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impossible to sell iPhone

M

macbook123

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Feb 11, 2006
1,869
85
I purchased the iPhone 6 a few weeks ago.I then decoded to go with a Moto X instead. I am trying to sell my iPhone now, but many potential buyers are asking if it is unlocked. I called AT&T to see if they can unlock it but they refuse (fwiw I have been a loyal customer with them and pay for a family plan for the last ten years).

I asked the rep if I can still sell it but she claimed that no other SIM card would work in it. Is that true? If it is true, what does AT&T get out of this?
 
If your phone is under contract or under a Next installment they will not unlock it under any circumstance that I am aware of. If it is not, they should unlock it for you within two weeks of purchasing.

A locked phone is always going to be worth less than an unlocked one. AT&T still makes you pay retail, but as soon as you take it from the store, it's worth a good bit less than what you bought it for. Think of it like a car.

You other issue is that the 6 is fairly readily available. There were never nearly the supply constraints as there were with the plus. What this means is that even the unlocked ones are selling for less than retail.

I have seen some AT&T locked devices sell for around $400 FOR A 16GB. Bottom line is, you probably need to lower your price.
 
Just google iPhone unlock. Pay for it to be unlocked and presto. Just because it's under contract/next doesn't mean you can't unlock it yourself.
 
It's called supply and demand. The 16GB iPhone 6 is in plentiful supply. Why would anyone pay $199 for a 6-week old locked AT&T device when they can walk into an Apple, AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint store and get a subsidized device for the same price and 6 more weeks of warranty? Verizon devices have the advantage of being unlocked, so if you change your mind you can usually fetch quite a bit more on the open market, as AT&T, T-Mobile, and even international users can use it on their networks without extending their contracts. Of course, Verizon's monthly plans tend to be pricier than the other carriers'. It's a tradeoff.

My advice is to sell it on Swappa or a similar service as a locked AT&T device. Chances are that you won't get the extra $450 if you pay that now to get AT&T to unlock it. You might get $150 for it ($250 for a 64GB or $350 for a 128GB). After all, it still works on AT&T and someone ineligible for an upgrade this year might see it as a good deal.

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CEmajr said:
You can still sell it to another AT&T user.
Click to expand...

True. I did that 2 years ago when the iPhone 5 came out. I really wanted the unlocked version, but had an upgrade and ordered the AT&T version in the pre-order. By chance, I happened to be at a store a few days later when they just got a shipment in, and I bought a device at full price. I had no intention of leaving AT&T (I was/am paying $60/month for a rollover minutes plan and unlimited data), so rather than return the locked device, I just sold it for about $400 locked to another AT&T user in an area where the iPhone was still scarce. In the end, I looked at it as getting 3 months wireless service for free.
 
KPOM said:
My advice is to sell it on Swappa or a similar service as a locked AT&T device. Chances are that you won't get the extra $450 if you pay that now to get AT&T to unlock it. You might get $150 for it ($250 for a 64GB or $350 for a 128GB). After all, it still works on AT&T and someone ineligible for an upgrade this year might see it as a good deal.
Click to expand...


The prices you are quoting are on contract pricing. $150 is way low for an off contract phone for even a used iPhone 6 16 GB.
$400+ and that is the low side.
 
AT&T gave me permission to unlock it!

Hey Guys, I submitted an online request to have it unlocked and they sent me the OK and instructions for how to do this. How can this be that they never do this but allow me to do it?
 
MattMJB0188 said:
Just google iPhone unlock. Pay for it to be unlocked and presto. Just because it's under contract/next doesn't mean you can't unlock it yourself.
Click to expand...

Unlocking has changed and is not so easy anymore!

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macbook123 said:
Hey Guys, I submitted an online request to have it unlocked and they sent me the OK and instructions for how to do this. How can this be that they never do this but allow me to do it?
Click to expand...

Let us know if it works.
 
macbook123 said:
Hey Guys, I submitted an online request to have it unlocked and they sent me the OK and instructions for how to do this. How can this be that they never do this but allow me to do it?
Click to expand...

Did you purchase it full price? People here at MR are saying if purchased full price from Apple, it is unlocked. But if purchased from ATT, it is locked until the phone is paid in full.
 
ET iPhone Home said:
Did you purchase it full price? People here at MR are saying if purchased full price from Apple, it is unlocked. But if purchased from ATT, it is locked until the phone is paid in full.
Click to expand...

I didn't. I purchased it subsidized with a new 2 year contract. Then I made the AT&T website online request to have it unlocked and heard back within 24 hours with the manual how to unlock it.

The AT&T representative I spoke to on the phone before doing the online request wouldn't let me do it.
 
You should be able to get $550 (easily) - $600 (if your patient) via Swappa or Craigslist.
 
Because it a contract is it not techcally still their phone till you make the last payment??

Genuine question?!
 
Bought my 6 under contract for 299.. Spent $85 at swift unlocks... Sold for $820 on eBay... Bought 6+
 
macbook123 said:
I purchased the iPhone 6 a few weeks ago.I then decoded to go with a Moto X instead. I am trying to sell my iPhone now, but many potential buyers are asking if it is unlocked. I called AT&T to see if they can unlock it but they refuse (fwiw I have been a loyal customer with them and pay for a family plan for the last ten years).

I asked the rep if I can still sell it but she claimed that no other SIM card would work in it. Is that true? If it is true, what does AT&T get out of this?
Click to expand...

Wish you luck. With the online request
 
KPOM said:
My advice is to sell it on Swappa or a similar service as a locked AT&T device. Chances are that you won't get the extra $450 if you pay that now to get AT&T to unlock it. You might get $150 for it ($250 for a 64GB or $350 for a 128GB). After all, it still works on AT&T and someone ineligible for an upgrade this year might see it as a good deal.
Click to expand...
Uh, no. $150 for a 16GB 6? Those go for $649 new.
 
Were you able to sell it now? I had alot of people asking me if it was unlocked when I was selling my iPhone 5. I found a buyer a few days later that bought it locked.
 
I learned how crucial timing was last year. I expected it to be time sensitive week to week, but this year it was changing in value every few days. I was able to buy two AT&T 6+ models right away at launch, sold them in their sealed boxes in less than 48 hours for big profits. They were locked. Got the third phone to sell four days later, used the company below to unlock it, sold that one in 48 hours also. Made enough cash to buy my personal 64GB 6+. Even after buying AppleCare, I had money left over. Getting mine for free was worth the effort.


http://www.unlockiphoneatt.biz/?gcl...y76tcZmumxXsLwMxuXPxjCTeHnqqzoJvMlRoC7afw_wcB
 
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