Had an iPhone 5 locked to O2, went to the apple store at the weekend to sort my daughters ipod, mentioned that the sleep button on mine was a little temperamental and they swapped it for a new one right there, which I can’t complain about. I asked if it would be locked to O2 like my old one was and the chap said it’d be the same. As all iPhones sold at the apple store are unlocked surely that would mean my new one is also unlocked?

Really hoping to use it on holiday soon…

I’d expect it to be.

One way to find out.

I think new iPhones lock to the first network automatically when you insert the sim. If it’s an O2 sim it will lock to that network.

Really?

Wow, that’s trousers.

But o2 will unlock it for free if you are on one of their contracts. If not then they charge £15 IIRC.

I’d say that’s a myth, can’t see how it’d work. I suspect loddrik now has an unlocked phone.

I think it will be unlocked. Take it to an O2 store and ask them to unlock it for you. It should be free, Vodafone have unlocked a couple of phone for free for me.

Phones from the Apple store don’t lock to a network when the first sim is installed.

Contract phones might be set up like that, I’ve no idea, but not ones from Apple Stores.

Mine was an Apple store replacement and I’ve tried SIM cards from O2, T Mobile and Orange.
They all worked fine, no reset or unlocking needed.

Thanks chaps, O2 won’t unlock iPhones 5s yet.

I had heard that iPhones lock to first sim inserted but that reeks of urban myth to me too.

I have an apple replacement rigt here and I can use any sim.

That’s an absolute myth.

It will be locked to whatever network the replaced phone was on.

All they do is take old imei and new imei and update their database. New phone takes on all info of old phone. So its locked to O2

Ah so mines unlocked because it was before?

yupp

It will be locked to whatever network the replaced phone was on.
All they do is take old imei and new imei and update their database. New phone takes on all info of old phone. So its locked to O2

No it won’t.

Mine was bought from O2 and was locked to O2.

It was replaced under warranty at the Apple Shop in Sheffield.

The new one was is not locked to any Network. As I said above, I’ve tried a few and they all work.

Ill put £10 on the fact its locked.

Ill put £10 on the fact its locked.

Mine ?

Seems a little odd when he’s stated he’s tried several SIM cards in it… 😕

As all iPhones sold at the apple store are unlocked surely

Nope they are not. Apple sell locked ones direct from the stores. I know because I was given one locked to Orange as a replacement and I’m on Three.

I think new iPhones lock to the first network automatically when you insert the sim. If it’s an O2 sim it will lock to that network.

Wrong. See above. 🙂

No loddrik.

Yoursis a freak occurence

mentioned that the sleep button on mine was a little temperamental and they swapped it for a new one right there, which I can’t complain about

good news. got an appt at the bristol apple store later to sort out my sticky power/sleep button.

my experience mirror wysiwg & PP, replacement for unit was locked, even though it was ‘paid for’ replacement. Had to pay the buggers £15 to get it unlocked.

I must have struck lucky then maybe they had run out out of O2 locked reconditioned phones ?

Factory unlocked IPhone for free.. Result 🙂

Like i said, none of their warranty phones arent on any network, theyre blank. They become as far as their database is concerned the phone you return taking on its information.

How did I get lucky then ?

How are Apple and the networks able to get away with the blatantly anticompetitive practice of phone locking? If a car manufacturer restricted you to filling your tank at their prefered partner filling stations imagine the uproar!

How are Apple and the networks able to get away with the blatantly anticompetitive practice of phone locking?

Apple don’t lock them for one and as for the networks locking phones. Well the phones belong to them until you finish the contract so that’s how they can do it.

If a car manufacturer restricted you to filling your tank at their prefered partner filling stations imagine the uproar!

Well it’s not the same, it’s more like a car manufacturer insisting that you have your car serviced at an accredited garage during the warranty period. Imagine the up roar if they did, oh wait.

Neal> no idea.

And because the phone is subsidised by the phone co.
If you bought a cheap car on the basis it was part paid for by shell…

Just dug out an old Vodafone SIM card, cut it down and tried it but it does indeed appear to be locked.

****ts!! (O2 I mean, can’t fault Apple whatsoever!)

Whys it O2s fault, youve not finished paying for the phone yet surely?

the phones belong to them until you finish the contract

Genuine question.

Is this actually the case legally ?

The reason I ask is because I sold my IPhone5 Upgrade as I preferred the Iphone4s

Have I broken the law by selling a phone I don’t own ?

Well it’s not the same, it’s more like a car manufacturer insisting that you have your car serviced at an accredited garage during the warranty period. Imagine the up roar if they did, oh wait.

Not really, because it isn’t anything to do with the warranty, and the warranty period on a few phones is way less than the contract period (Apple are bad for this).

If you’re in the contract period you have to pay whatever you contracted to pay. The locking of phones is in theory to make it more compelling to you not to just stop paying and let them sue you. In reality, it is just a way of them trying to ensure that you stay with them by holding your phone to ransom. That’s why they offer you a ‘free upgrade’ slightly before your contract is finished, to lock you in again and in order to make you think that you have to keep with them.

And because the phone is subsidised by the phone co.
If you bought a cheap car on the basis it was part paid for by shell…

True years back in the olden days of extremely high phone charges. Nowadays, if you look at the difference in cost between sim only contracts and phone costs, for most high end phones, you end up paying roughly the same for the phone, there is very little subsidy, it is just an extended hire purchase of a phone. In some cases (Nexus 4 being the obvious one), it is actually cheaper to buy the unlocked phone and a sim card separately. So that justification is a lot more shaky nowadays.

Interestingly t-mobile USA just announced that they’re not locking phones, they’ll just sell you a phone, and sell you a sim package. You can hire-purchase the phones if you want to spread the cost, but they are getting rid of a lot of the opaqueness that is inherent in the ridiculous system of ‘upgrades’ and ‘free’ phones.

Have I broken the law by selling a phone I don’t own ?

How I understand is. As long as you continue to pay the contract they don’t care but if for some reason you stop paying they will ask for enough to cover the cost of the phone or indeed to remainder of the contract. So you end up paying for it anyway.