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stephanos180

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 23, 2006
39
0
Downey, CA
Hi, everyone. Just wondering how an unlocked iPhone 4S differs from a locked one? Is there a hardware difference? If not, what would happen if I put in a sim card from another iPhone 4S which is factory locked? Nothing, I would hope. Does unlocked mean unlocked no matter what? Thanks!
 
Hi, everyone. Just wondering how an unlocked iPhone 4S differs from a locked one? Is there a hardware difference? If not, what would happen if I put in a sim card from another iPhone 4S which is factory locked? Nothing, I would hope. Does unlocked mean unlocked no matter what? Thanks!

Unlocked means unlocked no matter what.
 
Hardware-wise, they two are the exact same. The only difference is the unlocked on has its unique key added to Apple's list of unlocked iPhones database. Apple has the power to lock the phone, simply by removing the iPhone's key from the unlock database. Then the next time the person restores the iPhone with iTunes, the iPhone will become locked. There are currently no reports of Apple locking an unlocked iPhone in the manner.
 
Hi, everyone. Just wondering how an unlocked iPhone 4S differs from a locked one? Is there a hardware difference? If not, what would happen if I put in a sim card from another iPhone 4S which is factory locked? Nothing, I would hope. Does unlocked mean unlocked no matter what? Thanks!

The sim card has nothing to do with lock or unlocking the iphone.
You can put any carriers sim inside a factory unlocked iphone and it will never lock.
That's why its called officially unlocked.
 
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