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iPhone 8/Plus Buying an iPhone as gift - any info needed?

donawalt

donawalt

Contributor
Original poster
Sep 10, 2015
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Hi all, I am buying an iPhone as a gift for someone, I am getting an unlocked iPhone 8 as I don't know their carrier. I have never bought an iPhone before that was not on my own plan, do I need to give them anything other than the boxed phone that arrives, like proof of purchase or anything?

Also, the unlocked iPhones don't have a SIM, correct?

Thanks for answering my 2 questions!
 
Correct, sim-free model iPhones doesn't come with a sim in them and they can just insert their sim card in. No need, just give them the boxed phone.
 
donawalt said:
Hi all, I am buying an iPhone as a gift for someone, I am getting an unlocked iPhone 8 as I don't know their carrier. I have never bought an iPhone before that was not on my own plan, do I need to give them anything other than the boxed phone that arrives, like proof of purchase or anything?

Also, the unlocked iPhones don't have a SIM, correct?

Thanks for answering my 2 questions!
Click to expand...
Where do you live? If in the US, you better make sure what carrier to whoever you're buying the iPhone for is on. If he's/she's on Verizon/Sprint, you'll need to get a specific model that supports the CDMA bands. These models will also work on all other GSM carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile. The regular GSM model sold in the US is the very same sold internationally.

If you live outside the US then disregard what I said. Whatever you buy will work just fine.
 
westislander said:
Where do you live? If in the US, you better make sure what carrier to whoever you're buying the iPhone for is on. If he's/she's on Verizon/Sprint, you'll need to get a specific model that supports the CDMA bands. These models will also work on all other GSM carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile. The regular GSM model sold in the US is the very same sold internationally.

If you live outside the US then disregard what I said. Whatever you buy will work just fine.
Click to expand...
OP is buying sim free version outright, so it will cover all bands wherever they are located...
 
Hmm...I do live in the US, I bought the "Buy without a carrier" version. So that means it won't work on Verizon or Sprint? It says "Activate with any carrier later" (see picture below), what does that mean then? I would think that has all the bands that are needed?
Screen Shot 2018-01-12 at 9.50.42 AM.png
 
Thanks. I just found this too, which seems to confirm that the "without a carrier" has the bands for all the major networks:

The SIM-Free iPhones option are unlocked and compatible with all four major networks in the US including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint. The SIM-Free iPhone is only available from apple.com or your local Apple retail store.

The SIM-Free iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are also compatible with numerous prepaid wireless networks including but not limited to Straight Talk, Net 10 Wireless, Total Wireless, Tracfone, Cricket, MetroPCS, Simple Mobile, AT&T Prepaid, Verizon Prepaid, and others.

The SIM-Free iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are compatible with both the CDMA network technologies used by Verizon and Sprint as well as the LTE technology used by AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint.

The SIM-free iPhone 8 is model A1863 and the SIM-free iPhone 8 Plus is model A1864. The SIM-free iPhone models are the same iPhones that they sell to Sprint and Verizon customers. AT&T and T-Mobile customers recevieve the iPhone 8 Model A1905 and iPhone 8 Plus model A1897. These models are identical to the other models except they do not support the CDMA network technologies uses by Verizon and Sprint.
 
Just ask what carrier of phone there on. And then ask if they have had problems with there carrier that your thinking about switching just to throw them off a little bit. I’d also ask if they like black or white better.
 
Brandonjr36 said:
Just ask what carrier of phone there on. And then ask if they have had problems with there carrier that your thinking about switching just to throw them off a little bit. I’d also ask if they like black or white better.
Click to expand...
Why ask when the SIM-free version is available and covers all the bases anyway?
 
C DM said:
Why ask when the SIM-free version is available and covers all the bases anyway?
Click to expand...
From previous threads I’ve seen where the sim free is a pain in the ass to activate. But idk I never had one. Still could ask about color tho. Your choice
 
Brandonjr36 said:
From previous threads I’ve seen where the sim free is a pain in the ass to activate. But idk I never had one. Still could ask about color tho. Your choice
Click to expand...

Nah they are not any more pain in the ass than carrier phones.


Just put in your simcard and you are done. Apart from maybe Sprint because Sprint needs your MEID and all that ****.
 
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Abs_p said:
Nah they are not any more pain in the ass than carrier phones.


Just put in your simcard and you are done. Apart from maybe Sprint because Sprint needs your MEID and all that ****.
Click to expand...
Yeah I seen a few people having issues with them. Mainly sprint as you said tho.
 
Brandonjr36 said:
Yeah I seen a few people having issues with them. Mainly sprint as you said tho.
Click to expand...

It's not an issue per se, it's just that you need to call them up and let them know your MEID and a lot of people dont know about it.

With ATT or TMO we can just pop in the sim and it works.
 
Sim-free has been the norm in Europe for years now - just buy the phone outright and pop in any old sim you like.

I'm currently running my iPhone 8 without a sim.
 
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