Apple to Begin Selling Unlocked iPhone 5 Models in U.S. as Soon as Later Today

MacRumors · Nov 29, 2012, 01:39 PM

9to5Mac reports that Apple is set to begin sales of unlocked iPhone 5 units to U.S. customers as soon as later today. Sales are said to begin in the company's online store, with retail stores currently receiving units ahead of an unspecified in-store launch date.

Quote:

Apple will begin selling an unlocked version of its iPhone 5 through its online store as soon as 9 PM tonight, according to our retail sources. The unlocked iPhone 5 price range will likely be $649, $749, and $849 depending on a choice of either 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of storage.

While unlocked devices are the norm in many of Apple's markets, Apple typically restricts sales in the U.S. during an initial time period after launch to devices locked to specific carriers. For the iPhone 4S, it took less than one month for Apple to begin selling unlocked models to U.S. customers, but it has already been over two months since Apple began U.S. sales of the iPhone 5.

Apple is also said to be expanding its Personal Pickup program for the iPhone 5, allowing users to reserve a device at any time for pickup the following day rather than having to wait until 10:00 PM when the stores have closed for the day to place their reservations.

Article Link: Apple to Begin Selling Unlocked iPhone 5 Models in U.S. as Soon as Later Today

Amplelink · Nov 29, 2012, 01:40 PM

Finally. This is a bit later than last year's release of the unlocked 4S.

KPOM · Nov 29, 2012, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amplelink

Finally. This is a bit later than last year's release of the unlocked 4S.

It took that much longer for supply to catch up with demand. In any case, it's a good sign. Expectations for iPhone sales this quarter are huge, and they'll need all the sales they can get. I also wonder if the T-Mobile rumors are true.

ZacNicholson · Nov 29, 2012, 01:40 PM

that seems like a lot of money. but if you buy it unlocked and switch to straight talk, you will save a ton of money !!!

Gemütlichkeit · Nov 29, 2012, 01:42 PM

'bout f'n time haha

gotta cut down my straight talk sim eek

salacious · Nov 29, 2012, 01:45 PM

apple making *SNAPPY* decisions today

Haswell · Nov 29, 2012, 01:46 PM

What network does straight talk use?

Btrthnezr3 · Nov 29, 2012, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haswell

What network does straight talk use?

AT&T I believe

Here's what I found (but I could be wrong)...

Quote:

The Straight Talk network is pulling from AT&T’s network, so you get full-speed access to nationwide HSPA+, unlimited calling, texting, MMS, and data for less than the cost of a far more limited plan with a post-paid carrier (as well as the convenience of never having to sign a contract). There are a few downsides to using an unofficial carrier, such as the lack of visual voicemail for those who rely heavily on that feature, but the benefits and price seem to far outweigh the downsides.

From...
http://9to5mac.com/2012/07/30/review...straight-talk/

But they also said something about Sprint, so IDK

Haswell · Nov 29, 2012, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Btrthnezr3

AT&T I believe

I wish it was Verizon. ATT coverage my area sucks. ATT doesn't even have 4G in my area, neither does Sprint for that matter.

Verizon has 4G in my area and it's wicked fast.

Haswell · Nov 29, 2012, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Btrthnezr3

AT&T I believe

Here's what I found (but I could be wrong)...

From...
http://9to5mac.com/2012/07/30/review...straight-talk/

But they also said something about Sprint, so IDK

If's HSPA+ then why not just go with a Nexus 4 for half the money?

apfeljonas · Nov 29, 2012, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Btrthnezr3

AT&T I believe

Here's what I found (but I could be wrong)...

From...
http://9to5mac.com/2012/07/30/review...straight-talk/

But they also said something about Sprint, so IDK

Should be ATT then cause Sprint is CDMA, and it says something about a SIM card on their website. http://www.straighttalksim.com/

Vlad33141 · Nov 29, 2012, 01:53 PM

Is this news because they will be doing it online?
And for all of you that wants to know..... Yes iPhone 5 does work with Straightalk, their service is pretty good, I live in Miami and get most of the time between 4 and 6 mbs downloads and about 1mbs uploads. For $45.00 a month it's awesome!!!!!

MacFather · Nov 29, 2012, 01:47 PM

overpriced

indiekiduk · Nov 29, 2012, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haswell

What network does straight talk use?

When you buy the sim you can choose between AT&T or T-Mobile. If you get the free phone deal to get the sim for free then it's a gamble depending on your zip code and the phone model.

usarioclave · Nov 29, 2012, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by indiekiduk

When you buy the sim you can choose between AT&T or T-Mobile. If you get the free phone deal to get the sim for free then it's a gamble depending on your zip code and the phone model.

Straight talk uses the AT&T network.

