Locked iPhones at Stores

[MLeepson]

I was at the Apple store yesterday and at the iPhone table all the iPhone were locked/unactivated. Does anyone know why?

 

[Telp]

No idea, thats really weird, were they just set up?

 

[MLeepson]

Ya. They were all displayed and what not. One was even connected to an iMac. But none of them were activated. It was pretty odd.

 

[QuarterSwede]

Got me, but I would have told an Apple rep.

 

[pugnut]

Apple Store

Ya. They were all displayed and what not. One was even connected to an iMac. But none of them were activated. It was pretty odd.

OI was in there this AM, did not check the phones, but did see computers being updated. Guys with a external drive and working on them one by one.

 

[joshysquashy]

So what are the iphones usually like? They must be activated, but not make calls/texts?

Does apple have a secret way of bypassing activation without hacking the iphone? wouldn't put it past them.

 

[Canuck4]

They were locked down so noone steals them

 

[p0intblank]

Perhaps they are prepping for a software update?

Nah...

 

[daneoni]

I guess recent Apple thefts are making them tether the iPhones (very valuable and very easy to swipe)

 

[rxmxsh]

The apple guy I spoke to at the store said they all have locked sims, so they can't make or receive phone calls, for obvious reasons. Everything that doesn't rely on AT&T does work on the demo phones though...

 

[Buschmaster]

I've called my friends with demo iPhones before.

 

[puckhead193]

at first they didn't have locked sim cards cause people were calling people, but i think apple got the hint that people were making free calls so they locked them up.

 

[mongoose8p]

at first they didn't have locked sim cards cause people were calling people, but i think apple got the hint that people were making free calls so they locked them up.

yes that and I know in the Chicago store people stole the sim cards all the time from the activated ones to use in their phones for free calls this is not a joke! even talked to apple rep bout it

 

[EmptyG]

How weird, I noticed that the other day as well. The Apple Store by me (UTC San Diego) had about 9 iPhones out, but only 3 were set up to use. The rest just had a warning about not being activated. I asked the Apple genius by me and he said "that's really odd".

Though all the iPod nanos were working just fine