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Sim-Free iPhone 7 available this Friday?
- Thread starter s54
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That is correct. We pre-ordered and received the iphone 6S T-mobile unlocked version on launch, but exchanged it for the true Sim-free version 16 days later at the Apple store (mainly because VoLTE and Wifi-calling didn't work AT&T). It was just outside the 14 day return period, but Apple store made an exception for us.
This is also correct. I couldn't order the Sim-free iphone 6+ until late December 2014
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As far as software goes, there's only the iOS that comes from Apple. There are carrier settings that are on the phone which get loaded based on what carrier you connect to, but that's basically it.
I'm confused.... if I could walk into Apple Store and buy a Verizon phone without a plan for the full price, that phone would essentially be sim free and could be used on any network?
My friend lives in Australia and asked me to buy one from the State. He's on Vodafone and their model is the same as AT&T and T-Mobile (A1778).
I thought Verizon phones had no sim card... Also they use CDMA and not GSM? Does the Verizon model compatible with Vodafone Australia network? If so, I will walk into the store and try to buy the device without a plan rather than wait for a sim-free version to be released.
EDIT: I did a little research. Full price Verizon version is likely A1660 which works on both CDMA and GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), and Vodafone AU uses 850, 900, 1800, 2100 MHz, so theoretically Verizon model can be used in Australia with Vodafone. But someone mentioned that the full price Verizon model could be A1779 which is a Japanese model and only works on CDMA.... But why does it have to be Verizon model? AT&T model can be purchased for the full price and come unlocked as well.
EDIT2: Looks like a Verizon model (A1660) is recommended because it's considered a "global" model.
https://www.techwalls.com/buy-unlocked-contract-free-iphone-7-7-plus-america/
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janeauburn
macrumors 65816
Why would anyone buy anything other than the sim-free model? Don't you want to be able to use the phone everywhere, with no worries? Don't you want the higher resale of the sim-free? Just wait till it comes out. You can occupy your mind with something other than "iphone" for the next month or so. This carrier-tied model BS should be illegal.
vikas3669
macrumors newbie
Isn't the Verizon one identical to the sim-free version?
Is there any difference in packaging etc?
janeauburn
macrumors 65816
No one can answer that, since the sim-free has not been released. With past models, the sim-free was a separate model.
It is ridiculous that one cannot buy a "universal" phone in the US. Apple stores vary in how they respond to the request to buy at full price but without a carrier account. it is not possible on line, and it's a crap shoot at the Apple Store. Some allow it, some do it sometimes as an exception, some will not do it at all. In my city reception varies widely by where you live with each of the carriers, so unless you are certain you will not travel or not move you need the flexibility of a sim free model. It long pSt time for the indenture to carriers to be ended.
janeauburn
macrumors 65816
The must have some BS agreement with the carriers at launch. You're right: It is ridiculous. It makes the buying experience insanely complex, even for the sales reps.
$650 in rebates was a pretty good reason for me.
My phone works everywhere I need to use a phone, with no worries.
Two years ago I bought an unlocked phone. Had an unlocked phone the two years prior to that.
In all that time I never had need to change the out the AT&T SIM to a different carrier, even when traveling abroad. I used Skype or wifi calling to check in at home, and otherwise simply didn't use it - any time I was overseas I was on vacation with my wife and focused on spending time with her not my phone.
You're not being so myopic as to think your situation is the same as everyone else's situation, are you?
rigormortis
macrumors 68000
the iPhone 7 sim free will not be the same exact thing as buying an iphone 7 verizon, because of the imei # of the phone. if you buy the Verizon version, its serial number may not be listed as compatible on AT&T , sprint or t-mobile. if you buy the sim free version, then the serial number will probably be listed as compatible on AT&T, sprint or t-mobile.
i pre ordered two iPhones on launch day (the 6 plus and the 6s plus ) and it took anywhere from 40 days to a year for AT&T or sprint or Verizon to say my launch day phone was a compatible device.
if they say its not a compatible device then you can't order a new line of service. however, using a pulled sim card from another activated phone may work
if they say its not a compatible device, they will not sell you a sim card.
the bottom line is i believe on my experience is that if you wait for the sim free version, you will receive a better serial number then someone who bought a Verizon.
i haven't bought a iPhone 7 yet. so i don't have any imei numbers to check, so this post is based on the last 2 years but not necessarily this model.
if someone out there with a verizon iphone could please have imei numbers checked with the other 3 carriers , and if all 4 agree that the device is compatible, then my post is wrong and you might as well just buy the verizon model today
with the iphone 6 it took about a year for verizon to agree to activate the t-mobile model
with the iPhone 6s , it took about a year for AT&T to agree to activate the a1688 model.
