OEM unlocking- do you need an internet connection?

moddel

Has anyone purchased a recent movel (Pixel 7, 8, 9) Google Pixel from a retailer which you were able to unlock without connecting to the Internet?

I.e. you buy the phone, start it, developer settings, oem unlock can be toggled.

The documentation describes "On device model variants (SKUs) which support being sold as locked devices by carriers, enabling OEM unlocking requires internet access so that the stock OS can check if the device was sold as locked by a carrier."

So first of all, is this describing Sim locking to a particular carrier or factory unlocking (oem unlocking?) Is it up to the carrier to decide if a phone can be OEM unlocked? Carriers are not OEMs...

Is there a way to tell the status of a pixel phone from the SKU?

raccoondad

moddel the documentation is correct, its based on the carrier if you can do OEM unlocking. This is why it needs network access, as it checks if the carrier allows for it.

They are like this from factory, no way around you, you must connect it to the internet at some point.

There's not much of a privacy issue with this, especially if you use a WiFi network related to your residential place of living. Regardless google doesn't get much information at all

I personally recommend buying it directly from store.google.com making sure to order a non-carrier version

moddel

raccoondad the documentation is correct, its based on the carrier if you can do OEM unlocking. This is why it needs network access, as it checks if the carrier allows for it.

This doesn't make sense that that OEM unlocking can be the decision of the carrier. It is possible to purchase the phone from a retail outlet and use it as a mobile computer, never inserting a SIM card so a carrier would never be involved.

Unless you are required to connect it to a mobile network in order to OEM unlock it? Will WIFI work or does it need to be mobile data?

The carriers are not OEMs, they are mobile service providers.

raccoondad

moddel This doesn't make sense that that OEM unlocking can be the decision of the carrier.

The carrier model isn't decided by the SIM card, you choose the carrier model at check out.

Carrier models are different devices from non carrier pixels. The SIM card can't change the carrier model. Not how it works. You can see for yourself at checkout in the google store, Verizon carrier brand pixels are different from non-carrier pixel devices.

Again, the documentation is correct. The carrier models are made like that at factory and OEM unlocking isn't available for Verizon model carrier phones.