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iPhone XR Is the XR sold out everywhere, or is it in stock?

Ketsjap

Ketsjap

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 5, 2007
126
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I'll be traveling to San Francisco next week, and I'm planning on buying an XR there - way cheaper than here in Europe.

How is XR stock nowadays? Is it sold out everywhere in the US, or is it easy to find one? Is the Apple store the best bet, or are chains like Best Buy the better option?

Any Americans willing to shed some light on this?
 
I live in the philadelphia area and went to Delaware on Friday night because its tax free there. They had a ton of black and white options at the T-Mobile store there. Apparently, they did not have any of the colored ones though.

I think you should probably be able to walk into a store and find one, though your options might be a bit limited.
 
roccobladr said:
I live in the philadelphia area and went to Delaware on Friday night because its tax free there. They had a ton of black and white options at the T-Mobile store there. Apparently, they did not have any of the colored ones though.

I think you should probably be able to walk into a store and find one, though your options might be a bit limited.
Click to expand...

I don’t think you’re supposed to call them colored in this day and age
 
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scotsmandc said:
Wouldn't op need to buy direct from apple for sim free? Buying from carrier world be locked.
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Even when I pay in full? I thought I could just buy a gsm-model (AT&T or whatever) at the Apple store/Best buy, pay In full, throw out the AT&T sim, put in my European one and be done with it.

Is that not possible?
 
Ketsjap said:
Really? So basically.. I can't buy an XR in the US to used in Europe?
Click to expand...

You can you have to have it activated first on the network it was intended for. The store of purchase would have to unlock the phone for you on the spot regarding paying in full. I’m sure they’re more than willing to work with you on it so I wouldn’t be too offput by this.
 
OP: I'm not sure about the activation status. That's new/news to me. But, for supply, check istocknow.com which gives very good up to the moment inventory. You can select individual colors, capacities, and stores to see what they have. In general, it seems that supply is plentiful.
 
OP -- you will be fine. They come unlocked.
[doublepost=1540837960][/doublepost]
jona2125 said:
You can you have to have it activated first on the network it was intended for. The store of purchase would have to unlock the phone for you on the spot regarding paying in full. I’m sure they’re more than willing to work with you on it so I wouldn’t be too offput by this.
Click to expand...

Apple states they come unlocked when paid in full
 
Ketsjap said:
I'll be traveling to San Francisco next week, and I'm planning on buying an XR there - way cheaper than here in Europe.

How is XR stock nowadays? Is it sold out everywhere in the US, or is it easy to find one? Is the Apple store the best bet, or are chains like Best Buy the better option?

Any Americans willing to shed some light on this?
Click to expand...

Don't listen to the people above. You can buy it at Apple and it'll be unlocked. It says so right on the site. Just pick one and pay in full at it says "Unlocked iPhone with [carrier] SIM" Just keep in the mind, the US models may not have the same bands as the European models. Check https://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/ for more info.

*edited for clarity*
 
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Squeak825 said:
OP -- you will be fine. They come unlocked.
[doublepost=1540837960][/doublepost]

Apple states they come unlocked when paid in full
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From Apple. If you buy it full price from a Carrier or Best Buy it MUST be activated on the network first. There is no Sim-Free version yet.
[doublepost=1540838089][/doublepost]
brian3uk said:
Don't listen to the people above. You can buy it Apple, It'll be unlocked. It says so right on the site. Just pick one and pay in full at it says "Unlocked iPhone with [carrier] SIM" Just keep in the mind, the US models may not have the same bands as the European models. Check https://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/ for more info.
Click to expand...
You are clearly missing the part in the OP where he mentions Best Buy.
 
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Mlrollin91 said:
From Apple. If you buy it full price from a Carrier or Best Buy it MUST be activated on the network first. There is no Sim-Free version yet.
[doublepost=1540838089][/doublepost]
You are clearly missing the part in the OP where he mentions Best Buy.
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Agreed...but OP did say he could buy it from the Apple store.
 
jona2125 said:
You can you have to have it activated first on the network it was intended for. The store of purchase would have to unlock the phone for you on the spot regarding paying in full. I’m sure they’re more than willing to work with you on it so I wouldn’t be too offput by this.
Click to expand...

