I want my next phone to be “unlocked” so I can use it w/ any carrier - Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Mint, etc. I’m based in the US, but if I travel internationally, it would be nice to be able to just pop in a local SIM card and continue using my phone like normal.
What gives me pause is, I see used phones listed as “US Version,” and reviewers claiming the phone was not unlocked (for example, this Pixel 7a on Amazon).
Questions:
- What am I missing here? Do these reviewers just not know what they’re doing, or are they buying from shady resellers?
- Does “US Version” imply I would not be able to use the phone internationally by just popping in a local SIM card?
Thank you!
People like to steal phones, and then sell them.
Gotcha, so would you say this comes down to buying from a reputable store (e.g. Best Buy)?
I would. Or buy from someone you trust.
Granted, people can’t tell if a phone is unlocked when they’re stealing it so having an unlocked phone doesn’t make it more likely you’d be targeted for theft.
Yeah, no one stealing a phone is going to ask what it’s status is.