Will we ever see an official iPhone unlock in the US for previous iPhone models?

[The Californian]

Okay, I know I will be dealing with several hypotheticals here and I know how much many of you hate hypotheticals so feel free to click out of this thread now if you'd like. This is my disclaimer.

If you've been following the news it is becoming clearly obvious that Apple will most likely be moving to a multi-carrier model worldwide within a year. If you haven't seen this you can read it here, here, and here. Which makes me wonder what will happen to locked iPhones once a multi-carrier model is adopted.

I've never had a phone that was locked to a carrier when that carrier loses exclusivity to that phone so I don't know what exactly happens there. Does the phone then stay locked but future models are offered unlocked, or does the company then offer unlocking services to all previous models that were locked into an exclusivity agreement? Can someone that has possibly experienced this provide some insight?

Furthermore, what do you ladies and gentlemen think will happen in this circumstance with the iPhone specifically?

Thanks for your time and insight. - Eric

 

[skubish]

Phones are always sold locked in the US. Even if multiple carriers have the same phone each will be locked to the specific carrier. I don't see this changing anytime soon.

 

[The Californian]

While that is true ( for the most part ) most carriers will unlock your phone once you fulfill your contract. Usually it's something as simple as dialing a numeric code into your phone, but occasionally the phone needs to be brought into the carrier where they can unlock it another way. I just don't know what happens when a phone is locked due to an exclusivity agreement and that agreement runs out.

Congressman Edward Markey, the chairman of the House subcommittee on Telecommunications and Internet has proposed changes to the law to prevent carriers from locking phones to their service. You can check it out here.

 

[The Californian]

I also wonder if the iPhone is unlike any other phone that has had an exclusivity agreement. It seems like whenever a company releases an exclusive phone to a carrier they end up releasing a slightly different ( often better ) iteration with another carrier within months.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Phones are always sold locked in the US. Even if multiple carriers have the same phone each will be locked to the specific carrier. I don't see this changing anytime soon.

While this is true you can request an unlock code.

AT&T policy is you have to be with them at least 90 days, and have no out siding bills. it is call customer service and request it. It will take about a week then they will email you the unlock code. I expect the iPhone to follow something like that when it no longer exclusive

 

[The Californian]

Have you experienced this with an exclusive phone before?