I'm sure this topic has been gone over in nauseum, but I wasn't able to find any posts that answer it. Can you buy an iPhone, and use it as an iPod without activiating it as a phone with AT&T? I am still on a contract with T-Mobile, but am going to get an iPhone as soon as my contract runs out. I want to be able to use it in the meantime as an iPod, and then activiate it as a phone in July.
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Using an iPhone as an iPod
- Thread starter disco stu
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You could Jailbreak it, but legally you MUST activate with at&t to use it and to be covered by the AppleCare warranty. I suggest NOT buying the iPhone until you are ready. There are plenty around, and will not run out anytime soon, plus there may be a hardware revision in a few months. If you need an iPod, spend $50 for a shuffle, or $150 for a nano.
TEG
Ditto...
go with the iPod Touch. You get those prompts to register the iPhone on iTunes until you succumb to their wishes.
go with the iPod Touch. You get those prompts to register the iPhone on iTunes until you succumb to their wishes.
You have a few options:
1. Jailbreak the iPhone and use it as an iPod Touch until your contract is up, then switch to AT&T.
2. Unlock the iPhone and use it with T-Mobile SIM card from your other phone until your contract is up, then switch to AT&T (if you even decide to switch at the end).
3. Buy an iPod Touch instead of an iPhone, if you don't really need the phone feature.
4. Wait out your contract with your T-Mobile phone, then buy the iPhone and legitimately activate it on AT&T the day you get it.
Technically, options 1 and 2 are obviously the best on the surface, since you get to use the iPhone right away, however, you void the warranty by hacking the phone (doesn't matter if you unlock it or not, technically jailbreaking is sufficient to void the warranty since it's an unauthorized modification, although in either case both the current jailbreak and software unlock are easily reversible at the moment by an iTunes restore to 1.1.3, but you're still taking that chance, if some hardware problem occurs while the phone is hacked and you can't restore, you're screwed).
1. Jailbreak the iPhone and use it as an iPod Touch until your contract is up, then switch to AT&T.
2. Unlock the iPhone and use it with T-Mobile SIM card from your other phone until your contract is up, then switch to AT&T (if you even decide to switch at the end).
3. Buy an iPod Touch instead of an iPhone, if you don't really need the phone feature.
4. Wait out your contract with your T-Mobile phone, then buy the iPhone and legitimately activate it on AT&T the day you get it.
Technically, options 1 and 2 are obviously the best on the surface, since you get to use the iPhone right away, however, you void the warranty by hacking the phone (doesn't matter if you unlock it or not, technically jailbreaking is sufficient to void the warranty since it's an unauthorized modification, although in either case both the current jailbreak and software unlock are easily reversible at the moment by an iTunes restore to 1.1.3, but you're still taking that chance, if some hardware problem occurs while the phone is hacked and you can't restore, you're screwed).