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iPhone 6s Now Available SIM-Free in Apple Online Store

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Apr 12, 2001
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The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus are now available SIM-free in Apple's online store, allowing potential customers to buy an unlocked iPhone with no carrier attached. The new option was first spotted by MacRumors forum member Ternary. On its website, Apple explains the differences between a regular iPhone and a SIM-free one.

simfreeiphone.png

The SIM-free iPhone comes without a wireless contract commitment or carrier financing. It doesn't come with a nano-SIM card for iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, or iPhone 5s. And because it's unlocked, it isn't tied to one carrier, so you can get a nano-SIM from any supported carrier worldwide, such as AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, or Sprint in the United States.
Click to expand...
Purchasing a SIM-free iPhone means that customers have to pay for the full price of the device upfront. It's ideal for customers who want to avoid multi-year commitments with carriers or for travelers who want to easily be able to switch to local carriers when traveling abroad. The SIM-free iPhone 6s is model A1633 while the iPhone 6s Plus is model A1634.

Article Link: iPhone 6s Now Available SIM-Free in Apple Online Store
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2015/10/08/sim-free-phone-6s-available/
So my unlocked full price att A1634 6S Plus is the same sim free phone as what Apple is selling.

What's strange is I have both att and Verizon. When I put in Verizon nano sim. When I go under cellular options. It only gives me "data only" option. I try to choose voice only or voice and data with Verizon and it won't let me choose it

But when I try to pay a regular call it works perfect. My sms text show up as my real Verizon phone number.
 
well that was quick. phone sales must not be that great if they are already offering sim-free phones.

and could someone tell the difference between sim-free and carrier unlocked phone?
 
Wow. That was quick. Too bad they didn't have the SIM-free model a couple of weeks ago. That would have saved my parents some frustration trying to activate a "T-Mobile" iPhone on Sprint, and then later Verizon.
 
tresmith said:
well that was quick. phone sales must not be that great if they are already offering sim-free phones.

and could someone tell the difference between sim-free and carrier unlocked phone?
Click to expand...

To the contrary. That could mean that the carriers have already met their quotas (or are on target to). The SIM-free version is automatically on Verizon and Sprint's white list.
 
I just bought an ATT model iPhone 6s for use with ATT but I am not on a contract with them. Is the new phone locked? Do I have to request to have it unlocked by ATT? Since I am purchasing from Apple it seems weird that it would be locked to ATT when I have no contractual obligation to anyone.
 
wish they would have just offered the 1633/1634 from the beginning, and gave your option of SIM card to include separately (or better yet, get Verizon on board with the Apple SIM) with all full price purchases. If one decided to do a payment plan, or contract purchase, then lock the phone and include that sim automatically. Would have been much simpler.
 
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One of the things that I have never been able to get a good handle on is Carrier Frequency use here in the US no matter how I try. Even after reading up on it you still don't know for sure because depending on the location that Carrier might not use a particular band in every location. The people that work in the stores are more or less useless.
 
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Yes! The one thing you get with the SIM free version is the included SIM removal tool (Apple doesn't add that with the Carrier SIM'ed, although unlocked, versions here in the U.S.) - worthless, but I want it.

Apple must be doing alot better with production this time, we didn't get SIM free here in the states until after the new year for the 6 / 6 plus.
 
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tresmith said:
well that was quick. phone sales must not be that great if they are already offering sim-free phones.

and could someone tell the difference between sim-free and carrier unlocked phone?
Click to expand...

Last year the difference between unlocked and sim free was Verizon and sprint not liking your imei when you tried to activate service

Verizon on the tmo last year wouldn't allow you to activate it. You had to use a SIM card from another phone. And sprint would flat out not work.

When the sim free came out Verizon and sprint liked the seriial number. A few weeks ago Verizon now likes both T-Mobile unlocked and sim free

When I try to go to Verizon or sprint and ask them about my tmo unlocked iPhone 6s Plus they try and tell me I don't have a compatible device.
 
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KPOM said:
To the contrary. That could mean that the carriers have already met their quotas (or are on target to). The SIM-free version is automatically on Verizon and Sprint's white list.
Click to expand...

All the articles that I've read so far say that sales are not meeting expectations. And the fact that Apple is offering sim-free phones less than two weeks after release kinda confirms it. Two weeks after release is unheard of. it usually takes two to three months for them to show up.
 
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