What Exactly is a Factory Unlocked Note 4?

[o_kyungri_o]

I know it is a rather general question, but I am still left in confusion. I am planning to buy a factory unlocked N910F but does that mean it comes straight from the factory before it is sold to any carrier? For example, Apple sells the unlocked iPhone on their website, and from what I understand, it is straight from the factory. Though, I have read that factory unlocked also means that the carrier unlocked it. If the phone is carrier unbranded, is it safe to say that it is straight from the factory and not a phone that was once associated with a carrier and carrier unlocked? And what is the process in which these sellers usually obtain these devices exactly?

 

[Rukbat]

Not necessarily, although it could. It means that it was never SIM-locked to a particular carrier.

Some carriers don't brand their phones, so an unbranded phone doesn't mean that it didn't come from a carrier, but if you're buying from a 3rd party seller, it normally would mean that. They buy them directly from the manufacturer. (The carriers aren't the only ones that the manufacturers sell to. Independent shops, for example, buy from distributors, who sell both branded and unbranded phones bought directly from the manufacturer.)

 

[epicness4G]

I know it is a rather general question, but I am still left in confusion. I am planning to buy a factory unlocked N910F but does that mean it comes straight from the factory before it is sold to any carrier? For example, Apple sells the unlocked iPhone on their website, and from what I understand, it is straight from the factory. Though, I have read that factory unlocked also means that the carrier unlocked it. If the phone is carrier unbranded, is it safe to say that it is straight from the factory and not a phone that was once associated with a carrier and carrier unlocked? And what is the process in which these sellers usually obtain these devices exactly?

Factory unlocked means it was initially a "carrier-free" device. People just misuse the term, and label carrier unlocked phones as factory unlocked. Because the term factory unlocked means it will never go into a locked state, unless the IMEI is blacklisted. A few years ago, with iPhones specially, one could software unlock them, and you would lose the unlock if you restored and removed the jailbreak. That's when the term factory unlocked was born..

 

[o_kyungri_o]

I know it is a rather general question, but I am still left in confusion. I am planning to buy a factory unlocked N910F but does that mean it comes straight from the factory before it is sold to any carrier? For example, Apple sells the unlocked iPhone on their website, and from what I understand, it is straight from the factory. Though, I have read that factory unlocked also means that the carrier unlocked it. If the phone is carrier unbranded, is it safe to say that it is straight from the factory and not a phone that was once associated with a carrier and carrier unlocked? And what is the process in which these sellers usually obtain these devices exactly?

So you mean that if it was not SIM-locked to a particular carrier it could still mean it belonged to a certain carrier, it just was not activated/bought? Are there any reputable dealers that sell devices straight from the factory?