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Except when you order full-price online and select T-Mobile...then, no wireless account info is asked for.

That is true. If we knew for certain that the full-price T-Mobile phone is the same as the Verizon and Sprint, that would solve the CDMA MVNO conundrum.
 
There is no such thing as a locked Verizon LTE phone. Legally they cannot lock their phones, as a condition of the auction in which they won the LTE Band 13 space.

We go through this every year. Don't worry about it. If you pay full price and buy it from Apple, then your phone will be unlocked. Sprint used to be an exception, but I believe even they no longer lock full-priced phones sold at Apple stores. The CSRs at the Apple Stores are either misinformed or parroting a script.

I've been buying "device only" phones on launch weekend since the iPhone 5. This year I have a reservation for an "AT&T" model because I actually use AT&T and want Band 30 support.

You have been lucky. I have been personally denied buying an iPhone at full retail (outside of the t-mobile variant). I tried to buy the verizon iPhone 6 at launch in store for full retail. I had to wait a few months before they would let me. Sounds like the person you quoted got the same response from their Apple store. I really think it varies store by store.
 
Putting your SIM card into the phone is "activating" it.
Exactly. No manipulation or alteration of your carrier account is necessary. What bothers me is the persistent meme coming from Apple that they need to update your account in some way to sell you a phone, when as you say it's just sim swap.
 
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You have been lucky. I have been personally denied buying an iPhone at full retail (outside of the t-mobile variant). I tried to buy the verizon iPhone 6 at launch in store for full retail. I had to wait a few months before they would let me. Sounds like the person you quoted got the same response from their Apple store. I really think it varies store by store.
What city, if you don't mind? I've made device-only purchases at several stores in Chicago and New York.
 
That is true. If we knew for certain that the full-price T-Mobile phone is the same as the Verizon and Sprint, that would solve the CDMA MVNO conundrum.
We do. http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/
The 1687 and 1688 is listed for T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint.

Oddly, most of the regional carriers (e.g. C-Spire, US Cellular) are getting the "AT&T" version, even if they operate legacy CDMA voice networks. I wonder if they have roaming agreements on AT&T's LTE network.
 
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What city, if you don't mind? I've made device-only purchases at several stores in Chicago and New York.

Mall of GA. They let me after a month or so, but when the stock was limited they would not let me buy it outright without verizon being my carrier.
 
That's interesting since you are in NYC. In Dayton, Ohio it would probably never matter. But, more phones every year. So, who knows. I think in case i keep this phone a couple years, it is worth getting the ATT A1633/34.
It kinda shocked me to be honest. It made me actually realize that internals do matter. That Edge phone is so fast doing everything.. If it wasn't for that OS I would jump on it without a second thought.
 
You have been lucky. I have been personally denied buying an iPhone at full retail (outside of the t-mobile variant). I tried to buy the verizon iPhone 6 at launch in store for full retail. I had to wait a few months before they would let me. Sounds like the person you quoted got the same response from their Apple store. I really think it varies store by store.

I've never experienced this. When the 6/6 Plus were introduced, I bought two Verizon 6 Plus's 'device only.' They were the last two Verizon devices in stock.
I'd ask to speak to a store manager if I were turned down - Apple sells hardware. We're there to buy a piece of hardware. The carrier/device type shouldn't matter at all. Even if you bought an ATT device and had to go through ATT to unlock, Apple is out of the loop on this.

I suspect the reason you have to activate a device on the Upgrade Plan is that since it's unlocked, scalpers don't try to purchase a device for a few months payments and then sell them for full price to some unsuspecting buyer (just a guess, but the only thing that makes sense). Activating the device in-store is at least a somewhat safe way to guard against this.
 
Another thing I'm curious about, in the pre-order screen, my T-Mobile order shows up as "iPhone 6s 64GB Space Gray (GSM)" There is no mention of carrier. For you guys that ordered an ATT phone, what does it show up as on this page?

View attachment 581463

Mine says:
iPhone 6s 128GB Space Gray (GSM) AT&T

for my AT&T order.

I also ordered one for the lady (I ordered her the T-Mobile version even though she's on AT&T, long story). That order says:

iPhone 6s 64GB Rose Gold (GSM)

With no carrier indicated.
 
We do. http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/
The 1687 and 1688 is listed for T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint.

Oddly, most of the regional carriers (e.g. C-Spire, US Cellular) are getting the "AT&T" version, even if they operate legacy CDMA voice networks. I wonder if they have roaming agreements on AT&T's LTE network.

Some do and some don't. Your example carriers do not.
 
Reason why I cancelled my T-Mobile version iPhone 6s Plus. I would kill me knowing I am missing out on a much faster band.

I did the same thing, so I could have the Band 30 option in the future (I'm in coastal LA, so I imagine it'll be here fairly soon if it's not already.)

