I like all the people who claim "all do" or "all don't" based on their one or two phone purchase experience. Please just tell us your specific example(s) and don't draw conclusions for the entire universe.
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iPhone SE (2016) SE 2020 "SIM-Free" vs "AT&T" / "Sprint" / "T-Mobile" / "Verizon"
- Thread starter goffredo
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It makes sense for SIM-free models to include it.
Over the years, I've bought ~10 unlocked iPads for me and family and all of them came with the SIM eject tool. Haven't bought as many unlocked iPhones (just 4, iirc) and all of them came with it, too.
I Purchased an iPhone 11 Pro MG Sim free about two months ago came with a sim removal tool. My 11 Pro and purchased in the beginning of the year in SG came with one as well.
it turns out AT&T charges me $0 for activation fee. I see the $30 activation fee but I also see $30 credit at checkout. I may order from them since it already comes with a SIM card inside.If you want to save some money, get the SIM-free version. If you enjoy paying "upgrade fees" to AT&T, get the AT&T version.Apart from that it won't make a difference.
I ordered an unlocked iPhone SE from Best Buy, came with a Verizon SIM (nano SIM...I don’t think we need to specify, all have been nano size since iPhone 5), and SIM eject tool included.
I actually found the Sim Removal Tool to be easier. Slightly narrower diameter than a standard paper clip. That was my experience, anyway.
Yea at least SIM Free should, but I don't believe my 11PM did since I remember our Apple Rep asking another if he had one after we checked the box.
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Yea some clips are too flimsy if they aren't too large. I used to have a small screwdriver in my PC kit that was perfect but lost it years ago
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Yea VZW was doing $0 upgrade fee for online orders, which is good since Apple's site kept erroring me when I tried to submit. Also didn't understand why neither was letting me do installments. Apples let me pick it but then kicked over to full price later, and VZW didn't even let me pick installments, and I was upgrade eligible for months.
I like the solid ones (injection molded?) that Apple used to include with their devices. Iirc, my first iPhone SE (2016) came with something similar to this.
The SIM removal tool that was included with my iPhone SE (2020) wasn't all that different from a paper clip and was harder to grip.
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OP following up...
So when my iPhone SE 2020 showed up, it did come with a new AT&T nano-SIM, but the SIM was not activated. This is kind of what I expected since I experienced a generic "You need to call your carrier" error message in the web store workflow, which appeared after selecting AT&T and entering my cell # and last 4 of SSN.
So I took the SIM from my old phone and put it in this new phone, and with the exception of Personal Hotspot, everything worked. (I had to call AT&T and give them the IMEI number for the new phone, and do a power cycle, before Personal Hotspot worked). I did not have to pay an activation fee.
Since I purchased the phone outright, there was no unlock restriction on it, which is great because I plan to put the eSIM for my Swiss carrier on the phone as well.
This indeed was the case for my iPhone SE 2020, even though I opted for the "pre-activation with AT&T" option. The SIM removal tool sucks, though, and felt like it was going to bend and collapse under the pressure to open the SIM tray, so I ended up using the old one from an Android phone. (I'm surprised Apple doesn't have a proprietary hex-shaped SIM tray hole so they can sell you their $39 platinum SIM hex removal tool)
When I asked, the AT&T representative made clear to me that I wasn't activating new service, so there would be no activation fee, if I had needed to activate the phone (which I didn't, since I used my already-activated SIM card from the old phone).
So when my iPhone SE 2020 showed up, it did come with a new AT&T nano-SIM, but the SIM was not activated. This is kind of what I expected since I experienced a generic "You need to call your carrier" error message in the web store workflow, which appeared after selecting AT&T and entering my cell # and last 4 of SSN.
So I took the SIM from my old phone and put it in this new phone, and with the exception of Personal Hotspot, everything worked. (I had to call AT&T and give them the IMEI number for the new phone, and do a power cycle, before Personal Hotspot worked). I did not have to pay an activation fee.
Since I purchased the phone outright, there was no unlock restriction on it, which is great because I plan to put the eSIM for my Swiss carrier on the phone as well.
This indeed was the case for my iPhone SE 2020, even though I opted for the "pre-activation with AT&T" option. The SIM removal tool sucks, though, and felt like it was going to bend and collapse under the pressure to open the SIM tray, so I ended up using the old one from an Android phone. (I'm surprised Apple doesn't have a proprietary hex-shaped SIM tray hole so they can sell you their $39 platinum SIM hex removal tool)
If you want to save some money, get the SIM-free version. If you enjoy paying "upgrade fees" to AT&T, get the AT&T version.
When I asked, the AT&T representative made clear to me that I wasn't activating new service, so there would be no activation fee, if I had needed to activate the phone (which I didn't, since I used my already-activated SIM card from the old phone).
Thanks for sharing your experience. So look like At&t considers it as a new activation if you use the new SIM if transfer existing active SIM from old phone to the new one, then there won't be any upgrade fee.
What process is involved for which these companies charge upgrade fees? They are getting new business and on top of that charge upgrade fee.
What process is involved for which these companies charge upgrade fees? They are getting new business and on top of that charge upgrade fee.