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iPad 2 Locked Status - Apple's Wording
- Thread starter OSMac
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what? These sites live on speculation and random rumors. If they waited for a huge scoop every time they wanted to post a story they would go out of business.
Carrier lock on an ipad means a few things for the 3G iPads:
- Canadian users have multiple GSM networks to choose from; carrier lock would be limiting.
- If travelling abroad, you can't get a local SIM and use it instead of paying data roaming charges ($$$)
- Someone travelling from abroad cannot buy one in the US or Canada and have it work when they get home
- International resale (whether launch day or later down the road) is limited if the iPad 3G is carrier locked -- why would a buyer overseas buy it if they can't use a local SIM?
Come Friday and a lot of people will start taking elementary Engish again.
Not that they will admit.
Not that they will admit.
Actually you can. You have to configure the APN manually, and it will only run in EDGE (2G) mode since T-Mobile USA uses frequencies for UMTS that are not supported by the iPad, but it does work.
Personally I am mainly interested in the Ipad 2 3G because I often travel abroad. I have cheap prepaid SIMs for several European countries (e.g. for Germany I have a "day flatrate" with unlimited data for 2 Euros per day, charged only on days where I actually use it). Depending on what I am using, I put the SIM into either my iPad 1 or my laptop (which has an integrated UMTS modem). This makes life a lot easier on business trips.
You can buy phones (including iPhones), tablets (Samsung Galaxy tab) in the US without subsidy, but they are all still provider-locked. Subsidy or not doesn't have correlation whether a device can or cannot be locked.
Wording for iPhone4 from Apple US website:
Wording for iPad 2 3G from Apple US website:
One can assume that the wording above only refers to GSM vs CDMA, but the fact is US GSM iPhone 4 is provider locked. Heck, Apple doesn't even bother pointing out where the microSIM slot on the iPad 2 3G, and they don't even mention microSIM anywhere on the US site.
Although I do wish Apple keep the iPad 2 3G unlocked just like the first gen, people need to have realistic expectation. Besides, many people here and pretty much most US consumers demand provider locked device, so it's natural for Apple to deliver what people want.
Wording for iPad 2 3G from Apple US website:
One can assume that the wording above only refers to GSM vs CDMA, but the fact is US GSM iPhone 4 is provider locked. Heck, Apple doesn't even bother pointing out where the microSIM slot on the iPad 2 3G, and they don't even mention microSIM anywhere on the US site.
Although I do wish Apple keep the iPad 2 3G unlocked just like the first gen, people need to have realistic expectation. Besides, many people here and pretty much most US consumers demand provider locked device, so it's natural for Apple to deliver what people want.
They mention the microSIM slot in the iPad specs, which is the only place they really have to mention it.
http://apple.com/ipad/specs
A GPS - and your solution for the battery is fine, for an extra $29. Not a solution to go out and buy a GPS. In my opinion, for the extra $100 for the 3G version, it's worth it for the GPS alone, even if you never activate the 3G data plan.
Excellent find, that pretty much clears it up, I've updated the original post.
Don't you think if we had to guess whether the iPad 2 would be sold unlocked we should base it on the original iPad and not the iPhone which launched while still in exclusivity with AT&T?
Alright.. I don't live in the US, but is that for real? Most US consumers demand provider locked device??
Two questions.
Why do you need GPS on iPad? Car? Etc. Just curious.
2nd. If you tether on wifi, does the gps work off the tethering phone?
This is not the same. AT&T still has the exclusive rights to the GSM version of the iPhone in the US (T-Mobile USA does not carry it, and nobody except AT&T officially sells unsubsidized iPhones).
You can't be serious.
iPhoneincanada says "Apple US Confirms iPad 2 3G AT&T Model Will Remain Unlocked"
Article : http://ow.ly/48Ucn
Article : http://ow.ly/48Ucn
WRONG! The iPad 2 is locked. No matter what Apple and ATT say.
Why is it locked? Because pika2000 said so and I trust him more than the maker of the iPad 2.
This is ridiculous! For one, you're paying full price, and for another both the GSM and CDMA models have the same radio. Why aren't they just using a universal design that ignores the SIM card when set to use CDMA?
It seriously made me double head palm.
Because it's apple. They purposely never put all of the available tech in their products at once. Their products are always minimal bumps in features. Ipad 3 will have the new qualcomm chip. This keeps people coming back to buy upgrades each year. Good ol $teve Job$
the link above is even better, but I can add my own anecote:
When I did the online 'chat' with a rep, I first asked 'Kam D' if the iPad was unlocked and he/she said that, no, it will only work with either AT&T or Verizon because the technologies are different. I then agreed that EV-DO and GSM are different, but asked if I could replace the SIM in the AT&T version when abroad. The rep put me on hold, then stated that, yes, the ipad is unlocked
I think there is a lot of confusion between carrier locks and CDMA vs GSM. Because a relatively small number of people actually care if it's unlocked, but a lot of people could easily be confused and think they can buy any iPad and it will work with both verizon and AT&T.
In fact, I think Apple was a little short sighted for not putting in a dual-mode chip and making a single unified model that worked on both carriers. But, I bet AT&T and Verizon would rather they be separate so they can lock you in to one US carrier.
When I did the online 'chat' with a rep, I first asked 'Kam D' if the iPad was unlocked and he/she said that, no, it will only work with either AT&T or Verizon because the technologies are different. I then agreed that EV-DO and GSM are different, but asked if I could replace the SIM in the AT&T version when abroad. The rep put me on hold, then stated that, yes, the ipad is unlocked
I think there is a lot of confusion between carrier locks and CDMA vs GSM. Because a relatively small number of people actually care if it's unlocked, but a lot of people could easily be confused and think they can buy any iPad and it will work with both verizon and AT&T.
In fact, I think Apple was a little short sighted for not putting in a dual-mode chip and making a single unified model that worked on both carriers. But, I bet AT&T and Verizon would rather they be separate so they can lock you in to one US carrier.