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walk in and walk out with a sealed iphone and no contract?

P

phatboy

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 20, 2007
60
0
Im going to America on a holiday next week and I wanted to purchase an iphone without the contract to use as an ipod until i take out an 02 contract back in the UK.

Is this possible or are apple making everyone who buys an iphone in store take out a contract in store as well?

There are lots of sealed iphones selling on ebay so people must have walked out without a contract in some stores.
 
Can't do it from ATT or an Apple store. But I have heard some are selling
on Ebay for a nice premium.

Must be people who canceled the contract and then paid the full retail price.
Then they add their margin.
 
Yup, there still isn't anything set up for the unsubsidized pricing.

Which boggles me to think that there are iphones on ebay.
So, how does that work? :confused:
 
If you buy the phone from the Apple Store and then cancel your AT&T contract within so many days AT&T nor Apple ask for the phone back or at least that is they impression I was given.
 
csupinski said:
If you buy the phone from the Apple Store and then cancel your AT&T contract within so many days AT&T nor Apple ask for the phone back or at least that is they impression I was given.
Click to expand...

So the ebay sellers must have paid the whole contract off and then listed it on ebay...the prices must be astronomical then :confused:
 
csupinski said:
If your a new customer you can cancel withing 15 days or whatever, then you simply keep the phone.
Click to expand...
If that's correct that's one heck of a loophole! In the UK you have 14 days to cancel, but the phone has to be returned together with the box and accessories.
 
tallyho said:
So the ebay sellers must have paid the whole contract off and then listed it on ebay...the prices must be astronomical then :confused:
Click to expand...

No, I think most ebay resellers are already ATT customers. They either used their upgrade/spouse's upgrade and they really had no need/want for the iphone 3g.

My friend upgrade his wife's plan to the iphone 3g and resold it for $700 on craigslist (16GB white) cause his wife already had a blackberry that she was perfectly happy with.

It really makes no sense to "flip" the iphone 3g if you are not already an ATT customer because of the ETF fees and penalty you pay for canceling the data plans.
 
Actually you don't need to keep the data plan on your contract after you've bought your iPhone. The only thing that AT&T cares is you keep some type of voice plan for at least 2 years.

Say you buy your iPhone, then promptly go out into the street and chuck it into the garbage can. You can call em up and say you threw the iPhone away and want to cancel your data plan, they'll do it. You'll still be obligated to pay a voice though, and finish the 2 years.

There is an example of someone on the board who didn't want to use edge/3g with his iPhone, only wifi and had no problems getting data canceled.
 
Actually you can just go into the Apple store and buy one. You do have to pay full retail for it though. $399.99 for the 8gig and $599.99 for the 16gig. I bought my first 16 under contract because I was able to upgrade. The second phone I was going to buy was not eligible for an upgrade... so I just paid full retail and they activated it for me with no problems.

I know other people who have done the same thing.
 
aneftp said:
It really makes no sense to "flip" the iphone 3g if you are not already an ATT customer because of the ETF fees and penalty you pay for canceling the data plans.
Click to expand...

Actually, it still makes sense for new customers. That is, assuming you actually do want to switch to AT&T anyway. You can still flip the iPhone, and pick up another phone of your choice on ebay or wherever. You would have been in for a two-year commitment anyway, so there is no big drawback. And, as noted above, you can cancel the data plan if you are not using a 3G device or don't want it. There will be no penalty.
 
moviecouple said:
Actually you can just go into the Apple store and buy one. You do have to pay full retail for it though. $399.99 for the 8gig and $599.99 for the 16gig. I bought my first 16 under contract because I was able to upgrade. The second phone I was going to buy was not eligible for an upgrade... so I just paid full retail and they activated it for me with no problems.

I know other people who have done the same thing.
Click to expand...

But paying the non-upgrade pricing is not the same thing as getting the phone without a contract. With the non-upgrade pricing, I think you are still signing a new two year contract, isn't that right?
 
With the 2nd phone I bought outright... I did not have to sign up for the 2 year contract. I own it straight and clear.
 
moviecouple said:
With the 2nd phone I bought outright... I did not have to sign up for the 2 year contract. I own it straight and clear.
Click to expand...

Then somebody made a mistake. There are no no-commit phones available yet, and when they do start selling those, they they have said they will be 599/699.

I'm willing to bet if you're activated, you're under contract whether you realize it or not.
 
im now in new york and close to the only store with any 3G iPhones currently stocked! Is there any point in me trying to ask to buy one and activate at home? its never gunna happen is it?
 
moviecouple said:
With the 2nd phone I bought outright... I did not have to sign up for the 2 year contract. I own it straight and clear.
Click to expand...

Is it active with a working SIM and phone #? Month to month?

I'm trying to figure out how I can get a 3G without a contract. I just need the phone because my employer will pay for service. They just have a mental block with admitting to purchasing an iPhone. :rolleyes:

Did you purchase from Apple or ATT?
 
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