Phones inside Apple Store

[unixphone]

i recalled last year an Apple employee told me "we just cannot adveriste it but all phones in Apple store are actually unlocked".

Does that mean all I need is wait in line and buy an ATT iPhone in store? I really want an unlock ATT iPhone just incase the extra band will give mw better reception in San Francisco.

 

[kybldmstr]

I am pretty sure that is false. If you buy the phones at full price they are unlocked but if you buy on a subsidy they are locked. The exception is that if you buy from a carrier store at full price those phones may actually be locked. I know buying full price from T-Mobile is locked.

 

[bigmikeyp]

All of the phones in store are technically unlocked.

However, an allocation of the phones are set aside for use with carrier transactions or upgrades - these phones are then only sold to customers on contract, at which point the device IMEI and SIM pair up to lock it to that particular network. It will all be part of the process that the staff member goes through while scanning barcodes etc into their terminal.

I asked the same question a couple of years ago at the 5 launch, and was informed this is what they did. Unsure if it's changed at all since then, but seems quite a genuine method.

EDIT: Sorry, I should note I'm in the UK, so we only have a single type of device hardware. Models in the US (and elsewhere) may differ due to CDMA variations.

 

[rugmankc]

You won't get an ATT iPhone (A1633/34) with 2300mhz Band 30 if you buy it at Apple Store or order online, will you?

 

[Drumjim85]

You won't get an ATT iPhone (A1633/34) with 2300mhz Band 30 if you buy it at Apple Store or order online, will you?

Why wouldn't you? I purchase an ATT version of the phone

 

[rugmankc]

Why wouldn't you? I purchase an ATT version of the phone

Just asking. It was my impression you would only get the A1633/43 from ATT. The only one with the Band 30.

From PC Mag 9/10. Not sure if CDMA reference is correct. You could get the A1687/88 thru Apple. Just saying and not 100% sure. But, thought I saw that posted somewhere else on MR.

Alas, Not One iPhone for Everyone
There are still two models of the iPhone 6s, unfortunately. With the iPhone 6, the two models were "Sprint" and "everyone else." This time, it'll be "AT&T/T-Mobile" and "everybody but not totally AT&T."

//RELATED ARTICLES

• 
  Apple iPhone 6s, 6s Plus Equipped With '3D Touch'

One model (numbered A1633 or A1634) has AT&T's new band 30, but lacks the CDMA radio needed to make calls on Verizon and Sprint. The other (A1687 or A1688) supports all four carriers, lacking only AT&T's Band 30. That model will eventually have slower performance on AT&T's network than the A1633 model, although it'll still work generally fine.

AT&T will sell the A1633/34 model. You'll be able to roam with that and switch it to T-Mobile if you want, but you wouldn't be able to switch to Sprint or Verizon. If you want a phone that could work on all four carriers, make sure to get an A1687/1688.

 

[duaneu]

Just asking. It was my impression you would only get the A1633/43 from ATT. The only one with the Band 30.

From PC Mag 9/10. Not sure if CDMA reference is correct. You could get the A1687/88 thru Apple. Just saying and not 100% sure. But, thought I saw that posted somewhere else on MR.

Alas, Not One iPhone for Everyone
There are still two models of the iPhone 6s, unfortunately. With the iPhone 6, the two models were "Sprint" and "everyone else." This time, it'll be "AT&T/T-Mobile" and "everybody but not totally AT&T."

//RELATED ARTICLES

• 
  Apple iPhone 6s, 6s Plus Equipped With '3D Touch'

One model (numbered A1633 or A1634) has AT&T's new band 30, but lacks the CDMA radio needed to make calls on Verizon and Sprint. The other (A1687 or A1688) supports all four carriers, lacking only AT&T's Band 30. That model will eventually have slower performance on AT&T's network than the A1633 model, although it'll still work generally fine.

AT&T will sell the A1633/34 model. You'll be able to roam with that and switch it to T-Mobile if you want, but you wouldn't be able to switch to Sprint or Verizon. If you want a phone that could work on all four carriers, make sure to get an A1687/1688.

That article is wrong, the AT&T version does have CDMA. The only difference between the two models is the one additional LTE band on 1633/1634.

 

[rugmankc]

That article is wrong, the AT&T version does have CDMA. The only difference between the two models is the one additional LTE band on 1633/1634.

Yes that's why I mentioned it. Thought I saw it in another article.