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Unlocked, SIM-Free iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Models Now Available in U.S. with 3-5 Day Shipping
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As I have said since the day the IPhone 6 was announced. I won't be buying a new iPhone until a new 4" iPhone is available. People like choice, and not everyone wants a phablet. Not sure why Tim can't get that through his brain. I've found plenty of 4" Androids to get in the meantime.
Exactly.
But only because Verizon refuses to activate "non-Verizon" phones, not due to any technical limitation. I'd be shocked if someone could get one of these SIM-free models activated on Verizon, regardless of what Apple is saying here:
About the Unlocked iPhone said:
I'm trying to figure out what this thread has to do with the possibility of a new 4" iPhone being released, but I'm coming up with nothing. Help me out?
That's right. Even different cities within the same state can have slightly different prices if their sales tax rate varies.
It depends on how you look at it. The retailer's price is the same, but the buyer will pay slightly different amounts depending upon how much tax the localities collect.
The iPhone 6 is very small and portable. It still easily fits in your pocket, still is comfortable to use with one hand, and has better battery life than 4" devices. Not a phablet at all.
The 6 Plus, on the other hand, is a bit ridiculous, yes.
Ok so what's the actual prize in California or New York? 649$ is fake for what you say
They will work on Verizon provided you already have an activated Verizon SIM card. What Verizon will not do with a non Verizon model is activate a new SIM for it. People have taken activated Verizon SIM's, put them into an unlocked AT&T iPhone 6, and they work fine.
Its not "fake". It is the MSRP. Then you add taxes. The states of California and NY have different tax % so you just add that on to the price. Here, the states collect local taxes so each state decides their tax %. Not complicated at all.
If you really want to save a couple percent (or more) on taxes, drive or fly to a state with lower taxes and buy the phone. Or maybe you are there for business so you dont actually spend the $ on travel
.
So for a better comparison, what's the lowest rate? For a state in the US. Be interesting comparing the cheapest iPhone in Europe v US that you can actually purchase , wonder if it's slight difference
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When I was last in NY it was around 9%. Don't quote me.
It depends on where you bought it. Each state (and many localities such as cities or counties) have their own taxable jurisdictions.
For example, an unlocked 64GB iPhone 6 in Oregon would be $749, where I live the tax was something on the order of $55 so IIRC it cost me more like $804 out-the-door.
FYI, even if you buy the phone on an interest-free 20 month payment plan, they still collect the sales tax up front.
Zero...in Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sales_taxes_in_the_United_States
The fairest way to really compare the prices would be to convert the Italian price to USD, and remove the 22% VAT from it. That gives you the amount that Apple actually keeps from selling you the phone. The rest is taken by the government.
So, for the 16GB iPhone 6:
EUR €749 = USD $893 (note the Euro has dropped in value recently, so the USD equivalent is higher now than when Apple set the iPhone 6 prices)
Now, less the 22% VAT:
$893 / 1.22 = ~$732
So without any taxes, that iPhone 6 costs $649 in the US vs $732 in Italy. A little more, but not a huge difference.
What a stupid gimmick to help US carriers sell more "contracts" to everyone. People still think they need a contract for a phone, it's amazing!
Seems like AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile are besides themselves on selling their Next/EDGE/Jump plans, which don't require signing a contract for service.
True, that is the best way to compare it. The advantage is for the people in the U.S. with the lowest tax rate.
Perfect. Anyways I think prices are a bit high anyways. It's really weird to spend more than 700 on a phone for the useless 16GB model
It depends entirely on the plan. For some people, the contracts are a better deal. Each individual needs to run the numbers for themselves for the 2-year contract cost vs. the 2-year cost off-contract cost.
Because my Verizon data plan (for three phones) is >= 10GB/month, I get the $15/month per phone off-contract rate for unlimited voice/texts monthly. If I had, for example, an individual 2GB plan, I'd pay $40/month per phone for the same unlimited voice/texts, off-contract or not.
I could get a cheaper deal with another carrier, but they don't have service where I need it.
That said, we should spin this discussion off to one of the many "on or off contract" threads.
Apple has to also factor in different regulatory costs such as mandated warranties we do not have in the US. Also employee costs vary by country. If their cost of doing business is higher in another country they should charge more to make up for it.
ya, Sim free....
Welcome to the rest of the world..
What took ya ??
Australia had SIM free phones for ages... It's about time for the rest to do the same...
Gives 'em a choice.
No wonder users like contracts.... You get bonuses too
We've been able to get contract-free unlocked iPhones since day 1. They just came with T-Mobile SIM cards. No big deal.
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You can get an iPhone at retail price anywhere. In those states there is no sales tax to add on to it.