iPhone XR No carrier free version, which iPhone XR to order?

[avanpelt]

Did you insert a Verizon sim to a Verizon version of the phone?

An important distinction this year is that there is no such thing as the AT&T/T-Mobile model and the Verizon/Sprint model as has been the case in the past. This year, every iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR sold in the U.S. has identical hardware regardless of which carrier you pick.

The only differentiating factor between the phones sold in the U.S. this year is whether they are unlocked or not. If you buy an iPhone from Apple and you pay for the phone in full, the phone you receive is unlocked. If you pay for the phone using Apple's installment plan (the iPhone Upgrade Program), the phone is also unlocked.

However, if you choose to have the device installment payment tacked onto your monthly cell phone bill instead, you are on your carrier's installment plan and the phone will be locked to said carrier until the device has been paid off and an unlock has been requested.

 

[Shadowbech]

No, what I'm saying doesn't make sense is it working for you, but not me.

Oh I see now.

But let me ask you this, when you purchased the XS this year, you did it through Apple.com? If so did you choose the option "Activate Now" vs. "Activate Later"?

If you choose "Activate Now" on apple.com, that does prompt you to enter your carrier info when you click next, and once you do and next stage you opt to do in-store pick up. Now if you go pick it up, the sales person scans your pick up web order number and based on your web order number it will ask you if you want to activate now or activate later. Assuming that you provided your account info and all that. IF you choose activate later after you pick it up, then yes this will prompt you when you turn on your device to enter your carrier info again.

Now if you choose "Activate Later" on apple.com, it completely bypasses the input of you entering your carrier account info, and goes straight to choosing an option for in-store pick up or for Delivery. Now if you choose the in-store pick up, here the system knows you choose this option and the Point of sale device at the Apple store knows that and won't even have the option to have you input your carrier info and thus when you turn on your device, it won't ask you for your carrier info. In this scenario, you simply just take out the un-activated sim card and simply insert your own that you have.

 

[Mlrollin91]

Oh I see now.

But let me ask you this, when you purchased the XS this year, you did it through Apple.com? If so did you choose the option "Activate Now" vs. "Activate Later"?

If you choose "Activate Now" on apple.com, that does prompt you to enter your carrier info when you click next, and once you do and next stage you opt to do in-store pick up. Now if you go pick it up, the sales person scans your pick up web order number and based on your web order number it will ask you if you want to activate now or activate later. Assuming that you provided your account info and all that. IF you choose activate later after you pick it up, then yes this will prompt you when you turn on your device to enter your carrier info again.

Now if you choose "Activate Later" on apple.com, it completely bypasses the input of you entering your carrier account info, and goes straight to choosing an option for in-store pick up or for Delivery. Now if you choose the in-store pick up, here the system knows you choose this option and the Point of sale device at the Apple store knows that and won't even have the option to have you input your carrier info and thus when you turn on your device, it won't ask you for your carrier info. In this scenario, you simply just take out the un-activated sim card and simply insert your own that you have.

Both this year and last year, I purchased online for delivery with activate later option. These phones are for family members, but I handle all that stuff in my household. My phone is part of IUP, so not applicable to this. But for the last two years I have been unable to use another SIM card until I have activated it first on the network I purchased (Verizon), using the activate later option. Really can’t understand why I have problems but others don’t.

 

[Shadowbech]

Both this year and last year, I purchased online for delivery with activate later option. These phones are for family members, but I handle all that stuff in my household. My phone is part of IUP, so not applicable to this. But for the last two years I have been unable to use another SIM card until I have activated it first on the network I purchased (Verizon), using the activate later option. Really can’t understand why I have problems but others don’t.

Interesting. Not sure why if you choose the activate later option and for deliver, they asked you to input your verizon account info.

 

[xrussx]

Interesting. Not sure why if you choose the activate later option and for deliver, they asked you to input your verizon account info.

Same thing happened with the X last year for about 2 weeks, then it stopped asking.

 

[stafil]

Just wait for the sim-free version. It’s ******* stupid to pay full price to buy a phone from Apple and have to worry if it will be carrier locked or if you will have to pay $30 carrier activation fee.

 

[xrussx]

Here you go:

https://www.phonearena.com/news/How-to-get-iPhone-XR-unlocked_id110164

 

[OTACORB]

They are all the same version this time around. My Max came with AT&T sim. I removed it, stuck in my current sim. It went thru an activation and AT&T immediately popped up on LTE. I never inserted the one that came with the phone. By the way I was never charged an activation fee either. Why because that sim was already active. I keep reading some saying this does not work. Well it has always worked for me.

