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Raunien

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 3, 2011
535
57
What does the sim-free iPhone 7 have that the verizon (paid-in full) phone does not?
 
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Shadowbech

macrumors G3
Oct 18, 2011
9,038
5,894
Essentially it's just the sim card that's not included in the sim-free models. It looks like the Sim-free model this year will be the Verizon/Sprint model.
 

dasing123

macrumors member
Sep 10, 2016
58
21
The Verizon iPhone is essentially the same as the Factory Unlocked version that will come out.

I tried ordering a Verizon iPhone 7+ 128GB Matte Black and opted for the pay in full option (Cause I have no idea when the Factory Unlocked version will come out) but it forces me to sign up for a contract which I don't want to do.
 

Raunien

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 3, 2011
535
57
Dasing123 - If you go to an apple store in person, you are able to purchase a verizon iphone full price without any contract/attachments.

Even though this phone would be unlocked, I've heard mixed bags about whether sprint will activate this on their network
 
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dasing123

macrumors member
Sep 10, 2016
58
21
Dasing123 - If you go to an apple store in person, you are able to purchase a verizon iphone full price without any contract/attachments.

Even though this phone would be unlocked, I've heard mixed bags about whether sprint will activate this on their network

Oh interesting, so is the Verizon phone is CDMA and GSM?
 

Abs_p

macrumors 6502a
Jul 15, 2011
897
422
Oh interesting, so is the Verizon phone is CDMA and GSM?

Yes. Till now it used to that all phones were GSM+CDMA since last few years.

This year ATT and TMO are GSM only because of the intel chip they are using in it.

And the Verizon and Sprint are CDMA and GSM.
 

Lobwedgephil

Contributor
Apr 7, 2012
5,705
4,644
Wrong.

Full price verizon and sprint are true world phones.

Full price att and tmo are GSM unlocked.

While that may be true, Apple will release a true Sim Free model, it will likely be Verizon model, but it hasn't been released yet.
 

Hal~9000

macrumors 68020
Sep 13, 2014
2,150
2,075
Would an unlocked verizon 7 work on Sprint?

I'd like to know this as well, and vice versa (Sprint iPhone on Verizon).

In the past there have been reports from forum members that their unlocked iPhone wouldn't get activated on either Sprint or Verizon because it wasn't on either companies "whitelist" of phones they would allow on their CDMA network... whereas the SIM-free model had no issues getting activated on any US CDMA type carrier.
 

Shadowbech

macrumors G3
Oct 18, 2011
9,038
5,894
Wrong.

Full price verizon and sprint are true world phones.

Full price att and tmo are GSM unlocked.
While this is correct, but what he referred to is the actual model that is actually marketed as "Sim-Free" isn't available yet in the U.S and thus does not exist.

You can still buy a full price Verizon or Sprint Model, it will be unlocked, but it comes with a sim card regardless. Sim-Free model does not come with a sim-card at all.
[doublepost=1474157200][/doublepost]
Oh interesting, so is the Verizon phone is CDMA and GSM?
Yes Verizon Model does have CDMA and GSM, since it's using the qualcomm chipset versus the AT&T/T-Mobile, which uses the intel chipset for the 7/7+
 

Abs_p

macrumors 6502a
Jul 15, 2011
897
422
While this is correct, but what he referred to is the actual model that is actually marketed as "Sim-Free" isn't available yet in the U.S and thus does not exist.

You can still buy a full price Verizon or Sprint Model, it will be unlocked, but it comes with a sim card regardless. Sim-Free model does not come with a sim-card at all.

Yeah but that SIMCard doesn't really play any role. Remove it and forget about it and voila there is your sim free unlocked phone.
 
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dasing123

macrumors member
Sep 10, 2016
58
21
Now I need to wait till my local Apple store has a Verizon iPhone 128gb matte black version. Hopefully new stock is updated tonight at 12:01am when reservations open
 

Shadowbech

macrumors G3
Oct 18, 2011
9,038
5,894
Now I need to wait till my local Apple store has a Verizon iPhone 128gb matte black version. Hopefully new stock is updated tonight at 12:01am when reservations open
Good luck, the reservation shouldn't ask you for the Verizon info so you should be fine. Just reserve and when you pick up, just tell them that you will buy it as device only.
 

