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

KPOM said:
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.
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Thanks. I'm 99% sure this is the route I'll go.
 
KPOM said:
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.
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But essentially, I would still be paying the full price of $749 for 64GB either way because this device wouldn't be tied to a contract. Am I understanding this correctly?
 
Tech198 said:
Why does Apple use different terms for the same thing ? To confuse everyone...

Apple should just call it 'unlocked' phone, because that's what it is..... We've got that down under :D

SIM-free probably sounds more fancy pancy.
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That's incorrect. If you order a phone with a SIM and pay full price it comes unlocked out of the box. So SIM-free is actually an accurate description.
 
KPOM said:
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.
Click to expand...
I currently have both an AT&T account and Verizon account, so I shouldn't have an issue with Verizon. I'd also lose the $35 I spent on the Zagg screen protector if I swap phones. I'll just keep mine, since it is the same phone as the SIM free.
 
brianbunge said:
It irks me as an English-speaking American!
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If enough people use "alot," then it will become normal usage. Usage determines whether or not something is a word or not. See: irregardless. The correct word is "regardless." But over time and through usage dictionaries are recognizing "irregardless" as a word. If people use "alot" a lot-- I mean like ALOT-- then "alot" will become a word. Dictionaries should be descriptive, not proscriptive.
 
So if i bought it for full price from apple.com (verizon) I can still use it in other countries correct?
 
tresmith said:
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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You have not been reading the correct articles.
 
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MacRumors said:



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

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
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What is the difference between the sim free and the mobile phone?
 
So by buying sim free I can take the sim card out of my iPhone 6 Plus, put it into the 6s Plus and the service will resume fine, right?
 
After all these years, it amazed me that people are still confused about the concept of an unlocked phone, and the tech blogs probably don't know any better either.

Buying iPhone in the US:
- If you pay full price at Apple store, your iPhone is unlocked (Day 1)
- If you buy Verizon version, with or without contract, it is 100% unlocked per US regulation (Day 1)
- The SIM free version is just Apple's way of officially selling an unlocked version, without any SIM inside it. Previously, US iPhone will include a SIM preloaded in it from the carrier you choose when you buy it.
- Buy it via Apple's leasing program, and it is unlocked per Apple's own words.

That's it. Easy.

Why wouldn't Apple sell the SIM free version right off the gate? Who knows. I'm guessing it is sort of a deal with the carriers, to encourage consumers to sign up for a contract or a plan with the respective carriers. It is no brainer for Apple to tailor their product selection in the US to match the US consumers, where most people would be with one of the 4 big carriers.

So go ahead Chinese scalpers, welcome to the US of A.
 
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Dizzy Slip said:
If enough people use "alot," then it will become normal usage. Usage determines whether or not something is a word or not. See: irregardless. The correct word is "regardless." But over time and through usage dictionaries are recognizing "irregardless" as a word. If people use "alot" a lot-- I mean like ALOT-- then "alot" will become a word. Dictionaries should be descriptive, not proscriptive.
Click to expand...

We might as well throw "conversate" in there as well since people are too ignorant to just say converse.
 
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Dizzy Slip said:
If enough people use "alot," then it will become normal usage. Usage determines whether or not something is a word or not. See: irregardless. The correct word is "regardless." But over time and through usage dictionaries are recognizing "irregardless" as a word. If people use "alot" a lot-- I mean like ALOT-- then "alot" will become a word. Dictionaries should be descriptive, not proscriptive.
Click to expand...

I think you mean prescriptive. :p
 
Glenn Fleishman has an article up at Macworld today saying that basically any iPhone 6s/6s+ sold in the US can use any of the LTE networks in the US:

Glenn Fleishman said:
Buy any non-Chinese model, and it will work over LTE (and regular networks) on any American carrier. There’s just one small difference with AT&T involving additional frequencies it has a long-term plan to deploy fully.
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Assuming, of course, the phone isn't locked (I'm looking at you, AT&T).

pika2000 said:
Buying iPhone in the US:
- If you pay full price at Apple store, your iPhone is unlocked (Day 1)
- If you buy Verizon version, with or without contract, it is 100% unlocked per US regulation (Day 1)
- The SIM free version is just Apple's way of officially selling an unlocked version, without any SIM inside it. Previously, US iPhone will include a SIM preloaded in it from the carrier you choose when you buy it.
- Buy it via Apple's leasing program, and it is unlocked per Apple's own words.

That's it. Easy.
Click to expand...

What surprised me is that the SIM free version seems to be available with monthly payments if you start at the iPhone Upgrade Program link: http://www.apple.com/shop/iphone/iphone-upgrade-program

But if you start at the Buy iPhone 6s link, then click the "Reserve to buy in store" button, the SIM free version seems to only be available at full price: www.apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/iphone6s/

Weird.
 
lolkthxbai said:
They may be available for purchase online but so far it looks like only Hawaii and Alaska have the phone available to reserve in store. Otherwise, an iPhone 6s Plus in Space Grey 128GB won't ship for another 2-3 weeks.
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I picked up one in San Diego at 5pm on Friday 9th Oct. It was the '34 model. I asked to pay on the new installment plan, which they initially refused. But a check revealed that Apple had just emailed the stores with a policy change - they sold it to me with an ATT Sim, not installed, on the installment plan.
 
I bought a sim-free 6s in NYC yesterday. Put in the sim from my Verizon 5c, registered the new phone's IMEI with Verizon, and was up and running in 5 minutes.

And I can confirm that the 6s model is A1633.
 
pika2000 said:
After all these years, it amazed me that people are still confused about the concept of an unlocked phone, and the tech blogs probably don't know any better either.

Buying iPhone in the US:
- If you pay full price at Apple store, your iPhone is unlocked (Day 1)
- If you buy Verizon version, with or without contract, it is 100% unlocked per US regulation (Day 1)
- The SIM free version is just Apple's way of officially selling an unlocked version, without any SIM inside it. Previously, US iPhone will include a SIM preloaded in it from the carrier you choose when you buy it.
- Buy it via Apple's leasing program, and it is unlocked per Apple's own words.

That's it. Easy.
Click to expand...
After all these years. it amazed me that people don't understand that purchasing an unlocked iPhone doesn't mean it will immediately work with all carriers. People have reported issues activating tmobile and att "unlocked" phones with Verizon and Sprint due to the carriers and them not having the IMEI numbers in their databases.

The sim-free version doesn't have this problem.
 
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John.B said:
Yes.

Also, all Verizon LTE smartphones come unlocked, due to restrictions tied to buying the national Upper 700 MHz C block at auction in 2012.

But now that Apple sells the SIM Free 6s+/6s+ unlocked, with support for AT&Ts new 30 band in the bargain, those will be the most future proofed (and probably worth a few extra bucks if you flip it later).
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If I really don't have any intention to go to AT&T, but having a "band 30" is something I am interested in, would Apple possibly let me make the switch since I have a T-Mobile one and my phone is two days out of the return window for 14 days?
 
John.B said:
Based on past experiences, the real question is whether Verizon will activate a "SIM Free" phone...

Usually they won't activate any phone unless the IMEI number is in their IMEI database.
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I cancelled my order online and bought a sim free phone at apple store today. No problems with Verizon sim. Popped it out of my iPhone 5 and into iPhone 6s+

If I had my Verizon 6s+ already, I would not have exchanged it just to get a sim free phone, but
since I had one on order I figured why not.
 
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