Initially I ordered both girlfriend and I the T-Mobile versions based on my experience with the 6, and not wanting to deal with the AT&T "upgrade" hassles and fee. Last year I just bought T-Mobile version unlocked and put in my AT&T SIM so I assumed they were identical phones. But after some time here on MacRumors (and watching Sascha Segan's PCMag article) I canceled mine and got the AT&T model. Hers I left alone because:

1. She wouldn't give two sh*ts about band 30
2. Hers is rose gold and they're looking scarce
3. Even though they seem to still have rose gold AT&T models for launch day delivery, it still would have been a huge hassle to do hers w/ ATT because of how her account is set up - the phone would need to be shipped to her parents house 3000 miles away and they're traveling until late next month. And, even if she's not quite obsessed like we are, she does want it ASAP. :)
 
Some do and some don't. Your example carriers do not.
That's odd. I wonder why Apple produced a phone simply for T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint (and the rest of the world except China) rather than just give all the US carriers the "AT&T" version? If AT&T wanted Band 30 to be exclusive to "their" phone then the other carriers wouldn't have it.
 
Called up my local Apple store and was told,without hesitation, that I have to activate with a carrier on launch day otherwise "no sale". This also applies to the pay in full option. Suggested I wait till they start selling the sim free one.

This seems like a dumb policy, but maybe I'm missing something.
 
While it would be nice if all the phones were the same, there's probably a reason for the difference. I would guess a shortage of the baseband chipset that includes the new band, so it's only being offered for the only network that has plans to use it in the foreseeable future.

I think you're right because, as many have mentioned on this thread, barring a supply issue it would have been more efficient and less costly to make fewer variants. Facing a supply shortage, and a (somewhat) fixed ship date, separate SKUs would be the least bad option.

I suppose one other possibility is some kind of business arrangement with AT&T to make their phone "special" to help discourage attrition. But we'd likely have heard about that.
 
After reading your post, I did the same, calling our closest Apple Store that is 45 miles away. I explained that I had reserved a Verizon 6S for September 25 and asked if I had to have a Verizon account or if I could activate the phone with my Selectel SIM card. The specialist said that they had been told that phones were locked (at least the early ones), that if I had preordered a Verizon phone, then I would have to have a Verizon account. She said that she couldn't say for sure that the Selectel card wouldn't work, but she was doubtful.

I really cannot fathom this. Do the major carriers have this kind of stranglehold on Apple that they cannot sell a reserved iPhone on launch day to customers that use MVNO's? I've also read where people went into Verizon stores on launch day and bought device-only Verizon iPhones.

I don't get this either. How is it acceptable to lock a phone when it's completely unsubsidized?

Along the same lines: what is AT&T's rationale/justification for charging a $15 upgrade fee when they did absolutely nothing? I know they'll refund it if we ask, but I'm interested in the rationale. I haven't heard anything publicly.
 
In order to place an online order you need to enter in wireless account details, even on the full-price devices. However, that may be more of an attempt to reduce resell activity. Apple Retail is allowing everyone up to 2 in-store reservations with 2 devices each time, so my guess is they will allow device-only sales as in past years.

Not sure if it matters to anyone, or if the online Apple Store even limits iPhone pre-orders anymore (I think they limited it to 2 pre-order devices per person for the 5?) but I didn't have a problem buying three 6Ses on Saturday. (I think that's the correct way to spell the plural of "6s" ;) )
 
Exactly. No manipulation or alteration of your carrier account is necessary. What bothers me is the persistent meme coming from Apple that they need to update your account in some way to sell you a phone, when as you say it's just sim swap.

I know I just mentioned this, but could it be that the carriers are pushing Apple to do it this way so they can collect "upgrade" fees for doing absolutely nothing?
 
Where does it show what model they are sending you before you place order. I have never pre-ordered, so don't know. If I could know 100% I would get the A1633/34 (30 Band) with Apple Care for same or better monthly payment on Next, I would order from Apple. As it is, I may just show up on the 25th at my ATT Store. The person I know there and does their inventory said they will have them on 25th. Of course need to be early.
We will have them (I work at AT&T)

But expect the plus variant to have a decent amount fewer un
It kinda shocked me to be honest. It made me actually realize that internals do matter. That Edge phone is so fast doing everything.. If it wasn't for that OS I would jump on it without a second thought.
Its probably the newer antennas and faster LTE capability , doesn't mean its Band 30 doing so
 
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We will have them (I work at AT&T)

But expect the plus variant to have a decent amount fewer un

Its probably the newer antennas and faster LTE capability , doesn't mean its Band 30 doing so

I didn't think Band 30 was faster, it was there if you were in a crowded area and got moved to it. I guess that can be faster than staying in the crowded bands.
 
Not that I know of (yet) Just the prepaid carriers that use ATT towers. T-mobile prepaid through t-mobile also caps you at 8mbp/s (they just started that).

Do you know where there is information on that? Is that just prepaid MVNO's or also prepaid plans bought directly through T-Mobile? Because I was seriously considering getting the $30 prepaid T-Mobile plan if I got an iPhone and now I'm worried it might be throttled since it's prepaid, but it's also directly through T-Mobile... :(
 
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