For those who loathe to be tied to carrier, Apple has a piece of good news for you: iPhone 7 and its large sibling, iPhone 7 Plus, are now available SIM-free. This means, if you are willing, Apple will gladly sell you a spanking new, won’t go-up-in-smoke but headphone jack-less smartphone which you can activate with any carrier of your choice. SIM-free version applies across all iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus capacities, though delivery date will vary depending on the color you desire. Also, as of now, these SIM-free versions are not available for in-store pickup from the online store, but it is said that they should be available through retail stores soon.
In case you don’t already know, SIM-free models, namely A1660 and A1661, will play well with any carrier that runs CDMA and GSM networks. In fact, the so-called SIM-free models have been floating in the open market, just that they are a little pricer due to middle man taking the cut from someone who sold it. Anyways, Apple move to sell SIM-free models now couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time as Samsung has released official statement that it is pulling the plug on Galaxy Note 7 production altogether after the failed replacement exercise.
Our guts tell us that Apple is leveraging on another man’s pain, well, in a manner of speaking, to bump up its marketshare for iPhone 7. I mean, seriously, why wouldn’t they? In my humble opinion, it will be a complete marketing hindsight if they didn’t. SIM-free will definitely entice disappointed Galaxy Note 7 users, giving those who are tied to a carrier an option to switch device without changing their current number and plan. Well played, Apple. Well played.
Image: screenshot from Apple online store.
via MacRumors
