iPhone XS US iPhone for Int’l use

[kryten3000]

I will be in the States for 3 days next month and plan on visiting an Apple store to check out and purchase one of the three new SIM-free iPhones

I’m heading to Europe for 2 weeks for vacation and was thinking of using T-Mobile for the for the entire trip (US/Europe). Once again using my Claro SIM when I get back home.

This presents some questions:

Can I use my non-US SIM during activation?

If I have to use my US SIM (T-Mobile) for activation will I have issues using my Claro SIM when I get home?

Any suggestions for avoiding issues with having my phone end up becoming “Carrier Locked”?

 

[Vermifuge]

Someone correct me if i'm wrong, but iOS12 seems to have stopped required a SIM to activate. At least as far as unlocked phones are concerned. I did a factory reset of my iPhone X and IOS did not force me to insert a SIM of any type to get the phone up and running.

 

[Shadowbech]

Someone correct me if i'm wrong, but iOS12 seems to have stopped required a SIM to activate. At least as far as unlocked phones are concerned. I did a factory reset of my iPhone X and IOS did not force me to insert a SIM of any type to get the phone up and running.

Correct and even on my Sim-Free Model XS Max, it did not require me to insert the sim card to go through the set up at all.

 

[jpn]

Correct and even on my Sim-Free Model XS Max, it did not require me to insert the sim card to go through the set up at all.

wow. didn't know this.
this is great news.

 

[kryten3000]

Thanks for the input.

Another idea I had was to purchase the new phone through Apple’s non-IUP financing scheme called Apple iPhone Payments. If I did it that way I would again use T-Mobile. When I return home would my device work with my local SIM or would the phone be carrier locked to T-Mobile?

 

[Caspavio]

Thanks for the input.

Another idea I had was to purchase the new phone through Apple’s non-IUP financing scheme called Apple iPhone Payments. If I did it that way I would again use T-Mobile. When I return home would my device work with my local SIM or would the phone be carrier locked to T-Mobile?

just buy an unlocked phone, that should work with most, if not all, teleco.