Unlocked IPhone Prices Difference on Apple?

[TwitchyPuppy]

Get a SIM/plan/carrier-free one from Apple directly (finance it if need be) and call it a day No worries about if it’ll be locked or not!


Sent from my iPhone 13 Pro Max using Tapatalk

[Ten Four]

The simple answer is that if you pay $699 they have to activate the phone on the carrier of your choice and will do so. With T-Mobile that means you will be locked to T-Mobile for a minimum of 40 days on postpaid plans and 365 days on prepaid plans. In short, don't buy the t Mobile version if you need to use it on another network soon. https://www.t-mobile.com/responsibil...-unlock-policy

[mrpickem]

FWIW I have bought iPhone 12 & 13 Pro Max from TMobile last 2 years on tradein deal. The device was locked and I called in to get unlocked so I could use with Verizon and Tmobile at same time, last year they made me pay off the phone*I'm still getting monthly bill credits) and the phone was unlocked in less than 48 hours. A few month ago I contacted Tforce through twitter to unlock the 13 expecting to have to pay it off but they unlocked without being paid off, rep said I was good customer and he was getting the payoff clause waived, and this time he unlocked it instantly or at least within a few moments. I am currently using the 13 Pro Max with eSim from Verizon and physical Tmobile sim. Everything works and I've had no real issues. Lasy year I had the 12 on Tmobile eSim / Vzw physical and there were no issues. I get very fast 5G with Tmobile and excellent rural coverage with Verizon. Both phone were originally locked but once unlocked they worked fine with other carriers...also tested with AT&T prepaid.

[i0wnj00]

Now I was initially going to order it off apple.com. Do most of you order it there or buy it at the store? I see best buy and other stores sell it as well but mostly those sold are with a carrier and not a plan right? Or they also sell unlocked? But always best to buy directly from apple right?

I always buy it directly off from Apple to avoid the issue of it being locked to AT&T and avoid any extra fees that they want to add for simply upgrading with them. I also confirm with the Apple Store reps that I will be getting an unlocked device. I have always moved my AT&T (nano) SIM from iPhone to iPhone without going to an AT&T store without any issues and rarely, use my Telcel MX SIM without any issues.

I also want to avoid anybody touching my AT&T plan or messing everything up when I select "AT&T" as my carrier.

Now the thing that confuses me is when I click on the iphone 13 mini or the other iphones, is you get the option of a carrier or no carrier. But why is it ... no carrier charges you 30 dollars more? I always thought if you selected tmobile, sprint, att or verizon, well all they going to do is give you a sim card and thats all. Thus whether you activate the plan yourself or not when you get the phone is on you. So this is not correct? But I also read if you choose ATT... then that phone is locked? I had thought all iphones were unlocked because how can it be locked and you paying 700 dollars for an iphone 13 mini? So does this mean if I choose tmobile, they going to give me tmobile sim card but they going to activate a plan for me as well? Thing is I do not want a tmobile plan now as I plan to use it abroad mainly.

This was my understanding if you choose to go with a carrier, you get their SIM card and sign up for service if you get your iPhone from Apple.com. If you go to an Apple Store, that's a moot point because you likely have service and thus don't need a SIM card. The only time the iPhone is locked is if you visit a reseller or Corporate Store because they are subsidizing the cost of the phone with credit, discounts or providing installments to pay it off.

[NCTed]

Do most of you order it there or buy it at the store?

I order directly from Apple. I typically buy Apple gift cards on my Target Red Card which effectively eliminates the extra I pay to Apple to get the unlocked phone. With the Red Card, specialty gift cards are always 5% off, and they often run deals to get a $10 Target gift card for free when you buy a $100 Apple gift card.

[mrpickem]

Obviously the best case is buying directly from Apple if you don't mind paying full price. My point is if you pay attention and do proper research you can still get carrier locked device and have it completely unlocked just follow the carrier rules, which for T-Mobile it has to be active for 60 days and the device has to be paid off. Never had a problem unlocking Apple or Androids through them after at least 6 different phones. Buying from Tmobile, I traded in a 11 Pro Max and got a 13 Pro Max for just over $300 although some of the money comes in monthly credits which I dont mind since I'm keeping the service anyways. Even with the best trade in Apple offered, I could have got $450 trade in...so the 13 pro max would have cost me nearly $750 after tax,,,so I prefer saving the money with a slight hassle that I can manage without much effort. But to each his own...enjoy and happy holidays!

[zapjb]

...My point is if you pay attention and do proper research you can still get carrier locked device and have it completely unlocked just follow the carrier rules...

But sometimes maybe not for iphones but certainly for some Androids completed unlocked phones won't work on other carriers. Whereas factory unlocked phones will work. Same models but different sub-versions.

[massy39]

I also go through the link. Interesting.