Buy iPhone but don't activate?

sfwalter

sfwalter

macrumors 68020
I have my iPhone coming on Friday however I think I want to surprise my girlfriend and get her an iPhone 6. If I pick up an iPhone do I have to activate it at the store? Her birthday is next Wednesday and want to give it to her then.

Obviously if they activate it in the store on Friday she will wonder why her existing phone no longer works.
 
sfwalter said:
I have my iPhone coming on Friday however I think I want to surprise my girlfriend and get her an iPhone 6. If I pick up an iPhone do I have to activate it at the store? Her birthday is next Wednesday and want to give it to her then.

Obviously if they activate it in the store on Friday she will wonder why her existing phone no longer works.
Click to expand...

No, you don't have to activate at the store. You can do it at home.
 
AppleRobert said:
If you buy it on contract, I thought they had to activate it.
Click to expand...

No. I bought my 4S in the store and just left with it and activated it at home. Unless I'm having a huge brain fart...
Plus, everyone who orders and has it shipped at home can activated whenever they want and those are on contract.

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sfwalter said:
I'll be buying it thru the ATT Next program if that helps.
Click to expand...

OK, that might be different.....
 
when i bought my 5, best buy INSISTED that they activate it in store... when i said "it's my phone, i payed for it" they said "this is to prevent you from selling it" wtf...
 
aPple nErd said:
when i bought my 5, best buy INSISTED that they activate it in store... when i said "it's my phone, i payed for it" they said "this is to prevent you from selling it" wtf...
Click to expand...

I know there were problems in the past. You call the carrier to discontinue service as you have 14 day return policy on the phone. they cancel service and the phone is not returned to where it was purchased from.

This is more common than folks think.
 
AppleRobert said:
I know there were problems in the past. You call the carrier to discontinue service as you have 14 day return policy on the phone. they cancel service and the phone is not returned to where it was purchased from.

This is more common than folks think.
Click to expand...

yeah, but i could have sold it anyways... its not like putting my sim in it locks it onto my account. i mean verizon would have given it a bad esn, but it would have still sold for plenty of money.
 
I guess I'm not really understanding.... who cares if you sell it? As long as you keep paying your bill w/ Verizon, and as long as you know you don't have another upgrade for 2 years?

I thought lots of people purchased the newest iPhone via their upgrade only to turn around and sell it - and keep their old phones. Just for profit.

I don't get that, either, as I cannot WAIT to get my iPhone 6 Plus on Friday, but I don't understand what the big deal is about selling it?
 
sfwalter said:
I'll be buying it thru the ATT Next program if that helps.
Click to expand...

To answer your question, no you don't have to. Think about it, just because you ordered it and it arrives, her phone will stop working once you activate the new 6. So just surprise her with it and have her activate :)
 
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