6thDAY

macrumors 6502a
Apr 14, 2010
734
88
Yeah but that SIMCard doesn't really play any role. Remove it and forget about it and voila there is your sim free unlocked phone.

There actually is a difference, and it has nothing to do with the Sim Card. With a sim-free, you are not required to have a carrier account to purchase it full-price.

Right now, T-Mobile is the only carrier that does not require an account if one purchases it full-price. However, with a sim-free model, which "should" support both CDMA + GSM will not require an account, which is the one I'm waiting for since I'm currently on T-Mobile.
 

Raunien

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 3, 2011
535
57
There actually is a difference, and it has nothing to do with the Sim Card. With a sim-free, you are not required to have a carrier account to purchase it full-price.

Right now, T-Mobile is the only carrier that does not require an account if one purchases it full-price. However, with a sim-free model, which "should" support both CDMA + GSM will not require an account, which is the one I'm waiting for since I'm currently on T-Mobile.

I walked into my apple store today and purchased a Verizon iPhone 7 without an account at full price.
 
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hellopupy

macrumors 6502
Sep 8, 2016
334
359
Los Angeles
I think what I'm going to do is buy the sim-free model when it comes out and then sell my 7+ online, the difference lost would be worth the time in using a new phone to me.
 
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6thDAY

macrumors 6502a
Apr 14, 2010
734
88
I walked into my apple store today and purchased a Verizon iPhone 7 without an account at full price.

Really?

I guess I'm wrong then, but then again I've only done it online at apple.com, and all carriers besides T-Mobile requires an account to order.

I never actually went to the store and bought it then and there.
 

1BadMac

macrumors 6502
Jan 27, 2010
318
3
I lucked out and hit up the local Best Buy and they had a 128 7/plus Matte black unlocked. No sim. Rings up as "Verizon" but was not required to enter phone or anything in store. They priced matched Apple too. Confirming that at least Best Buy is selling Verizon as the SIM free version.
 

1984

macrumors 6502a
Jan 1, 2005
616
188
I lucked out and hit up the local Best Buy and they had a 128 7/plus Matte black unlocked. No sim. Rings up as "Verizon" but was not required to enter phone or anything in store. They priced matched Apple too. Confirming that at least Best Buy is selling Verizon as the SIM free version.

What is the model number (MN***LL/A) on the box? The numbers I see on their website indicate it is the locked version even when I select full price and unactivated.
 

Shadowbech

macrumors G3
Oct 18, 2011
9,038
5,894
Really?

I guess I'm wrong then, but then again I've only done it online at apple.com, and all carriers besides T-Mobile requires an account to order.

I never actually went to the store and bought it then and there.
Apple.com? Yes, T-Mobile is the only carrier that doesn't require an account, other carriers does. However, if you walk into the Apple store and they have the model that you want and intend to buy it outright, they will not ask you for any of your carrier info and they will mark on their system that the phone was purchased as "Device Only".
[doublepost=1474167107][/doublepost]
What is the model number (MN***LL/A) on the box? The numbers I see on their website indicate it is the locked version even when I select full price and unactivated.
Verizon models are not locked to their own carriers at all. Whether you purchase it under contract, or monthly installments, it will remain unlocked regardless. Their website is probably wrong and probably needs to be fixed if it says that it's locked.
 
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6thDAY

macrumors 6502a
Apr 14, 2010
734
88
Apple.com? Yes, T-Mobile is the only carrier that doesn't require an account, other carriers does. However, if you walk into the Apple store and they have the model that you want and intend to buy it outright, they will not ask you for any of your carrier info and they will mark on their system that the phone was purchased as "Device Only".

yah but the "they have the model that you want" is where the trouble is

plenty of 7's in the wild, but the chance of a walk-in and getting a 7 plus, especially a Verizon one is about a likely chance as winning the lottery, at least at this time of course :)

that's why I'm getting on reserving a Verizon plus (if available) using the IUP, then paying out-right when I get there to the Apple store
 
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