Okay, that's a relief. And they can do this at an Apple store or Best buy? Or even an AT&T / T-Mobile store? And once activated, it stays activated? The phone won't become locked again once I swap sims?

anthonymoody said:
OP: I'm not sure about the activation status. That's new/news to me. But, for supply, check istocknow.com which gives very good up to the moment inventory. You can select individual colors, capacities, and stores to see what they have. In general, it seems that supply is plentiful.
Click to expand...

Great, thanks. I'll have a look
 
But from Apple full price and you’ll be fine. I live in Mexico and have bought US device only iPhones from the Apple Store, they just worked right away once I introduce my SIM card. Have tried with both T-Mobile and AT&T variants.
 
Ketsjap said:
Okay, that's a relief. And they can do this at an Apple store or Best buy? Or even an AT&T / T-Mobile store? And once activated, it stays activated? The phone won't become locked again once I swap sims?



Great, thanks. I'll have a look
Click to expand...

Make it really easy on yourself: buy it from the Apple store -- pay full price for it -- take home an unlocked phone. Don't do anything else other than that. Don't go to Best Buy or ATT or Verizon. Apple store only
 
Squeak825 said:
Agreed...but OP did say he could buy it from the Apple store.
Click to expand...
He was asking about buying from Apple, Best Buy or someplace else. So you need to make it very clear that it's only unlocked from Apple. If you buy it from Best Buy, they will carrier lock it, even at full price.
 
Mlrollin91 said:
From Apple. If you buy it full price from a Carrier or Best Buy it MUST be activated on the network first. There is no Sim-Free version yet.
[doublepost=1540838089][/doublepost]
You are clearly missing the part in the OP where he mentions Best Buy.
Click to expand...

Not missing anything. I specified buying it it from Apple. Best Buy and the carriers dont sell sim free ones anyway even if they were available so that option is irrelevant.
 
I have read that the only unlocked in the box iphone XR in the US right now is the t-mobile version which is the A1984 model. You should be able to buy it and put any carrier sim in and use it. HOWEVER it is not the same radio as the Europe version which is the model A2105, looking at specs it has LTE band 71 that the US version doesnt have. Dont have any idea what that would mean for you real world performance wise.
 
Ketsjap said:
Okay, that's a relief. And they can do this at an Apple store or Best buy? Or even an AT&T / T-Mobile store? And once activated, it stays activated? The phone won't become locked again once I swap sims?



Great, thanks. I'll have a look
Click to expand...
You must buy it from Apple. A carrier or third party store will lock it until its activated on their network, even at full price.
 
Squeak825 said:
Make it really easy on yourself: buy it from the Apple store -- pay full price for it -- take home an unlocked phone. Don't do anything else other than that. Don't go to Best Buy or ATT or Verizon. Apple store only
Click to expand...

Okay, that's clear - only buy full price in an Apple store.

I'm glad I asked! Otherwise this would have been an expensive mistake.

Thanks!
 
Maybe you can get the sales tax back at the airport before going back to Europe. Also remember, SF has one of the highest sales tax rate in US. Some neighboring cities are bit lower.
 
Lumpy05 said:
I have read that the only unlocked in the box iphone XR in the US right now is the t-mobile version which is the A1984 model. You should be able to buy it and put any carrier sim in and use it. HOWEVER it is not the same radio as the Europe version which is the model A2105, looking at specs it has LTE band 71 that the US version doesnt have. Dont have any idea what that would mean for you real world performance wise.
Click to expand...

Not true -- Apple site lists all models as unlocked when paid in full.
 
Lumpy05 said:
If you say so, I looked on apple.com and the XR does not offer an option for buying without carrier. Take a look, the XS and the XS max do offer that purchase option.
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Because it usually takes a month for the SIM-Free version to be available. XS/Max is the only time SIM-Free had been available at launch for the United States.
 
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