with the iphone 6s it took a few months to get a good result from sprint on my t-mobile model
with sprint it took about 45 days to get them to like my serial number of my a1688 , because it was a launch day model
for a whole year AT&T was only activating the a1633/a634 because that model had band 30. but a couple weeks before the iphone 7 launch, the 1633/1634 requirement was dropped
i pre ordered two iPhones on launch day (the 6 plus and the 6s plus ) and it took anywhere from 40 days to a year for AT&T or sprint or Verizon to say my launch day phone was a compatible device.
if they say its not a compatible device then you can't order a new line of service. however, using a pulled sim card from another activated phone may work
if they say its not a compatible device, they will not sell you a sim card.
the bottom line is i believe on my experience is that if you wait for the sim free version, you will receive a better serial number then someone who bought a Verizon.
i haven't bought a iPhone 7 yet. so i don't have any imei numbers to check, so this post is based on the last 2 years but not necessarily this model.
if someone out there with a verizon iphone could please have imei numbers checked with the other 3 carriers , and if all 4 agree that the device is compatible, then my post is wrong and you might as well just buy the verizon model today
with the iphone 6 it took about a year for verizon to agree to activate the t-mobile model
with the iPhone 6s , it took about a year for AT&T to agree to activate the a1688 model.
with the iphone 6s it took a few months to get a good result from sprint on my t-mobile model
with sprint it took about 45 days to get them to like my serial number of my a1688 , because it was a launch day model
for a whole year AT&T was only activating the a1633/a634 because that model had band 30. but a couple weeks before the iphone 7 launch, the 1633/1634 requirement was dropped
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You can do the same even with carrier tied. I am with AT&T but I always purchase the phone and pay full price for it and that gets it unlocked right away. I always travel and use a SIM card from whatever country I'm in and works just as a sim free phone because it got unlocked. Phones are locked to a carrier only if you are on a payment plan or if the phone is not paid in full. So I don't see a big deal for specifically waiting for the sim free versions since I can do everything a sim free phone does with my current phone 🙂
Who was the poster a couple years ago who went on and on about having to have the specific SIM-free version despite being repeatedly told a full-price TMO or Verizon achieved the same goal?
T5BRICK
macrumors G3
The 6/6+ sim free iPhone was an unlocked Sprint model.
The 6s/6s+ sim free iPhone was an unlocked AT&T model.
Just out of curiosity, what's the iPhone 7 model sold in Apple UK (unlocked, sim-free)? Must be the GSM model, am I correct?
It's the A1778/A1784 model I believe, same as AT&T/T-Mobile in the US.
See http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/#iphone-7-iphone-7-plus
noobinator
macrumors 604
omg no one should buy this inferior "minus" model! it can't run on cdma, they are getting crippled products!
/sarcasm
Right, that's what I thought. I will buy either A1660 or A1778 depending on which has a better battery life. Hopefully eclipse will post his result soon.
Well one of the few good things in my country, we get the SIM free model from day one. However, Verizon model in USA should have the same effect if you buy it device only, unlocked from the start.
This thread comes up every year, do not understand what's the big deal. If you want one you can use with every carrier in USA, just buy the Verizon one device only.
This thread comes up every year, do not understand what's the big deal. If you want one you can use with every carrier in USA, just buy the Verizon one device only.
Phone Junky
macrumors 68030
Oh, I didn't read carefully or everything in that threat but maybe "nouveau-apple" was talking about the device model, like MKQH2LL/A (my iPhone 6s) rather than the model number such as A1600. I don't know if the SIM-free A1600 model has a different device model from carrier tied unlocked ones, but does that matter?
[QUOTE="JCCL, post: 23621318, member: 421398"
"This thread comes up every year, do not understand what's the big deal. If you want one you can use with every carrier in USA, just buy the Verizon one device only.[/QUOTE]"
Except you can't buy the Verizon device unless you have a Verizon account!
"This thread comes up every year, do not understand what's the big deal. If you want one you can use with every carrier in USA, just buy the Verizon one device only.[/QUOTE]"
Except you can't buy the Verizon device unless you have a Verizon account!
"
Except you can't buy the Verizon device unless you have a Verizon account![/QUOTE]
You can request a device only purchase. Reserving is the complicated part. But if you happen to walk in and they have it, you can buy it. I did that for my 6S Plus and 6
That's funny, other people seem to be able to do so. They just have to buy full price and score one in a walk-in at an Apple store.
Have you done that and been refused?