A1549 vs A1586 to use in the US and in Europe?

[Münchener]

Hi guys!

I'm currently in France, and I will have the chance to buy the iPhone 6 here, or I can just wait to buy it in the US when I return next month.

Assuming that a factory unlocked iPhone is in stock in both countries, and regardless of the price difference, which version would be a better buy? A1549 or A1586?

I've read that they both have the exact same wireless specs, but the A1586 have an additional 4 TD LTE bands. If this was accurate, the A1586 would be a better buy, but the thing that confuses me is that the Apple LTE info webpage appears to claim that only the A1549 is compatible with the LTE bands/frequencies of AT&T/T-Mobile/Verizon.

Does anyone know if the A1586 would work in the US exactly as a A1549 would, or I will lose/complicate the LTE capabilities?

I've also read that the A1586 is the "global" version of the iPhone 6. Why wouldn't Apple sell just one version worldwide and simplify enormously the logistics?

Thanks for any help you can provide! I am sure there are many people trying to decide which iPhone model to buy.

 

[Nde]

See if this helps bro.

Good luck.

http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/

 

[Münchener]

See if this helps bro.

Good luck.

http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/

Thanks! I have seen that LTE info page, but that's exactly what I find confusing. Even though both models seem to be exactly the same regarding regular LTE bands, Apple only lists the A1549 as compatible with US LTE.

Perhaps Apple wants to keep Europeans from buying US iPhones because they would cannibalize local sales and complicate guarantees?

 

[7714]

That's exactly it. The T-Mobile sim only phone according to T-Mobile and Apple reps is locked to T-Mobile in the USA but unlocked internationally. I don't know about France but all LTE bands operated on in the UK are included on the U.S. handset. The only issue is apple care. You need to buy the apple care from the same region the iPhone is purchased but you will get worldwide coverage under that plan.

Purely set to confuse to stop sales from being canabalised in certain regions where the iPhone is considerably more expensive.

The 4 extra LTE bands are for the Far East markets if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Münchener]

That's exactly it. The T-Mobile sim only phone according to T-Mobile and Apple reps is locked to T-Mobile in the USA but unlocked internationally. I don't know about France but all LTE bands operated on in the UK are included on the U.S. handset. The only issue is apple care. You need to buy the apple care from the same region the iPhone is purchased but you will get worldwide coverage under that plan.

Purely set to confuse to stop sales from being canabalised in certain regions where the iPhone is considerably more expensive.

The 4 extra LTE bands are for the Far East markets if I'm not mistaken.

Thanks!

So, it seems that the only difference betweens all iPhone models of this generation are the extra 4 LTE bands for Asia/Far East in the A1586? But Apple won't tell us that, in order for us to buy the handsets in the "proper" countries instead of buying them for a lot less money in the US or Hong Kong? It makes sense (for Apple)...

Another possible benefit of buying the iPhone in Europe is that it will be fully unlocked from the start, while in the US it may take a while for the official unlocked versions to be on sale at the Apple stores (at least, that is what happened with the iPhone 5S). The Verizon one had the GSM/SIM slot unlocked by law, but it was not a totally unlocked phone.

I wish someone could officially confirm that any of the two models would have the same LTE capabilities no matter the country being used in.