You're still reading it wrong.

The model with TC pre-activated was meant to sell for a higher
retail price, and those that were silly enough to buy the cheaper one could upgrade for $2.99 later.
But they NEVER RELEASED the locked variant. Anywhere. They all come with Ni200 temp control unlocked from the factory, and the laser-etched "TC" on the housing.
Somebody at Smok woke up and saw selling two versions of this (actually, four if you include the black model) would be a very bad idea when all the competition in that category came with free Ni200 temp control, and no retailer in their right mind would bother to stock the non-TC version with it only being $3.00 cheaper and knowing full well that it was the same device.
What Smok did instead was they locked the titanium (and later stainless steel) TC modes and charge for those via the app. For (wait for it) $2.99.