Common Questions About Unlocking The iPhone 7 / 7 Plus
Many iPhone users initially got their devices from some particular cellular phone company, but want to change providers after a while. So, they buy a new SIM card, slot it into the phone and…no connection! You will either simply not see any network signal or an error message that goes something like “SIM card not recognized.” This usually doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with either the SIM card or your precious iPhone, but simply that your phone has been “locked” to one particular network.
What Is Unlocking?
There are various ways to unlock an iPhone, but the goal of all of them is to allow you to use any SIM card from any network operator, even abroad, and access their network. Of course, not all networks are equal, so if you’re used to 4G and travel to a country where only GPRS is supported, you will not experience the same functionality.
What Are the Reasons for Unlocking My iPhone 7?
Users want to unlock their iPhones for any of a number of reasons. Your contract with your current service provider might have run out and you wish to change companies. You might want to sell your phone to upgrade to a new one, and unlocked iPhones fetch a higher price than those locked to a particular network. You might be going on holiday but avoid high international roaming charges while still staying in touch. In every case, it is all about being able to use your iPhone on a cellular network of your choice.
What Is the Difference Between Unlocking and Jailbreaking?
In short, jailbreaking is installing software from the internet in order to get access to hidden functionality on your iPhone, be able to use apps that aren’t available in the App Store, and also use whatever SIM card you like.
Unlocking, and in particular factory unlocking, refers only to removing the restriction blocking you from accessing alternative cell networks.
So, Isn’t Jailbreaking Better Then?
For most iPhone users, the answer is definitely “no”. Jailbreaking means that you are hacking Apple’s iOS system to gain access to files users are normally not allowed to alter. Apple technicians will generally refuse to repair a phone if they can see that it has been jailbroken, which they might even if you’ve chosen the “Restore Factory Settings” option available from the menu. Jailbreaking often results in faults which are difficult to track down and rectify, and in any case is a contravention of Apple’s end user license agreement, so attempting a jailbreak pretty much cuts off tech support for that device.
On the other hand, a jailbroken phone allows the user to install apps available from non-Apple sources such as Cydia and Icy. These apps may also cause your phone to behave strangely, but in many cases there aren’t equivalent products available on the official App Store.
Are There Better and Worse Ways to Unlock an iPhone 7?
Definitely. Several websites offer software, for a fee, which they claim will unlock your iPhone, but this is actually a kind of jailbreaking which bypasses iOS’s safeguards in order to alter protected data. In exactly the same way as jailbreaking, this can instantly end your warranty and cause your phone to develop bugs, or kill it permanently. Apple has warned that downloading their own software updates can cause strange behavior on jailbroken or software-updated phones, and there is even talk that this is a deliberate step to curb jailbreaking.
Then What’s the Good Way to Unlock my Phone?
A factory unlock, or IMEI unlock, is supported by Apple and won’t void your warranty. It is also permanent and without any risk of tangling up your operating system.
How Do I Obtain a Factory Unlock?
Factory unlocking your phone is the result of communication between Apple and your cell service provider. Usually, an email or call to your phone company’s customer service is all that’s required, but since the service provider is losing your business anyway, they aren’t likely to devote huge resources to helping you leave.
Fortunately, there are a number of factory unlocking services available on the internet, although you should be careful who you trust. Unlock iPhone Den is a good choice among several others. These companies work with cellular companies and Apple to speed the process along – all you have to do is pay a reasonable amount and supply them with your IMEI number, and they will take care of the rest.