The iPhone will still be locked to AT&T if you do this. The only benefit is no contract.
Edit: I think some people have already stated this.
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Pre-ordering iPhone 5
- Thread starter bszelda
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The iPhone will still be locked to AT&T if you do this. The only benefit is no contract.
Edit: I think some people have already stated this.
But the thing people have said in the past is that they will not sell the phone technically unlocked on launch day. They will only sell them tied to a carrier.
Fron what I've read here, plenty of folks have done just that.
Here's one:
Wow, so the iPhone 3GS, 4 and three 4S's we bought on each launch day at full price, unlocked, direct from Apple were figments of my imagination?
Darn
Why would Apple stores not have stock of their own product?
Yes, just do what me and thousands of other people do, and either pre-order your unlocked handset online or go into an Apple store on launch day and purchase your unlocked sim-free iPhone straight from Apple.
Easy, no need to sign up for or renew your contract.
Obviously you haven't read the thread.
What's with the sarcasm?
I've read the thread and people (including me) have said that the best option is to buy one SIM Free & permanently unlocked from Apple.
Some have said they are not available from Apple at launch.
Others have clearly stated that they are indeed available from Apple at launch, as they have purchased them-from Apple and on release day.
What part did you miss?
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I had the same question and everyone was mistaking the carrier specific version for the unlocked version. From what I was told, as long as it is the carrier specific version, you will be able to pre-order the phone at full price. If you want unlocked you will have to wait another month or so. They're not going to turn you away just because you're not upgrade eligible or starting a new contract.
My situation though is that I will only be 6 months into my contract next month, and as of right now I am not eligible for any kind of upgrade.
My situation though is that I will only be 6 months into my contract next month, and as of right now I am not eligible for any kind of upgrade.
But here's the thing, it appears that this "no factory unlocked iPhones available on launch day from Apple" theory is not fact and they are indeed available.
What I don't understand though, if there are actually factory unlocked iPhones available from day one, why exactly would they offer an unlocked version a month later?
I'm not sure what you mean.
"Factory unlocked" iPhones are only available from Apple, either online or in store.
The confusion (as I understand it), seems to lie between a contract free unlocked iPhone from Apple and a contract free iPhone from AT&T.
The difference seems to be:
- If you walk into an Apple and purchase an iPhone without any contract, you will get one that is permanently unlocked and you can then put any GSM SIM into it for as long as you have the phone and it will never lock to any network.
- If you walk into an AT&T store and purchase an iPhone without a contract, you will walk out with an iPhone, but it will be locked to AT&T and all you'll be able to do is put your AT&T SIM in it (unless you get AT&T to unlock it, in which case it will become the same phone you could have purchased from Apple).
It seems to me that the OP wants an iPhone on day 1, without having to involve AT&T with regards to any upgrade.
So he/she has 2 choices:
- Buy an unsubsidised iPhone from Apple for $700, stick his/her SIM in it and just carry on (the phone will be permanently unlocked from day 1)
- Buy the same unsubsidised iPhone from AT&T for $700 (which will be unlocked for life), stick the AT&T SIM in carry on.
Given the choices, if you're going to be spending circa $700 on an unsubsidised iPhone, it makes more sense to buy a permanently unlocked one from Apple, that will give the choice down the line to switch networks should the OP wish (whereas the AT&T one would need to be unlocked 1st).
Wrong!!! I always buy unlocked straight from Apple ( hate contracts ).
When you buy from the Apple store and tell them you'll pay retail, they take out an iphone from regular stock and THEN unlock it.
There are no factory unlocked phones from factory at any Apple store in the US, but they have the ability to factory unlock it right there. Takes about 10 minutes.