I do not buy that only the T-Mobile version will do this. Again you must buy your phone outright or do IUP. If you do financing thru your carrier they will lock your device down and you will be forced to use a new sim.

This is my experience, your mileage my vary!

 

[Squeak825]

Here you go:

https://www.phonearena.com/news/How-to-get-iPhone-XR-unlocked_id110164

You can the exact same thing with the AT&T phone -- there is nothing special about the T-Mobile one

 

[stafil]

You can the exact same thing with the AT&T phone -- there is nothing special about the T-Mobile one

Nope. That’s the message I got from apple support just now:
“I see you are chatting in about the new phone your purchased today. The phone is locked and also for activation fees if any you would need to contact AT&T.”

Also:

“For this model there will not be any sim free verisions.”

 

[Squeak825]

Nope. That’s the message I got from apple support just now:
“I see you are chatting in about the new phone your purchased today. The phone is locked and also for activation fees if any you would need to contact AT&T.”

Also:

“For this model there will not be any sim free verisions.”

That is not what their website says:

 

[stafil]

That is not what their website says:

View attachment 796619

 

[Squeak825]

Correct...no sim free phones because they are all being sold unlocked (when paid in full) with carrier sims.

 

[stafil]

Correct...no sim free phones because they are all being sold unlocked (when paid in full) with carrier sims.

Read the reply above. She said “locked”.

 

[OTACORB]

Nope. That’s the message I got from apple support just now:
“I see you are chatting in about the new phone your purchased today. The phone is locked and also for activation fees if any you would need to contact AT&T.”

Also:

“For this model there will not be any sim free verisions.”

Whoever you spoke with has no clue what they are talking about. Did you buy the phone thru AT&T next program. If so then yes when you activate that new sim it will be locked until you pay the phone off. All this is spelled out in the notes when you go thru the purchase process. Phoned bought outright and on IUP are absolutely unlocked. If you want to believe otherwise. Knock yourself out!!

 

[Squeak825]

Read the reply above. She said “locked”.

And she is wrong

 

[stafil]

Whoever you spoke with has no clue what they are talking about. Did you buy the phone thru AT&T next program. If so then yes when you activate that new sim it will be locked until you pay the phone off. All this is spelled out in the notes when you go thru the purchase process. Phoned bought outright and on IUP are absolutely unlocked.

No. Full price through the Apple store app.

 

[OTACORB]

No. Full price through the Apple store app.

Then it’s unlocked and she is giving incorrect info!!

 

[Squeak825]

No. Full price through the Apple store app.

And says the same thing through the app store ...."Unlocked with AT&T SIM".

The CSR you are talking to is wrong.

 

[gurase]

Apple reps never know anything about which of their phones are unlocked.

 

[stafil]

Hmm. Should I trust her when she says that there will not be a carrier-free version? I can't bother to go through the pain of asking my carrier to waive the $30 extortion fee

 

[OTACORB]

Hmm. Should I trust her when she says that there will not be a carrier-free version? I can't bother to go through the pain of asking my carrier to waive the $30 extortion fee

I don't think we can answer that question. Clearly if they do it is going to be awhile. I have always got around the extortion fee by not using the included sim and just using the one in my current phone. I can't promise that will work for you, because some say it doesn't, but it always has for me.

 

[jiangning]

Hmm. Should I trust her when she says that there will not be a carrier-free version? I can't bother to go through the pain of asking my carrier to waive the $30 extortion fee

There won’t be extortion fee. Just put in your current sim card into the new phone. I’m on AT&T and I’ve done it for the past few years. Never had a problem and can’t imagine why where would be.

There is very likely to be a sim-free version in future. But there will be no difference except without the Sim card shipped with the phone. Since you won’t use it anyway, there’s no difference.

 

[cc999]

If it were me I would wait a month and get the Sim Free version. Thats the only way to be 100% sure.

My iPhone XS is the unlocked Sim Free version, thank god they were on sale at launch or I would have waited.

CC

 

[Shadowbech]

Read the reply above. She said “locked”.

As stated above, the CSR has no clue what they are talking about. Assuming that this would be the case if it was financed through AT&T Next and if that was the case, then yes it would be locked. However, purchasing it at full price at apple.com does not lock the device.
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If it were me I would wait a month and get the Sim Free version. Thats the only way to be 100% sure.

My iPhone XS is the unlocked Sim Free version, thank god they were on sale at launch or I would have waited.

CC

That's one way to do it if one is willing to wait a month for the sim-free model to come out. However, if purchasing the carrier model outright, it will be unlocked 100%. But I agree, I'm glad that Apple has made the Sim - Free Model of the XS/XS Mas available in the U.S during the pre-order, which is what I ordered.