iPhone 16 Pro Max Is AppleCare Express Replacement Phone Carrier Locked?

[ghsDUDE]

I bought a iPhone 16 Pro Max through my carrier which will remain locked until it’s paid off. Unfortunately, the phone has a defect and Apple is replacing the phone under the Express Replacement program.

Apple asked if the device was locked, I confirmed it was.

My question is, will the express replacement be locked? Apple never asked who my carrier was.

And if it’s locked, how do I eventually get it unlocked since the carrier locked the IMEI of the device that I’m sending back to Apple?

Thanks!

 

[menist]

New replacement will be locked too.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

I'm sure they know carrier information regardless if you tell them or not

 

[CMoore515]

I bought a iPhone 16 Pro Max through my carrier which will remain locked until it’s paid off. Unfortunately, the phone has a defect and Apple is replacing the phone under the Express Replacement program.

Apple asked if the device was locked, I confirmed it was.

My question is, will the express replacement be locked? Apple never asked who my carrier was.

And if it’s locked, how do I eventually get it unlocked since the carrier locked the IMEI of the device that I’m sending back to Apple?

Thanks!

I'd call the carrier so they can update the IMEI in the EIP before sending the faulty one back. I've had to do this when I used to finance through carriers.

 

[ghsDUDE]

I'd call the carrier so they can update the IMEI in the EIP before sending the faulty one back. I've had to do this when I used to finance through carriers.

What carrier do you have? And how did they update your EIP?

 

[CMoore515]

Few years ago when I was still with US Cellular. They just had to update the IMEI to reflect that the replacement device is the one being paid on. Have no idea if this is still the case or how they did it, but they did.