Apple do not ship to the Channel Islands. If I buy an iPhone 12 Pro from a third party retailer, who do ship to the Channel Islands, such as Very.co.uk or JohnLewis.com, who advertise ‘SIM free’ phones, does this mean that the iPhone will be truly unlocked i.e. you can use multiple carriers or will it be locked to the first carrier that you use? Thanks!
iPhone 11 Pro
Historically, no.
In the UK, only Apple sells unlocked iPhones. Phones sold by other retailers will lock to the first UK carrier used.
Any UK retailer claiming to be selling 'SIM free' iPhones either means the above, or they are reselling phones that were purchased from Apple directly and are now being sold on the gray market. That or they're just flat out lying.
Historically, no.
In the UK, only Apple sells unlocked iPhones. Phones sold by other retailers will lock to the first UK carrier used.
Any UK retailer claiming to be selling 'SIM free' iPhones either means the above, or they are reselling phones that were purchased from Apple directly and are now being sold on the gray market. That or they're just flat out lying.
Some may be selling them as SIM free but they will lock to the first carrier activated. In other words, you can use any carrier’s SIM when you first get it, but it is then going to lock to that first carrier used. Places like carphone warehouse sell iPhones that way, or they used to.
Thanks for your reply @Michael Black... I think that used to be the case (I.e. phone locking to the first network), however, it would seem that John Lewis actually sell SIM free and unlocked iPhones.... for the iPhone 11 Pro, the following was provided by John Lewis:
“What is SIM free?
You'll receive the iPhone without having to commit to any network, leaving you free to decide which SIM card to use in the device. This gives you the opportunity to find the most suitable plan, whether that’s contract or pay-as-you-go, throughout the lifetime of the phone. You also have the option to add a foreign SIM card, so you can use the device overseas.”
I guess I’ll just have to check the wording carefully and if in doubt, just leave it!
Thank you for replying. I’ve since discovered that John Lewis and Argos definitely sell SIM Free and unlocked iPhones - which I assume must be purchased direct from Apple. It’s just a bit confusing as not all retailers make this clear on their sites. If you are paying full price for the phone, it’s a bit frustrating that this could potentially be then locked to the first network. As John Lewis ship to the Channel Islands, I guess they are my only option as our authorised Apple retailer struggles to get stock in. Thanks!
I don't think anyone knows yet. Many times Apple does not release a SIM free phone for a few weeks after the initial release.
Is the iPhone 12 unlocked and SIM free from all retailers?
