Just about a month after releasing its latest line of flagship smartphones, the pair of iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, Apple has announced that it is started to sell SIM-free versions in the U.S.
SIM-Free iPhone 7 And iPhone 7 Plus
"SIM-free" iPhone 7and iPhone 7 Plus models are not associated with any single carrier, as noted by Apple. They are unlocked and do not contain the usual carrier-specific SIM card. Buying SIM-free version of iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus is only available through the company's retail stores or Apple.com.
An unlocked mobile device gives users the added flexibility of inserting a SIM card of their choice, from any supporting carrier. According to AppAdvice, purchasing an unlocked, SIM-free iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus without carrier commitment is an advantage for consumers. Instead of going with a carrier financing or wireless contract commitment, customers can now buy enjoy the flexibility of not being tied to one carrier.
According to CNET, the SIM-free iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus can be activated by using a SIM card from any supported CDMA or GSM carrier network around the world. In the U.S., the customers can choose any supported national carrier network, such as Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint or AT&T.
Apple's SIM-Free iPhone 7 And iPhone 7 Plus Offer
Both SIM-free handsets from Apple have the same base prices as those for units tied to U.S. telecoms. The price for iPhone 7 models with 32 GB of storage is starting at $649. For iPhone 7 models that come with 128 GB the price is starting at $749, Customers will have to pay $849 for 256 GB models. Larger iPhone 7 Plus models will have a starting price of $769 for the 32 GB tier. For 128 GB and 256 GB of storage the prices will move up to $869 and $969, respectively.
Gold, silver, black, Jet Black and rose gold iPhone 7 models are available in the SIM-free variant, same as for their SIM-locked counterparts. On Apple.com store delivery dates are shown between Oct. 17 and Oct. 19 for most of the color options, except for the Jet Black version that ships in three to five weeks. For the iPhone 7 Plus, all models, except the Jet Black option, ship in three to four weeks. Orders for SIM-free versions of the Jet Black iPhone 7 Plus ship out in six to eight weeks.
