iPhone 11 Pro Buying unlocked from Best Buy

[King_SC]

Did Best Buy silently start selling unlocked iPhones again? I was browsing through their site and stumbled upon the 11 and 11 pro full price without having to select carriers. Would this be the same model that Apple sells or would there be any differences

 

[pika2000]

I don’t trust buying “unlocked” iPhones from anywhere other than straight from Apple themselves, especially if I’m paying full price. These resellers sometimes don’t know any better, and it can be annoying having to argue with them about what is “unlocked”.

 

[brucemr]

It seems they have.

But see several website anomalies on what Apple calls the Order number (MW....) On 11/11pro...
Number shown for unlocked one is Verizon. While number shown for Verizon one is the true factory unlocked sim free number. Also saw true unlocked number on an AT&T one.

One person said unlocked version came with Verizon sim in box, but activated on another carrier with no problem.
BB says they can activate unlocked one on Verizon when you order/buy, but for other carrier you have to activate it yourself later. Possibly reason for handy Verizon Sim in box? Special arrangement with Verizon?

Best Buy confusing on unlocked. That‘s why I always get factory unlocked sim free direct from Apple.

 

[King_SC]

They also charge a restocking fee should you return for whatever reason, which Apple does not do

 

[eyoungren]

I don’t trust buying “unlocked” iPhones from anywhere other than straight from Apple themselves, especially if I’m paying full price. These resellers sometimes don’t know any better, and it can be annoying having to argue with them about what is “unlocked”.

Arguing with them is a result of their compliance with the Apple Retail Flex policy. Basically, that's a policy that Apple puts on third-party resellers where a device will lock to the carrier of the first inserted SIM.

So, technically, it is unlocked when you pay full price at Best Buy (or elsewhere). A way around this is to make the very first SIM inserted a Verizon SIM.

 

[pika2000]

Arguing with them is a result of their compliance with the Apple Retail Flex policy. Basically, that's a policy that Apple puts on third-party resellers where a device will lock to the carrier of the first inserted SIM.

So, technically, it is unlocked when you pay full price at Best Buy (or elsewhere). A way around this is to make the very first SIM inserted a Verizon SIM.

Thus due to the regular ineptness of these resellers, they tend to claim they sell unlocked iPhones on the ones that are not, while in reality they are not unlocked in the classic sense for the end user.

Regardless, if one is paying full price, might as well just get it directly from Apple. None of these retailers are interested in the customer experience.