Apple Using Streamlined Purchase Process for T-Mobile and AT&T iPhone SE Buyers
Apple is streamlining its iPhone purchase process with the launch of the iPhone SE, and has introduced a new buying method that allows customers to purchase T-Mobile and AT&T devices without inputting their current carrier information.
As outlined by Bloomberg, customers typically need to provide their wireless phone number and social security number when making an iPhone purchase, a process that allows their carrier to do a credit check and approve the transaction to ensure the person receiving the device will pay their cellular phone bill.
With the iPhone SE, AT&T and T-Mobile customers will not need to provide their carrier information when checking out, and can instead connect when turning on the iPhone SE for the first time. Customers also do not need to select a network plan at the time of purchase, cutting down on carrier involvement when a person buys an iPhone from Apple.
Apple told retail employees that the new method is called "on-device authentication," and it makes the iPhone checkout process quicker. The purchase process is available online right now and will be implemented in stores on March 29.
Apple already has a "Connect on your own later" option for iPhone 13 buyers who don't want to input their information at the time of purchase, but this is apparently separate from the way the iPhone SE on-device authentication works. Apple also offers unlocked devices that can be purchased without a carrier association.
As of right now, on-device authentication is limited to AT&T and T-Mobile customers who purchase an iPhone SE, but Apple is planning to expand it to Verizon and could also implement the feature for flagship iPhone purchases in the future to make the preorder process smoother.
Popular Stories
Apple today introduced its first two physical products of 2026: a second-generation AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided Solo Loop for the Apple Watch.
Read our coverage of each announcement to learn more:Apple Unveils New AirTag With Longer Range, Louder Speaker, and More
Apple Introduces New Black Unity Apple Watch BandBoth the new AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided...
Alongside iOS 26.2.1, Apple today released an updated version of iOS 12 for devices that are still running that operating system update, eight years after the software was first released.
iOS 12.5.8 is available for the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 6, meaning Apple is continuing to support these devices for 13 and 12 years after launch, respectively. The iPhone 5s came out in September 2013,...
Apple today introduced the second-generation AirTag, with key features including longer range for tracking items and a louder speaker.
For those who are not familiar, the AirTag is a small accessory that you can attach to your backpack, keys, or other items. Then, you can track the location of those items in the Find My app on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and iCloud.com.
The new...
2026 promises to be yet another busy year for Apple, with the company rumored to be planning more than 20 product announcements over the coming months.
Beyond the usual updates to iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches, Apple is expected to release its all-new smart home hub, which was reportedly delayed until the more personalized version of Siri is ready. Other unique products rumored for ...
Apple plans to release new MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Studio Display models in the first half of this year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman added that redesigned MacBook Pro models with an OLED touch screen "should be hitting toward the end of 2026," meaning that the MacBook Pro line would be upgraded twice this year.
First up...
