Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

atteligibility

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 14, 2012
223
2
I am using TMO prepaid.

Can we pick the 5S at full price on friday? anybody with similar experience the previous years?
 
I am using TMO prepaid.

Can we pick the 5S at full price on friday? anybody with similar experience the previous years?

in previous years you couldn't get an unlocked phone on launch day unless you activated a line with an official carrier. which T-Mobile was not so there is no similar experience.

Now that T-Mobile is a carrier things might be a tad different. Although being pre paid might still muck you up for a few more weeks. If you were on a standard line it would be no issue since you have to pay full price with T-Mobile
 
Yeah you can buy the unlocked one that comes with a T-Mobile sim card from Apple stores on Friday. Since you're planning to use it on T-Mobile, you can also just buy one from a T-Mobile store.
 
Yeah you can buy the unlocked one that comes with a T-Mobile sim card from Apple stores on Friday. Since you're planning to use it on T-Mobile, you can also just buy one from a T-Mobile store.

will the apple stores actually carry these unlocked ones though or is it just for online?
 
It stands to reason that now that T-Mobile is an official carrier, T-Mobile phones will come from the same batch as the AT&T phones will - they're both the same exact model number, just on different carriers.

I'm still debating whether or not I should line up for one, I may just order online however. I just don't want to end up 4 weeks out!
 
It stands to reason that now that T-Mobile is an official carrier, T-Mobile phones will come from the same batch as the AT&T phones will - they're both the same exact model number, just on different carriers.

I'm still debating whether or not I should line up for one, I may just order online however. I just don't want to end up 4 weeks out!

Yes they're the same but obviously the ATT ones will be locked to ATT so its not like the stocks are interchangeable (i.e. running of of tmobile phones and getting one from the ATT pile)

I asked a specialist online:
bNfRAPa.png


Then i called the apple store where i wanna line up friday:
"we will have some iphones specifically for tmobile but i can't confirm if we'll have the official 'unlocked' ones"

Interesting, since the iPhones for Tmobile sold at the apple store are generally full price (tmobile doesn't subsidize phones) and thus should be unlocked? Unless this guy doesn't know what he's talking about.
 
Wow, that's both surprising and disappointing. It looks like I won't be lining up outside the Apple store! Maybe I'll waltz in to the T-Mobile store before it opens and hope they have them there?

I just asked an expert as well, this is what I got:

iphone5st-mo.png


sounds like more of a no than a yes?

Edit2: It looks like my mistake was using the word "unlocked", according to this guy the answer is maybe?

5st-mostore2.png
 
Last edited:
that's confusing. The Tmobile one is technically "unlocked" but they aren't selling any "unlocked" ones. blah lol.

I have nothing better to do so ill just line up anyways and try my luck. Worst case, the phone is locked to tmobile and ill just either return it or sell on craigslist for a bundle.

I need to buy an unlocked phone on day 1 even though im getting tmobile because i still have 3 months on a ATT contract plus i travel to canada a lot and need to be able to use local SIM.
 
On the Apple Store app it only gives you the option to "buy iphone unlocked", and online it gives you the option to buy with a T-Mobile sim or sim-free. Does anyone know if you buy via the app will it come with a sim card or not?
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.