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Where can I buy an unlocked iPhone SE?

B

bloodypom

Cancelled
Original poster
Nov 7, 2011
14
0
Hi guys

I live in New Zealand where the iPhone SE 64GB costs over $600, but I'm going to the Los Angeles area for the last two weeks of May so I was planning to pick up an unlocked one while I'm there. But now that I've started looking around at availability it seems like I might be out of luck.

Apple Stores all seem to be out of stock currently, and you can only order one for pickup with a US credit card which I don't have. I see some stock in some branches of Target, but I think they only sell them with carrier activation (which I don't want). Best Buy appears to sell them but they're currently quoting $599 for an unlocked phone so they've added $100 to the price!?

Where, other than the Apple Store, can I buy an unlocked iPhone SE?

It sucks that Apple have constrained availability this bad.
 
Don't forget the 9% sales tax LA charges.

If you can find one in Best Buy or Target they might do a price match. I've heard people having luck getting them to price match Apple.com. Hopefully supply will catch up by the end of May.
 
I'm sure availability will be fine by the end of May. I've gotten a 16 GB and 64 GB in-store (both unlocked) without much trouble. Just use the online status checker.
 
rijc99 said:
Don't forget the 9% sales tax LA charges.

If you can find one in Best Buy or Target they might do a price match. I've heard people having luck getting them to price match Apple.com. Hopefully supply will catch up by the end of May.
Click to expand...
So Target *do* sell them unlocked?
 
No at Target or Best Buy. The SIM-free / unlocked is only available at the Apple store. The chains make their money on the activations the carriers pay them for in-store activations. Only Apple does not care as long as you purchase an iPhone. :)

Note: Double check your Best Buy search as they should only offer an unlocked iPhone as preowned. o_O

Dave
 
Timing is key. I checked a few times a day and found one in store that I went an just picked up. If you've got friends or someone you know, maybe you can have them pick it up early and save it for you.
 
The stock might be in better shape by the time you get here. But yeah you could always try to price match at Best Buy.
 
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