I got the AT&T sim and I'm using it with my old unlocked AT&T iPhone 4. I think the T-Mobile StraightTalk sim would have been better because a "foreign" SIM might make the APN settings show in the phone's network prefs by default. I'm not sure about that, but the APN info definitely isn't visible with the AT&T StraightTalk SIM.

petrucci666 · Nov 29, 2012, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZacNicholson

that seems like a lot of money. but if you buy it unlocked and switch to straight talk, you will save a ton of money !!!

Straight Talk - no LTE and service is absolute crap. Been there, done that, gone back to AT&T. I pay $20 more but it works.

WannaGoMac · Nov 29, 2012, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petrucci666

Straight Talk - no LTE and service is absolute crap. Been there, done that, gone back to AT&T. I pay $20 more but it works.

Uh you realize Straight Talk is re-branded AT&T cell service provided by Walmart?

lol, nice move switching to the same provider for more money...

topmounter · Nov 29, 2012, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WannaGoMac

Uh you realize Straight Talk is re-branded AT&T cell service provided by Walmart?

lol, nice move switching to the same provider for more money...

Straight-Talk is a subsidiary of TracFone and is an AT&T MVNO.

WannaGoMac · Nov 29, 2012, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by topmounter

Straight-Talk is a subsidiary of TracFone and is an AT&T MVNO.

End result, it's AT&T cell towers and service which is what I was implying...

petrucci666 · Nov 29, 2012, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WannaGoMac

Uh you realize Straight Talk is re-branded AT&T cell service provided by Walmart?

lol, nice move switching to the same provider for more money...

Yes I do realize that, I did my research before going through all of it.

Had ATT first, then switched to Straight Talk. Straight Talk often had severe problems with their data connection making it unusable. I was essentially paying $45 for something that didn't work half the time and when it did, it would work slowly. Also, no LTE, no visual voicemail.

I rather pay $65 and have it work all the time, have LTE and visual voicemail.

Question for you - you do realize ATT cripples Straight Talk and doesn't offer their best to Straight Talk customers?

SkoshOfSean · Nov 29, 2012, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petrucci666

I rather pay $65 and have it work all the time, have LTE and visual voicemail.

What AT&T contract plan are you on for $65?

chuckd83 · Nov 29, 2012, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZacNicholson

that seems like a lot of money. but if you buy it unlocked and switch to straight talk, you will save a ton of money !!!

how much do you save on straight talk? x24 - $450 = ton?

ZacNicholson · Nov 29, 2012, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckd83

how much do you save on straight talk? x24 - $450 = ton?

thats a ton for a college student!!!

theMaccer · Nov 29, 2012, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZacNicholson

thats a ton for a college student!!!

probly not a math major

aznboi91 · Nov 29, 2012, 02:07 PM

Is there any difference between this one and the Verizon Device Only version?

Nov 29, 2012, 01:40 PM	#4
ZacNicholson macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Indiana	that seems like a lot of money. but if you buy it unlocked and switch to straight talk, you will save a ton of money !!! __________________ follow me on twitter @zac_nicholson watch my youtube www.youtube.com/mrzacnicholson 2011 13" MBP, iPhone 4 (jailbroken), iPad 3 32 GB Verizon(jailbroken), Apple tv 2(jailbroken)
	1

Nov 29, 2012, 01:42 PM	#5
Gemütlichkeit macrumors 65816 Join Date: Nov 2010	'bout f'n time haha gotta cut down my straight talk sim eek __________________ "It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no God." -Thomas Jefferson
	1

Nov 29, 2012, 01:53 PM	#12
Vlad33141 macrumors newbie Join Date: Feb 2011	I bought my iPhone 5 unlocked on day 1 at the apple store Is this news because they will be doing it online? And for all of you that wants to know..... Yes iPhone 5 does work with Straightalk, their service is pretty good, I live in Miami and get most of the time between 4 and 6 mbs downloads and about 1mbs uploads. For $45.00 a month it's awesome!!!!!
	2

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Nov 29, 2012, 01:40 PM	#2
Amplelink macrumors regular Join Date: Oct 2012	Finally. This is a bit later than last year's release of the unlocked 4S.
	3

Nov 29, 2012, 01:45 PM	#6
salacious macrumors 6502a Join Date: May 2011	apple making SNAPPY decisions today
	1

Nov 29, 2012, 01:46 PM	#7
Haswell macrumors member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Orange County, CA	What network does straight talk use?
	1

Nov 29, 2012, 01:47 PM	#13
MacFather macrumors regular Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Europe	overpriced
	2

Nov 29, 2012, 02:07 PM	#25
aznboi91 macrumors member Join Date: Jul 2012	Is there any difference between this one and the Verizon Device Only version?
	0