I unlocked my iPhone 5. If for some reason an exchange is needed, will Apple give an unlocked phone?

gameson

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Or will it be locked and I have to unlocked it again? As we all know, locked vs unlocked is all in the Apple database. I have mine unlocked but I bought mine using 2 yrs contract. If for some reason (I hope not) that an exchange is needed for whatever reason, will Apple Store give me an unlocked one? Or locked ?

Anyone has experience with this?

Thanks.
 

Laelipoo

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I unlocked my iPhone 5. If for some reason an exchange is needed, will Apple ...

I do (I won the contest here on iMore). They gave me a new factory unlocked one.
 

gameson

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Re: I unlocked my iPhone 5. If for some reason an exchange is needed, will Apple ...

I see, so even if the iPhone was originally bought as a locked version, then I unlocked it, if something happen, I can get a new factory unlocked one? I guess the Apple Store must checked their database first?
 

Laelipoo

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I unlocked my iPhone 5. If for some reason an exchange is needed, will Apple ...

That's what it seemed to me, yes. I checked my imei when I got home and it said it was unlocked.
 

anon(4698833)

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Re: I unlocked my iPhone 5. If for some reason an exchange is needed, will Apple ...

If you unlock your iPhone through any method besides a true carrier unlock...you will have to pay for the unlock again with the new iPhone. My friend used the method via eBay that many of us used (covered in another thread) and dropped his a few weeks back, shattering it and causing it to have strange issues when trying to use it. He had Apple Care +, and went in for a replacement...he explained to them that the iPhone he had was unlocked, but when it was replaced, he was given a carrier locked phone...with the explanation that his carrier account did not call for an unlocked iPhone (or something to that effect) and that the iPhone being replaced was not purchased as a factory unlocked unit.

He just went on eBay and bought an unlock again for a few bucks.
 

Massie

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Re: I unlocked my iPhone 5. If for some reason an exchange is needed, will Apple ...

I do (I won the contest here on iMore). They gave me a new factory unlocked one.

I don't follow how that applies to getting a phone during an exchange though?
 

anon(4698833)

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Re: I unlocked my iPhone 5. If for some reason an exchange is needed, will Apple ...

I don't follow how that applies to getting a phone during an exchange though?

It doesn't...the OP and Laelipoo were talking about two very different scenarios. Laelipoo's came factory unlocked...the OP's was unlocked after purchase (locked purchase).
 

Laelipoo

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Re: I unlocked my iPhone 5. If for some reason an exchange is needed, will Apple ...

It doesn't...the OP and Laelipoo were talking about two very different scenarios. Laelipoo's came factory unlocked...the OP's was unlocked after purchase (locked purchase).

No, sorry

Mine was carrier locked. I won the free unlock from UnlockStreak. My phone was now unlocked, but not from ATT, I went to Apple to get my phone replaced. They gave me another unlocked phone.

The original question was if an originally locked phone needed replaced, would they give you an unlocked one. My experience was yes.

Hope that cleared up the confusion.
 

Hook Man

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Re: I unlocked my iPhone 5. If for some reason an exchange is needed, will Apple ...

When you get a replacement it will have the same IMEI as your previous phone. So your unlock status will remain the same.
 

anon(4698833)

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Re: I unlocked my iPhone 5. If for some reason an exchange is needed, will Apple ...

No, sorry

Mine was carrier locked. I won the free unlock from UnlockStreak. My phone was now unlocked, but not from ATT, I went to Apple to get my phone replaced. They gave me another unlocked phone.

The original question was if an originally locked phone needed replaced, would they give you an unlocked one. My experience was yes.

Hope that cleared up the confusion.

When you said that you won that, it looked like you won an unlocked iPhone, my apologies.
 

Massie

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Re: I unlocked my iPhone 5. If for some reason an exchange is needed, will Apple ...

When you get a replacement it will have the same IMEI as your previous phone. So your unlock status will remain the same.

Is that true? For some reason I thought IMEIs were tied to each device, not the user?
 

natasftw

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Re: I unlocked my iPhone 5. If for some reason an exchange is needed, will Apple ...

When you get a replacement it will have the same IMEI as your previous phone. So your unlock status will remain the same.
Shame on you.

Refrain from giving advice until you take the time to understand the topic yourself.
 

hearmeoutx

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Re: I unlocked my iPhone 5. If for some reason an exchange is needed, will Apple ...

I bought an iPhone 4S using my Mom's upgrade on AT&T and paid to have it factory unlocked so I could use it on T-Mobile. I had a hardware issue that required me to have it exchanged, and they honored the unlock status and gave me another factory unlocked device. I asked the worker and he said they will always honor the unlock/lock status of a device when exchanging it.
 

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