Good point.
So do these "early unlocks" work on CDMA too? Has anybody tried that yet?
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"Congratulations your iPhone has been unlocked"
- Thread starter BFW122083
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So do these "early unlocks" work on CDMA too? Has anybody tried that yet?
They don't, and they won't. Each CDMA carrier requires the iPhone to be flashed with its own specific firmware. Unlocked iPhones only work with GSM carriers: http://store.apple.com/us/browse/ho...iphone/iphone4/about_unlocked?mco=MjYwMDIzMDE
Nope it is a loophole since the Unlocked iPhone 4S is going to be sold SIM free in November. Just like the iPhone 4 that they began selling last June ( SIM Free ) Carrier Unlocked.
These current Apple units all are AT&T configured iPhone 4S units since they come complete with an AT&T Micro-SIM pre-installed.
If you purchase an AT&T configured iPhone even at any retail location this week in the US, they should be carrier locked. So again this is a loophole that is closing fast....
Dave
A few more details would help. Did she purchase from Apple as a "Device Only" purchase or did she provide her AT&T account information? If they helped her activated then 99.999% chance it got Carrier locked in the Apple Database.
Price is not the only issue.
Dave
A few more details would help. Did she purchase from Apple as a "Device Only" purchase or did she provide her AT&T account information? If they helped her activated then 99.999% chance it got Carrier locked in the Apple Database.
Price is not the only issue.
Dave
keep in mind too buying a device only iPhone from at&t will be locked unlike buying at an apple store
assuming i've purchased the device at full price from the apple store (after reserving an at&t phone) without giving them any info about any at&t account (since i don't have one):
1. Can i be sure that the device is unlocked?
2. Would I need an at&t sim card in order to activate it, or sould it be activated with any sim? I don't have any at&t account nor sim card, so would it work with a different sim card straight out of the box?
thanks a lot..
1. Can i be sure that the device is unlocked?
2. Would I need an at&t sim card in order to activate it, or sould it be activated with any sim? I don't have any at&t account nor sim card, so would it work with a different sim card straight out of the box?
thanks a lot..
Return it and purchase an off contract one. Do not provide any details of your AT&T account if they ask. That's what I did. Although I had to send back my iPhone to the online store.
I just got mine today. No hassle at all from the Bay St store in Emeryville, CA (just outside of SF). Walked in, said I was still under contract so needed to purchase as device only, walked out with the phone. Plugged it into itunes, got the message it was unlocked. It didn't activate, called AT&T, got it activated and it is still unlocked.
I don't know about buying and retuning stuff through att. I would never trust a carrier store.
I bought it from the apple online store during preorders and I believe you get 30 days to return it without a fee. Don't quote me on that though.
I just finished yet another wipe of my phone and reactivation through iTunes and I still get the unlock message. Happy days.
I just sent mine back today and will get to their warehouse Thursday. I swapped sims with off contract one with the one that came with the contract one I am returning. Hope that doesn't cause any issues reversing my contract. From my understanding all they care about is the IMEI number and not the sim ICCID when reversing the contract. We shall see.
I was in the apple store yesterday and asked if I could buy an off contract iPhone 4S for my sister for a present and was told "not until november". I then asked the next guy I saw, and he said: "I keep reading about people getting them, but we can't sell them til November."
Not sure I would have bought one for EIGHT hundred bucks, but I would have considered it for a moment...
Not sure I would have bought one for EIGHT hundred bucks, but I would have considered it for a moment...
so how are people buying it then from other Apple stores? there but be a cooperate policy .to sale or not to sale
It's because you're not supposed to tell them that.. you tell them you want an iPhone 4s but your contract doesn't qualify so you have to pay full price. Maybe they'll change their mind.
I just said I was buying it for a friend as a gift and didn't have their account info.
Maybe start calling different Apple stores to see if it's new policy not to sell them without account info being provided. If you get different stories then I would go back to that store and talk to different reps till you found one that can help you with getting one as an off contract "gift".
Same here, told them it was a gift for my wife who doesn't qualify for an upgrade. The employee just verified with me to make sure I was aware of the price, processed the sale and walked out with the phone, still in the box.
I just bought a 32gb AT&T 4S at the Apple Store an hour ago. He asked for my AT&T info and I said I just want to buy it outright and he had no problem with that and never got my info.
I haven't tried it yet to see if it's "unlocked" yet, but I will. Is there anything special I need to do, remove SIM, etc?
I haven't tried it yet to see if it's "unlocked" yet, but I will. Is there anything special I need to do, remove SIM, etc?
Nope. Just plug into iTunes and it will unlock. Did you reserve the phone or do they have walkin inventory? All stores around me didn't have anything in the reservation system.
Nope it is a loophole since the Unlocked iPhone 4S is going to be sold SIM free in November. Just like the iPhone 4 that they began selling last June ( SIM Free ) Carrier Unlocked.
These current Apple units all are AT&T configured iPhone 4S units since they come complete with an AT&T Micro-SIM pre-installed.
If you purchase an AT&T configured iPhone even at any retail location this week in the US, they should be carrier locked. So again this is a loophole that is closing fast....
Dave
Not really a loophole since once they started selling unlocked phones, apple's policy was that if an AT&T model was bought at full retail, it'll be unlocked. That apparently quietly carried over to the 4s.