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Target may be the best place to buy an iphone

N

nanocustoms

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 23, 2010
158
29
Hey Gang

You know what they say about opinions...

I was able to walk in the day after launch, and pick up a 32G iPhone 7 in Matte Black. I am an ATT customer, and typically, am not as cognizant of the differences between handsets. I always get the $199 phone and the wife gets the "good one + AppleCare"

Whats great about Target phones is that they are all "multi mode", meaning they can be provisioned for Any network. In the case of the iPhone 7, its the Model A1660. So if you are obsessive like me, and didn't want to go the verizon/apple store IUP / full price route to get the Qualcomm radio, target is a great option.

When you need to unlock your phone, make the extra payments to ATT to free yourself of their bounds and you have a handset that is arguably the better handset of the 2.

Fast forward to today, I walk into a target and walk out with a 7+/256/Jet Black A1661, full device price. The thrill of the hunt is especially gratifying when you consider how scarce these are.

EDIT

Carrier Lock / Unlock - (US FLEX RESELLER POLICY) -

According to many reports, phones sold at BestBuy, Target, Walmart are all A1660/1661 models (Dual Radio GSM/CDMA). Apparently, the carrier lock policies are applied to the phone upon initial activation. This means that if you are:

On Payments - You would have activated in store with a mobile representative from the reseller.

Obviously your phone whether ATT, T-Mobile, or Sprint will be subject to your carriers lock policy until your payment obligation for the device is fulfilled. All Verizon phones are unlocked as per a settlement with the FCC.

Full Price - If you purchased it full price, there will be NO SIM in the device. It is CRUCIAL that if you want it to be "UNLOCKED" you locate a Verizon SIM, so your device will be SIM unlocked first. Then you can put whatever carriers SIM into the device.

thanks to mac7 for bringing this to my attention.
 
Last edited:
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nanocustoms said:
Hey Gang

You know what they say about opinions...

I was able to walk in the day after launch, and pick up a 32G iPhone 7 in Matte Black. I am an ATT customer, and typically, am not as cognizant of the differences between handsets. I always get the $199 phone and the wife gets the "good one + AppleCare"

Whats great about Target phones is that they are all "multi mode", meaning they can be provisioned for Any network. In the case of the iPhone 7, its the Model A1660. So if you are obsessive like me, and didn't want to go the verizon/apple store IUP / full price route to get the Qualcomm radio, target is a great option.

When you need to unlock your phone, make the extra payments to ATT to free yourself of their bounds and you have a handset that is arguably the better handset of the 2.

Fast forward to today, I walk into a target and walk out with a 7+/256/Jet Black A1661, also on payments. The thrill of the hunt is especially gratifying when you consider how scarce these are.
Click to expand...

Which store is it?
 
I "reserved" an ATT 7+ 128GB jet black model on launch day and I STILL haven't gotten an email saying it is ready for pickup ...:rolleyes:

meanwhile I got my pre-ordered one from apple about 1.5 weeks ago.
 
I've called about 9 target stores in a 60 mile radius. None have any in stock, and the 2 that showed were in stock? They're for "pre-orders" only. I've called AT&T stores locally, none have had any 7+'s in since launch. I've called the Apple stores and they get rose gold 256 on occasion, but they said there's usually a line out the door for the 4 they do get in stock, and most people walk out empty handed. I've called Walmart, RadioShack, Staples, checked on bestbuy.com ( they apparently had some on launch but not anymore ).

This is absolutely nuts. I took back my Note7 for this hoping I could snag one like in 2014 with the 6. I've had really great luck with Target. But this time they just don't have anything and none are in stock. I have never looked so hard for a little phone, that's not going to matter in a month. Feels like a waste of time at this point. I've checked istocknow.com and other sites like target, att.com, etc. No phone's.

Not sure where else to look.
 
Thanks for the heads up. I have a few Verizon SIMs and will make sure to use their SIM first to have their unlock policy propagate on the phone.

