Do you have to have an Apple ID to use iPhone

Question

Do you have to have an Apple ID to use iPhone

My son is thinking of getting an iPhone, but he doesn't have an Apple ID, and he isn't likely to get one, if he doesn't need one.

I have a few questions:

If he purchases an Apple iPhone, does he need an Apple ID to activate the phone?

If he doesn't sign up for an Apple ID and activate the phone through iTunes, can he still place/receive calls and text messages and surf the Internet using the Safari app?

Also if he doesn't activate the phone using a valid Apple ID, will he still get system updates to the phone?

Posted on Jul 20, 2015 10:42 AM

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Answer 1

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ZikzakCorp

Level 4

1,089 points

Jul 20, 2015 11:03 AM in response to Eric Schwarzkopf

Hi Eric,

He can choose to skip the Apple ID during the setup. He doesn't have to have an Apple ID, but it's highly recommended. Without an Apple ID, he won't be able to download any apps or use Facetime or iMessage. Kind of defeats the point of having an iPhone, if you ask me. He could still make and receive calls and use the browser, but he can get a basic phone to do that for far cheaper. It only takes five minutes to set up an Apple ID.

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