model is A1524. The T-Mobile iPhone 6 model is A1549. The T-Mobile iPhone 6 Plus model is A1522. For details on LTE network support, please see www.apple.com/iphone/LTE.
To help decide whether the unlocked option is right for you, compare wireless service plans. Or call our iPhone Specialists at 1-800-MY-APPLE.
Good news: This model supports more European, Asian & African LTE bands Bad news: This model supports fewer North, Central & South American LTE bands (unlocked T-Mobile iPhone 6 supports these bands).
Bottom line: don't get too giddy and determine what model supports your international jet setter lifestyle better by checking here - http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/
Bottom line: don't get too giddy and determine what model supports your international jet setter lifestyle better by checking here - http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/
I guess I'm not seeing it. What bands do the A1586 (CDMA) and A1524 (CDMA) not support?
----------
Not to be a Doubting Thomas, but I'm still waiting to hear from someone that picked up one of these new SIM-Free/unlocked A1586 (CDMA) or A1524 (CDMA) models from the Apple Store that's been successfully (or unsuccessfully) activated by VZW...
I bought my iPhone 6, T-Mobile version from Apple Online Store and install my AT&T go phone sim card. Everything works fine.
I also did the same with my girlfriend's 5C that I bought last year, expect it was the sim-free version.
You shouldn't have any problem with either T-mobile or sim-free version as long as you buy it from Apple online store.
Congrats! I purchased the A1524 and i confirmed with Apple that it would work with any US carrier including Verizon/Sprint.
Working flawlessly with T-mob right now. People looking to get this(the restless kinds..like me..lol) should head to their local apple store as it appears that very few people are aware of this new development.
This may be true, however I can confirm a SIM free phone from Apple will work with a previously activated Verizon iPhone 6 SIM card. I bought a 16gb 6 when they came out and decided I wanted a 128gb 6 to store all my iTunes on. I am an apple employee and got a good discount on an unlocked sim free iPhone 6 model MG4A2ALL/A same model as sprint but truly unlocked and it worked out of the box with that Verizon sim from my 16gb 6.
It's what the BF was told when it was announced to staff yesterday. Including the deets that this means yet another set up service parts.
He's hoping that this is a sign of the future. It would be awesome from an inventory point of view if there was one set of SKUs that covered everything. Right now between retail SKUs and service SKUs they have almost 150 different skus. And this will add about 40 more. The activation system can lock or not the phones as appropriate and if the 7 and 7+ were 'world' phones that would give them like 40 SKUs to deal with
----------
According to the BF, the iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, iPhone 6+ activate service on replacement phones without entering anything into iTunes or otherwise, even before they transact the service swap (which would in theory alert Verizon to a change). They just pop in the sim and it comes right up.
If that is true with service phones its likely true with sim free retail.