Mac7 said:
Yes, check this thread out https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/best-buy-a1660-tied-to-carrier.2002871/#post-23637938
Click to expand...
[doublepost=1475625588][/doublepost]
tripleh3lix said:
I've called about 9 target stores in a 60 mile radius. None have any in stock, and the 2 that showed were in stock? They're for "pre-orders" only. I've called AT&T stores locally, none have had any 7+'s in since launch. I've called the Apple stores and they get rose gold 256 on occasion, but they said there's usually a line out the door for the 4 they do get in stock, and most people walk out empty handed. I've called Walmart, RadioShack, Staples, checked on bestbuy.com ( they apparently had some on launch but not anymore ).

This is absolutely nuts. I took back my Note7 for this hoping I could snag one like in 2014 with the 6. I've had really great luck with Target. But this time they just don't have anything and none are in stock. I have never looked so hard for a little phone, that's not going to matter in a month. Feels like a waste of time at this point. I've checked istocknow.com and other sites like target, att.com, etc. No phone's.

Not sure where else to look.
Click to expand...
Whew are you located?
 
Checked brickseek, saw that the target closest to me had one on hand, called and asked and the guy said "yep we have 1 jet black 7 plus in 256GB" so I ran on over but turned out it was being held for a preorder :(
 
Javiayer said:
Checked brickseek, saw that the target closest to me had one on hand, called and asked and the guy said "yep we have 1 jet black 7 plus in 256GB" so I ran on over but turned out it was being held for a preorder :(
Click to expand...

Did you at least get on the list? Im sure a lot of people drop out or don't pick up in time.
 
nanocustoms said:
Did you at least get on the list? Im sure a lot of people drop out or don't pick up in time.
Click to expand...
employee didn't mention any sort of list but he said I could come back tomorrow, as today is the last day they're holding the preorders. Only problem is I won't be home till like 8pm tomorrow and I'm sure it'll be sold by then :/
 
2 targets, Best Buy and the Apple Store all had various models of the iPhone in stock the past several days. T mobile stores are even starting to get them in.
 
I wouldn't doubt Target is a good place. Didn't target just announce that their Apple sales have been down something like 25%.

This actually isn't poking fun. I just think, for whatever reason, people aren't buying Apple stuff at target as much. I almost got an Apple Watch there for the 5% saving but they didn't have the color I wanted. Still they had launch day watches that local Best Buy didn't...
 
JulesJam said:
I started a thread about this before:

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...ocked-iphone-financed-by-the-carrier.1999350/
Click to expand...
Great post!
[doublepost=1475644587][/doublepost]
lordofthereef said:
I wouldn't doubt Target is a good place. Didn't target just announce that their Apple sales have been down something like 25%.

This actually isn't poking fun. I just think, for whatever reason, people aren't buying Apple stuff at target as much. I almost got an Apple Watch there for the 5% saving but they didn't have the color I wanted. Still they had launch day watches that local Best Buy didn't...
Click to expand...

I think it's just not top of mind. I was going to buy cat litter when I got my iPhone 7 day after launch.
 
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Thor_1 said:
2 targets, Best Buy and the Apple Store all had various models of the iPhone in stock the past several days. T mobile stores are even starting to get them in.
Click to expand...
No, BB iP7/7+ are all the universal model.
Lyshen said:
Stopped by Target and yes they did have 7 Plus JB in stock, got it! :)

Full price, activated with VZ sim, restored to 10.0.2 and then used iTunes to activate the second time... stated device is unlocked.
Click to expand...
Are you on AT&T? Did you do the activation using an active Verizon SIM or was it an inactive Verizon SIM?
 
dwd3885 said:
Apple Store nets you an unlocked phone that doesn't lock to any carrier.
Click to expand...
But you have to pay full retail for it, no carrier financing, no subsidized phones, no $650 TIV for an iP6.

You can do the Apple iPhone Upgrade Program but that is a hard pull to your credit.
 
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