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iPhone 7/7+ Unlocked Version?

D

dasing123

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 10, 2016
58
21
Couldn't find a thread on this.

Apple is currently not selling Sim Free versions so I was wondering when will they be available? Just sold my 6+ today and I'm kinda worried it might be months. Is it feasible to get the T-mobile version (heard its unlocked?) if I'm traveling internationally occasionally?

Also from past history when has Apple typically released unlocked versions?
 
Was actually two weeks later last year, previously before that it had been months for the Sim Free Version.
 
Both posts above are wrong. If you want to get real sim-free like unlocked iPhone get the one with all the bands, the Verizon iPhone. I was planning to do the same so I called apple and they told me the only way to buy a "sim-free" iPhone as of now is buying the Verizon one at full price on launch day.
 
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OceanMindedBoy said:
Both posts above are wrong. If you want to get real sim-free like unlocked iPhone get the one with all the bands, the Verizon iPhone. I was planning to do the same so I called apple and they told me the only way to buy a "sim-free" iPhone as of now is buying the Verizon one at full price on launch day.
Click to expand...

Yes, for now, but the true sim free model will come available. Was two weeks last year before it did.
 
The last t mobile iPhones bought at full price through Apple were unlocked. I can attest to that but the iPhone 7 t mobile version does not have the cdma bands. Though that being said there is not a whole lot of cdma systems in the world compared to GSM. Verizon is always the safest bet until the sim free version is released.
 
How does this manage to come up every year? Full priced iPhone from apple store is always factory unlocked, the only difference between them and SIM free is you have to spend the extra three seconds to take the sim card out and trash it if need be. If you need GSM and CDMA on the 7 models pick Verizon or sprint, otherwise on the 6s and 6 all the phones are identical.
 
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BigB82 said:
How does this manage to come up every year? Full priced iPhone from apple store is always factory unlocked, the only difference between them and SIM free is you have to spend the extra three seconds to take the sim card out and trash it if need be. If you need GSM and CDMA on the 7 models pick Verizon or sprint, otherwise on the 6s and 6 all the phones are identical.
Click to expand...

It comes up every year and there are still people who will mislead by saying that "Sim-free takes time". Unlocked phones are always available on launch. Just go to the store and buy a full price phone and it's unlocked.
 
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BigB82 said:
How does this manage to come up every year? Full priced iPhone from apple store is always factory unlocked, the only difference between them and SIM free is you have to spend the extra three seconds to take the sim card out and trash it if need be. If you need GSM and CDMA on the 7 models pick Verizon or sprint, otherwise on the 6s and 6 all the phones are identical.
Click to expand...
Pretty sure there are some differences between models for the 6, 6s, and 7 line
of iPhones (some are mostly about LTE support, while others are about CDMA support).
 
Hi, I have an off-contract old iPhone (grandfathered unlimited). I want to get an unlocked iPhone 7 for use on AT&T. I'm confused by the "Unlocked" term that Apple shows on their webpage for the iPhone 7. Is this the same as the "unlocked" that's being discussed in this thread? I guess that's a "sim-free unlocked"? So confused.

iphone7_unlocked1_2016_09_13.png
iphone7_unlocked2_2016_09_13.png
 
macrumorsuser10 said:
Hi, I have an off-contract old iPhone (grandfathered unlimited). I want to get an unlocked iPhone 7 for use on AT&T. I'm confused by the "Unlocked" term that Apple shows on their webpage for the iPhone 7. Is this the same as the "unlocked" that's being discussed in this thread? I guess that's a "sim-free unlocked"? So confused.

View attachment 651169 View attachment 651170
Click to expand...

It's unlocked if you pay full price. It will come with an att sim though. You can use it on any gsm network.
 
Thanks. What's the difference between the "unlocked" on Apple's website right now and "sim-free" which I guess will appear in a few weeks or so? I guess it's simply that the "sim-free" has no sim card?
 
macrumorsuser10 said:
Thanks. What's the difference between the "unlocked" on Apple's website right now and "sim-free" which I guess will appear in a few weeks or so? I guess it's simply that the "sim-free" has no sim card?
Click to expand...

It will have no sim card and will more than likely be a "world model" that works for GSM and CDMA. Currently the Tmobile and ATT versions only will work on GSM. The Verizon and sprint versions will work on CDMA or GSM.
 
macrumorsuser10 said:
Hi, I have an off-contract old iPhone (grandfathered unlimited). I want to get an unlocked iPhone 7 for use on AT&T. I'm confused by the "Unlocked" term that Apple shows on their webpage for the iPhone 7. Is this the same as the "unlocked" that's being discussed in this thread? I guess that's a "sim-free unlocked"? So confused.
Click to expand...
In same situation.

If I go the route of buying an unlocked phone and swap in the SIM from my 5S on AT$&T, will I be able to retain my grandfathered unlimited? I know when my wife upgraded to a 6S in January the AT&T store said she only had a few days until she couldn't retain her unlimited any longer.
 
So if I buy the iPhone 7 Plus from an Apple Store at full price, I can use it on any GSM network worldwide?
[doublepost=1474347676][/doublepost]Or is buying the Verizon device at full price better suited to my needs?
 
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