Our cellular infrastructure is 3 years behind yours! This is one of many bragging rights we Americans possess.
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iPhone 6s Now Available SIM-Free in Apple Online Store
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Our cellular infrastructure is 3 years behind yours! This is one of many bragging rights we Americans possess.
Its not the infrastructure. It is the US carriers. They want to lock you into their services and not let you switch to another provider.
The
The model numbers are incorrect as A1633 is a 6S and A1634 is a the 6S Plus. The two 6S Plus model numbers are A1687 (global/non-AT&T model) and A1634 (only sold as AT&T, includes LTE Band 30.) http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/iphone/index-iphone-specs.html
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.
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
The model numbers are incorrect as A1633 is a 6S and A1634 is a the 6S Plus. The two 6S Plus model numbers are A1687 (global/non-AT&T model) and A1634 (only sold as AT&T, includes LTE Band 30.) http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/iphone/index-iphone-specs.html
I'm in Italy using A1687, delivered as a T-Mobile phone by Apple on launch day. Put in my AT&T SIM at home and my Italian TIM SIM in Italy. Works perfectly in both countries. Will use it in Scotland tomorrow!
What are you saying is wrong? We are talking about the unlocked sim free version being sold on Apple.com.
The unlocked 6S Plus is model A1687. Also know as T-Mobile/Sprint/Verizon iPhone 6S Plus.
Apple's website says the SIM-Free versions are the A1633 and A1634, which are also the "AT&T" models.
Me too!!!!! Thank you for having the courage to say so. I figure since most Americans only speak one language, we might as well use it correctly!
And I spent 90 minutes on the phone with Apple (tech support Tier I and II and sales) and none of them could explain which model worked with what. I'm using an A1687 in Europe with a foreign SIM providing my service and use my contracted AT&T SIM when in the US. I bought the phone as a full price "T-Mobile" iPhone 6S Plus on launch day. I immediately popped in my AT&at SIM. I'm not a T-Mobile customer in an country and use the phone in multiple countries across multiple (non T-Mobile) carriers. The only difference is this one came with a SIM. Go to an Apple Store and check the model numbers on the back of the phone for verification if you find what I'm saying hard to believe. Even Apple makes mistakes on their site/tech specs.
Apple's web site is correct. The SIM-Free model is the one that supports the most bands, which this year is the AT&T model. That doesn't change the fact that any of the other models is also unlocked if purchased for full price at Apple, and thus will work in Europe since they have the band support.
I don't know why, but Apple keeps their tech support people in the dark about the model differences, and tells them to parrot the carrier lines. I'm guessing the carriers ask them to do so. Since the iPhone 5S the "Verizon" model has been unlocked and compatible with most of T-Mobile and AT&T's bands, as well as the global bands. Since the iPhone 6 the CDMA radios have been active in all iPhones.
The only carriers using the A1688 and A1687 in the US are T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint. Every other carrier, including the regional CDMA carriers and AT&T, is using the A1634 and A1633. The A1688 and A1687 are also the "rest of the world except China" models.
http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/
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I don't doubt that the A1687 works in Europe and on AT&T here. The only thing it lacks is support for AT&T Band 30, which is just starting to be rolled out and is a supplemental band (meaning it isn't the sole band used anywhere it is deployed). It supports every band that last year's iPhone 6 supported and then some.
I'm actually using the A1633 on AT&T and I've actually used it with a Verizon SIM, as well.
There is no technological reason that the regional carriers are getting the A1634 and A1633. The A1688 and A1687 would work equally well for them. It is purely a production decision by Apple, probably because AT&T was the one who introduced the new bands this year (last year it was Sprint - and last year the SIM-Free was the "Sprint" phone).
Wait what are you talking about? I just checked their website and saw this --
- Mercury-free LED-backlit display
- Arsenic-free display glass
- Vegan
- Brominated flame retardant–free
- PVC-free
- Gluten-free
- Beryllium-free
- Recyclable aluminum enclosure
- Organic
- Power adapter outperforms strictest global energy efficiency standards
- Speaker enclosure with 30 percent post‑consumer recycled plastic
- Fair trade certified
So based on this chart, the A1633 will work in all those other countries, correct? It is identical to the A1688 and A1700 aside from Band 30, it has all the other bands that the A1688/A1700 has.
Yes, as long as it is unlocked. The SIM-Free models are, as is the AT&T model provided you paid full price for it at Apple (or bought it through the upgrade program). If you paid full price at AT&T you need to ask them to unlock it (which they will).
So, to be perfectly clear…
I can buy a SIM-free 6s right now and pull my currently active Verizon nano SIM out of my 5s, plug it into the 6s, and it will just work? I don't need to do anything else?
I can buy a SIM-free 6s right now and pull my currently active Verizon nano SIM out of my 5s, plug it into the 6s, and it will just work? I don't need to do anything else?
Got it, thanks! I did buy it full price from Apple and did a restore, the "congrats unlocked" message popped up so I'm all good on that front. I thought about exchanging it today for the SIM-free model just to have that one, may as well I thought. But, my phone is perfect and I don't want to risk getting a bad screen or dead pixels. I'll have to decide by today.
Yes. That's it. We've been doing that with GSM phones for years. Now that Verizon and Sprint have joined the party, it really is that simple with an unlocked phone. However, see the caveat below in case you ever need to get a new SIM card (I've heard Verizon is better about replacing SIMs for existing customers).
The only reason you might do that is if you are thinking of switching to Verizon or Sprint (or a regional carrier with a legacy CDMA network). Since the SIM-Free is supposed to show up on their white lists, it will be less of a hassle trying to get them to give you a SIM card. My parents could not get Sprint to give them an iPhone 6S SIM card for a "T-Mobile" iPhone 6S (even though they already had a Sprint iPhone 5, Sprint's SIM card changed). They then tried to port over to Verizon, who gave them the same runaround. Fortunately an Apple Store had the Verizon model in stock and just did a swap. If they had the SIM-Free back then, this (theoretically) would have been avoided.
But if I go through AT&T, don't they require a contract? Or is there a way to keep pay as you go through AT&T for this new iphone?
You can buy the AT&T model "device only" at the Apple Store. An AT&T store will also let you do that since you are an AT&T customer.