iPhone from an Apple store questions...

[acarney]

First, how the heck do you contact a local apple store? I can find a working phone number for the Spokane, WA Apple store :-/

Second, has apple posted a web site yet that shows in store stock for iPhone 5s? Or is calling the best? (Store is a 2 hr drive for me)

Finally, can ANY phone in store be bought at full retail (no commitment pricing), or do they have to be specific serial numbers from the factory? I would hate to buy one full price since I'm not ready for an upgrade & it be fully locked down just because that's the only stock on hand they hand...

 

[yanki01]

(509) 458-8080??

 

[acarney]

(509) 458-8080??

Ya, that's what I've been calling and it just rings like ten times & gives me a very non-apple generic message about how my party isn't picking up & my call will be terminated... Would apple at least have a phone system or say "check apple.com for 24/7 shopping" or something?

 

[blevins321]

Yes you can buy full price in store. Not the unlocked ones though. Just carrier locked at one point.

 

[acarney]

Yes you can buy full price in store. Not the unlocked ones though. Just carrier locked at one point.

So even though my contract isn't extended & I get ZERO from AT&T my phone will be locked to them? That's really frustrating...

 

[Cubeeless]

So even though my contract isn't extended & I get ZERO from AT&T my phone will be locked to them? That's really frustrating...

Your phone is not locked, you are in no commitment in the contract you can cancel anytime.

 

[imazu]

I was able to buy one full retail no contract phone that will work with my network.

 

[acarney]

Your phone is not locked, you are in no commitment in the contract you can cancel anytime.

I would rather not cancel though since I have unlimited data with them... Apple store just confirmed that they are factory locked still at the $849. Man I hate waiting for a factory unlocked to hit the web store since i'll be sending my 4S off to a lucky new owner on Monday and have to step all the way down to a 2G GoPhone >.<

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I was able to buy one full retail no contract phone that will work with my network.

Right, but it won't work with anyone else's network, unless your carrier unlocks it for me. Before the iPhone 5 went on sale AT&T told me I actually had to cancel service for them to unlock mine and I couldn't just request it unlocked if I paid the ETF or anything... I don't want to pay the full price and then gamble on "please unlock me AT&T"

 

[KPOM]

So even though my contract isn't extended & I get ZERO from AT&T my phone will be locked to them? That's really frustrating...

No, it won't be locked. Just make sure that the associate clicks on the "Device Only" button at checkout. I just did that 4 hours ago at Grand Central and it worked like a charm. I even got the "Congratulations, your phone is unlocked" message when I plugged it into iTunes.

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Right, but it won't work with anyone else's network, unless your carrier unlocks it for me. Before the iPhone 5 went on sale AT&T told me I actually had to cancel service for them to unlock mine and I couldn't just request it unlocked if I paid the ETF or anything... I don't want to pay the full price and then gamble on "please unlock me AT&T"

The associate is just quoting the corporate line. Trust me. It will be unlocked. They said the same thing last year, and I used my 4S with a Vodafone SIM without issue. They just need to say that since the "official" unlocked version won't be on sale for a few more weeks.

In the unlikely event it is locked (i.e. the associate screws up at checkout), then you can request an unlock online. But the easiest thing is just not to give the associate your number, and have that person ring it up as a device only sale.

It's first come first served this year. They aren't doing the reservation system. My guess is that's because they are shipping phones out as quickly as possible and found that the reservation system discouraged walk-ins. I got lucky and walked into the Grand Central store just minutes after a shipment arrived. My advice is to go to a store and try your luck.

 

[acarney]

No, it won't be locked. Just make sure that the associate clicks on the "Device Only" button at checkout. I just did that 4 hours ago at Grand Central and it worked like a charm. I even got the "Congratulations, your phone is unlocked" message when I plugged it into iTunes.

For how much apple seems to be on the ball with service and support I HATE that there is so much variation in this. I hate to drive two hrs to get a phone and HOPE that the employee was wrong saying that it would still be locked to AT&T.

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No, it won't be locked. Just make sure that the associate clicks on the "Device Only" button at checkout. I just did that 4 hours ago at Grand Central and it worked like a charm. I even got the "Congratulations, your phone is unlocked" message when I plugged it into iTunes.

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The associate is just quoting the corporate line. Trust me. It will be unlocked. They said the same thing last year, and I used my 4S with a Vodafone SIM without issue. They just need to say that since the "official" unlocked version won't be on sale for a few more weeks.

Hmmm...... I also love how the guy told me "we get shipments all the time, though probably won't get another one today" --- guess they have no regular time when freight comes in, lol

I honestly was just hoping a "get here first thing in the morning" or mid day or som kinda of idea. Oh we'll, they don't open till 10 so I would only have to leave my house at like 7:30 and could just play in the store until it was delivered... Unless they don't get it daily >.<

 

[KPOM]

For how much apple seems to be on the ball with service and support I HATE that there is so much variation in this. I hate to drive two hrs to get a phone and HOPE that the employee was wrong saying that it would still be locked to AT&T.

It's because Apple's official line is that unlocked phones aren't available for a few weeks. It's to satisfy the carriers by not advertising that non-contract, unlocked phones are available.

Grand Central had no AT&T stock at 10:00AM when they opened. They also said they didn't know exactly when new ones would be coming in, but that they knew they would get shipments. At 2:00 I decided to try again on a whim. It was perfect timing as they just re-started the lines and the associates told all of us in line (about 10 of us) that we were lucky as they were turning people away just minutes before.

My guess is that Apple is making courier deliveries to stores as quickly as shipments arrive, and that the stores don't get much advance notice. Plus, since there are two different SKUs this year they have to guess how many Sprint/VZW and AT&T models to send to each store.