I know all phones are unlocked but if I wanted to preorder an X today, I couldn’t even do it without signing up through a carrier. It’s disappointing. Is this just because more phones sell through carriers or what? What are my options for working around this while still preordering?
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Why doesn’t Apple usually sell sim-free at pre-order or launch?
- Thread starter xxray
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Different rules for different countries.
Here in the UK all iphones sold by Apple are unlocked, sim free, no carrier crap here.
Here in the UK all iphones sold by Apple are unlocked, sim free, no carrier crap here.
kycophpd
macrumors 6502a
My personal opinion is that it helps keep scalpers down. By tying the phone to a network, there is less chance some guy has 50 different aliases buying phones to sell on eBay.
Lobwedgephil
macrumors 603
Probably a carrier deal, but you can buy the T Mobile version without a carrier, but it only works on at&t or T Mobile.
You could buy a t-mobile phone without proving they were your carrier. All the others had a carrier verification.
I suspect this is why it sold out the fastest. I wonder how many launch day phones they had because myself and others that I read all saw a delivery date between November 10-17 as soon as we got in the store.
I still could have gotten a sprint phone on launch day an hour after pre order if I still had an account from them and this morning there were still apple stores offering launch day pickups for sprint phones.
I suspect this is why it sold out the fastest. I wonder how many launch day phones they had because myself and others that I read all saw a delivery date between November 10-17 as soon as we got in the store.
I still could have gotten a sprint phone on launch day an hour after pre order if I still had an account from them and this morning there were still apple stores offering launch day pickups for sprint phones.
RedRabbits
macrumors member
Carrier deal... the phones need a network, so they cut a deal with them. Also, something like 80% of phones are bought through carrier vs. directly from Apple.
Yeah I wouldn't buy the T-Mobile version since it doesn't work on all networks. I switch carriers somewhat often, so I'd want the phone to be able to be used on T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T.
Mlrollin91
macrumors G5
If you end up selling it, you need the SIM card. Otherwise when they turn it on, it will activate that SIM card to your number.
applesith
macrumors 68030
AttilaTheHun
macrumors 65816
The iPhone 8 and 8+ from the beginning were available as sim free will work with all include CDMS the iPhone X factory unlock for GSM will work with all but ATT and T Mobil will not have CDMS
SIM free is the scalper' favorite. That's why they delay it a month or two. Except for the 8 which had low demand and high supply.
