Whenever Apple launches new iPhones, there seems to be some confusion around whether iPhones that are paid in full are unlocked or not.Folks at The App Factor are reporting that iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus that have been purchased from Apple and have been paid in full can be unlocked right now.

The following steps to unlock an iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus provided by The App Factor seems to work:

• Turn ON your new iPhone 6s or 6s Plus.

• Plug it into your computer and launch iTunes.

• Follow the carrier activation prompts with the SIM that came with the new iPhone installed.

• You will see an unlocked message confirming that your device is unlocked.

You can factory unlock your iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus using the above method only if you’ve paid the full price, and have bought it from Apple. Allyson Kazmucha of The App Factor notes:

If you are on the iPhone Upgrade Plan through Apple, your iPhone comes unlocked but you are bound by Apple to fulfill the terms, regardless of carrier. If you signed a two year contract or decided to go with a payment plan via your carrier, your iPhone will not be eligible to be unlocked until you fulfill that commitment. The steps above will only worked if you chose the Pay in full option when purchasing your iPhone 6s or 6s Plus.

This is kind of a big deal, as it is the first time that customers in the U.S. can get factory unlocked iPhones on launch day. Apple usually starts selling factory unlocked iPhones one or two months after the launch. In the case of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, SIM-free unlocked iPhones were available only in January this year.

You could argue that the T-Mobile’s version is essentially an unlocked iPhone as well as it comes unlocked out of the box. That’s true, but if you’re planning to use the unlocked iPhone in another country then it may be a good idea to check if the carriers in that country support your iPhone model. You can check this link for more details.

If you’ve purchased your iPhone from a carrier for the full price, then they will also factory unlock your iPhone, though you’ve to request for the unlock online, and wait for 5 to 7 working days for the request to be processed.

We haven’t been able to confirm if this method works, so if you’re in the U.S., and have bought the iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus by paying the full price, let us know how it goes.

Thanks Alan for the tip!