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I alway buy unlocked as well, but this year i received a pop up stating all the phones they sell are unlocked except At&t
 
All the phones are unlocked if you pay in full from Apple. If you can’t find the “unlocked” iPhone, just pick one of the carrier ones and you should be set. Worked every time I needed to do it :)
 
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All the phones are unlocked if you pay in full from Apple. If you can’t find the “unlocked” iPhone, just pick one of the carrier ones and you should be set. Worked every time I needed to do it :)

Man you’re the best you just answered the question I came here to ask. I bought an att iPhone 12 outright and was wondering. Thanks

But I did have to put my phone number and Last digits of SSN before buying it outright
 
Man you’re the best you just answered the question I came here to ask. I bought an att iPhone 12 outright and was wondering. Thanks

But I did have to put my phone number and Last digits of SSN before buying it outright

Did you buy direct from Apple? I never had to do that. Or did you do an upgrade to your existing plan? I put “activate later”
 
Did you buy direct from Apple? I never had to do that. Or did you do an upgrade to your existing plan? I put “activate later”

Yeah directly from Apple. I just switched to att a couple months ago and this is the first device I buy with them so maybe that’s why?
 
I like Unlocked for many of the reasons already mentioned here; I also like buying that way because I can decide to sell my phone whenever I want for whatever reason I want. Don't have to talk to a phone company. Don't have to pay it off. Don't have to unlock it. Just get rid of it. I appreciate that freedom.
 
Buying outright unlocked is cheaper for me. I also like having the ability to save for it, drop my cash in one lump sum and then cruise on cheap pre paid deals. Much easier to budget and saves me in the long run. I don’t upgrade every year though.

That is how I bought my SE. I then moved the SIM card over from my old Android device to my iPhone and voila. An iPhone with the same number.
 
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Bought mine unlocked. Without the carrier subsidies of old, not worth it to have a payment plan and I'd rather get it over with. Plus unlocked I can avoid carrier upgrade fee and use it when I travel. Also my current phone is a 6 so it has no trade in value for most of the deals carriers are offering.
 
All iPhones are unlocked now. It's been this way as far back as the 2017 slate of iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and original iPhone X, if not even further back.

Wrong. I know for a fact that AT&T phones are locked. Even if they're purchased for full price from AT&T. You can submit to have the phone unlocked once the phone has been paid off but even then you have to go through AT&T's process to have your phone unlocked. This is just one of the several reasons I can't stand AT&T.
 
I've only been buying unlocked phones for the last 5 years or so. No interest in dealing with carriers and their upgrade fees and bill credits and trade ins. Rarely any promos for existing customers on launch devices anyway.
 
Wrong. I know for a fact that AT&T phones are locked. Even if they're purchased for full price from AT&T. You can submit to have the phone unlocked once the phone has been paid off but even then you have to go through AT&T's process to have your phone unlocked. This is just one of the several reasons I can't stand AT&T.

Let me rephrase: all iPhones purchased from Apple are unlocked.

EDIT: If you use one of AT&T's installment plans, your iPhone is still locked. But it's not a very good deal. Certainly, you can still buy an iPhone (with an AT&T SIM preloaded) at full price that is still unlocked.
 
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I bought my Pro outright and will do the same with the Pro Max, I have ATT Prepaid so I don't get any discounts. I have to buy them all outright
 
Bought it outright, sim-free, from Apple. Always. No restocking fee or hassles if you return or exchange it. I’ll be picking up my 12 pro in gold 128gb at an Apple store. They just deducted the amount of the phone today from my account.
 
I love how everyone is saying they buy the unlocked one on Apple. No matter what carrier you choose, the phone will be unlocked if you pay in full or choose Apple’s payment plan. The ONLY exception is if you buy an AT&T phone and are on their installment plans the phone is locked.
 
I ordered the 12 pro direct from Apple. Also using Mint Mobile. Agree with others - having 85% the benefits of a regular cell service for like 25% the price is a no brainer in my book. The savings literally pay for a new Pro Max every 2 years if you want to think about it that way 😜
 
if you bought from Apple, it’s unlocked regardless right? What’s with the weird flex or people posting that they bought outright?
 
if you bought from Apple, it’s unlocked regardless right? What’s with the weird flex or people posting that they bought outright?
Read the first post in this thread by the OP. He’s asking If we bought the phone outright or are making installments. It wasn’t unprovoked.
 
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Unlocked 12Pro and paid upfront. I'm in a position where I can do that. In the Before Times I did a lot of travel to Europe and using an eSIM (or popping in a local SIM) made life easier.
 
I pre-ordered two sim free, paid in full iPhone 12 Pros for my parents. I always pay in full and get sim-free phones. I don't like financing schemes and I don't like to be locked to a carrier.
 
Since the iPhone 6s Plus in 2016 I've been paying in full for sim-free iPhones. After the 1st time buying full price, I forecasted what my next phone would cost (~$1k USD) and save for it in 24 month installments, that way I have my own installment plan (therefore paying full price does not hurt) without having to deal with carriers and contracts.

In addition, to save more money than even with the Apple credit card, I bought Apple Gift Cards through Target to cover the full price of the 12 Pro (including tax) that saved be about 10% off the total price. You can buy Apple Gift Cards for 5% off using the Target RedCard (which is more than the 3% Apple give you). I saved ~10% instead of the normal 5% as there was a promotion granting free Target gift cards (in addition to the 5%) with the purchase of Apple Gift Cards about a month ago. My case and screen protector were purchased with these savings (and still have leftover savings).
 
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