Anyone have experience preordering a no-contract iPhone?

Drez

Long story short, I want to preorder the iPhone 6 Plus on Friday. I have Verizon and I am eligible for an upgrade but I don't want an upgrade. I want to buy a retail iPhone 6+.

Apple's site doesn't mention any out of contract/non-upgrade preordering.

Can anyone confirm if this was possible with past releases?

a5ehren

I did it for the 5S, but I'm on T-Mobile so that's kinda just the price. From what I remember, you just select your provider and then say you aren't renewing your contract and then it's like $739 or whatever depending on what you get.

BouwsT

I'm not sure on pre-ordering, but I just thumbed through the site on the pre-order and found this at the bottom...

"Do I need to commit to a long-term contract for my iPhone?

Buying a SIM-free iPhone from the Apple Online Store allows you to choose your own carrier and change carriers at any time. iPhone may also be available at a lower price with a contract directly from your wireless carrier. "

Best of luck, I think I'm going to wait a couple of months and get one as well.

Drez

To be clear, I'm not looking for an "unlocked" phone. I am happy buying a Verizon iPhone 6 Plus. I just want it out of contract.

Drez

Oh and I have a 5S - I bought it this way but not until November last year. And yes I'm an asshole buying a new phone already.

BouwsT

Lol I don't think that qualifies you as an asshole, but if you want a phone out of contract might I suggest getting it unlocked? There is literally no benefit being tethered to a carrier unless you're buying within a contract.

One benefit is if you're traveling abroad and you need roaming service, you will be raked over the coals being locked to a carrier. Alternatively, with an unlocked phone you can just buy a plan with ANY respective carrier wherever you are, and enjoy the nice local charges for data, voice and SMS. Just my $0.02.

flowerhoney

Hm it might not be possible if there's no way to order it directly from apple's website.

I've actually heard that in the US you have to get the phone with a contract but this could be complete BS. In the UK I was able to just waltz into an apple store and buy a phone. Potentially you can do the same once the iphone is officially released but you might not be able to preorder.

Is there any reason you want to buy the phone this way? Is it even possible to get a verizon phone out of contract? I mean surely the contract is like, the most critical part for verizon selling you a phone. Maybe not, I don't really know.

Drez

I bought my Verizon iPhone 5S out of contract - you definitely can - but I bought it after the preorder window.

As for why - I'm grandfathered into unlimited data but the only way to keep it is to stay off contract.

Grunt's Ghosts

My brother has an iPhone on Straight Talk and it works great. He pays $45 a month for 3GB of data (but there are no plans to increase you monthly data allowance). But he's also on a 3G network so that's the trade off.

Drez

Around 4AM I have up and went to sleep.

When I woke up around 7AM, Verizon and Apple both fixed their sites.

Apple wouldn't let me buy an unsubsidized phone. Verizon would - but also forced me to choose a new data plan. I had to call Verizon. After 45 minutes they were able to order me the new phone. Of course it now has a shipping date of 10/21