Per Apple: The unlocked iPhone 6/6 Plus can be activated on Sprint

[scaredpoet]

This information pops up on the Apple website when attempting to purchase an unlocked "SIM-Free" iPhone 6 or 6 Plus, when clicking on the link marked "Learn more about the unlocked iPhone"

The unlocked iPhone includes all the features of iPhone but without a wireless contract commitment or a carrier installment plan. You can activate and use the unlocked iPhone on the supported wireless network of your choice, such as AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, or Sprint in the United States.

Also, looks like the unlocked versions match the model numbers for the Sprint models, and has all LTE bands required for Sprint Spark.

It'll be interesting to see if this is actually the case. Not that I doubt the phone is technically capable... it definitely is. The question is, will Sprint allow it?

Not that I advocate anyone signing up for Sprint. But, this does put a dent in Sprint's claim that iPhones on Sprint "cannot be unlocked to accept another domesitic carrier's SIM," and there is "no technological process available" to unlock said phones.

It's pretty clear at this point that the real reason is simply "Sprint doesn't want to unlock your iPhone."

One last thing: Sprint's unlocking policy has an interesting twist of phrase in the fine print: "Sprint is working to ensure that all devices developed and launched on or after February 11, 2015, are capable of being unlocked domestically." So post-Feb 11, there's still a chance Sprint will flat out refuse to unlock most current phones.

 

[dw3bb10]

Was JUST about to reply, but you edited your post, Haha. But yes, Sprint will allow the unlocking of phones as of next phone. Im sure these phones will work on Sprint. The contrary is not in their best interest and really wouldn't make sense.

 

[eyoungren]

This information pops up on the Apple website when attempting to purchase an unlocked "SIM-Free" iPhone 6 or 6 Plus, when clicking on the link marked "Learn more about the unlocked iPhone"



Also, looks like the unlocked versions match the model numbers for the Sprint models, and has all LTE bands required for Sprint Spark.

It'll be interesting to see if this is actually the case. Not that I doubt the phone is technically capable... it definitely is. The question is, will Sprint allow it?

Not that I advocate anyone signing up for Sprint. But, this does put a dent in Sprint's claim that iPhones on Sprint "cannot be unlocked to accept another domesitic carrier's SIM," and there is "no technological process available" to unlock said phones.

It's pretty clear at this point that the real reason is simply "Sprint doesn't want to unlock your iPhone."

One last thing: Sprint's unlocking policy has an interesting twist of phrase in the fine print: "Sprint is working to ensure that all devices developed and launched on or after February 11, 2015, are capable of being unlocked domestically." So post-Feb 11, there's still a chance Sprint will flat out refuse to unlock most current phones.

Yes, this is recent (as of yesterday in fact). The key, I think is purchasing a SIM free iPhone at full price (the ones Apple started selling yesterday).

Your other issue about "developed and launched" has been discussed several times here and elsewhere. I take it to basically mean that if the phone was not planned before Feb. 13, 2015 then it's not going to be unlocked.

BTW, the only people not admitting that all of this was just because they didn't want to unlock is Sprint. They edited their unlock policy as late as July 2014 to reflect "technical issues" as the cause so they could still not have to do this. They knew the agreement was coming.

What Sprint never mentions though is that Sprint REQUIRED the manufacturers (i.e., Apple) to make the phones so they could not "technically" be unlocked. Sprint then blames the manufacturers.

But we all knew that already.

Personally, I think this is ending because even Sprint has been forced to acknowledge (internally at least) that it's not stopping churn and that even worse it's stopping new customers from coming to Sprint.

I don't have a lot nice to say about Marcelo Claure, but I do think this is his doing.