So why can't you just get a new sim card if you want to switch? That seems easier than going into a store.
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U.S. Department of Justice Investigating Claims AT&T, Verizon and GSMA Colluded to Prevent Customers From Easily Switching Carriers [Updated]
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I'm not sure that's the case, please provide a source. While it is ultimately Apple's website forcing you to have a carrier account, they do so at the behest of the carriers.
What does Apple have to gain by limiting its customer's options during pre-orders? Apple does eventually allow sales of sim-free iPhones shortly after launch. And if it was Apple's fault then why do they allow international customers to pre-order sim-free phones at launch? The only difference here is the American carriers.
You can. I switched to Verizon and just ordered a SIM card online. It was at my house the next day. I popped it in and boom all set on Verizon.
FWIW: I am currently enduring the nightmare the carriers have caused by being jerks.
I just bought a Series 3 watch secondhand. It was previously activated on Sprint, but was removed from that service and reset to factory before sale. In trying to activate the watch for myself on my network - Verizon - I have been told that the IMEI does not exist in their national database and it is therefore physically impossible to activate cellular on my watch. Oh, and they aren't able to add it to the db. Literally the only solution is to send my watch in to Apple for a week and wait for them to send me a new one. Let's clear some things up:
There is nothing wrong with my hardware
There is no hold/lock on my IMEI
There is no hardware difference whatsoever between a watch activated on different networks (eSIMs are not replaceable)
This is 110% Verizon's (And other carriers') fault and Apple and its customers are suffering for it
The carriers deserve whatever retribution comes their way for deliberately preventing the use of eSIM technology, particularly when they have made no effort to be transparent about the fact that they are doing so. The only reason this hasn't already been a bigger deal up to this point is because only now are we seeing increasing numbers of watches being sold second hand following the holiday rush (mine was an unwanted Christmas present).
I just bought a Series 3 watch secondhand. It was previously activated on Sprint, but was removed from that service and reset to factory before sale. In trying to activate the watch for myself on my network - Verizon - I have been told that the IMEI does not exist in their national database and it is therefore physically impossible to activate cellular on my watch. Oh, and they aren't able to add it to the db. Literally the only solution is to send my watch in to Apple for a week and wait for them to send me a new one. Let's clear some things up:
There is nothing wrong with my hardware
There is no hold/lock on my IMEI
There is no hardware difference whatsoever between a watch activated on different networks (eSIMs are not replaceable)
This is 110% Verizon's (And other carriers') fault and Apple and its customers are suffering for it
The carriers deserve whatever retribution comes their way for deliberately preventing the use of eSIM technology, particularly when they have made no effort to be transparent about the fact that they are doing so. The only reason this hasn't already been a bigger deal up to this point is because only now are we seeing increasing numbers of watches being sold second hand following the holiday rush (mine was an unwanted Christmas present).
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It was obvious back then that switching away from physical SIM to eSIM would take control away from customers and hand it over to carriers. Physical SIM only has to be activated once then can be moved by the customer to new phones unlimited number of times while eSim requires carrier intervention with every phone change. Apple should still be investigated for collusion and kickbacks since they were first to rush to adopt eSIM.
I recently switched from Verizon to AT&T and it was hell getting my phone switched. I purchased it from Apple a few days earlier and used my old number. I had full authorization on the account and owned the original phone. I needed to find my Verizon account number in order to switch my phone number, which was not listed in the app, in any emails or anywhere online. I called Verizon and they told me that they are not authorized to give that information out over the phone. In the end I had to threaten the people over at my local Verizon and tell them that I'll be there in twenty minutes (a $30 Uber ride) so I can force them to give it to me, and that they are going to regret the moment I walk into that store with how verbally violent I'll be upon walking into the store. They quickly surrendered my account number and I switched to AT&T thirty seconds later. They even waved the SIM card fee, haha.
And carriers can then say “well, unlocked iPhones aren’t going to work on our carrier”.