iPhone 7/Plus iPhone 7 purchased overseas & Facetime (A Warning)

[hawkeye_a]

A friend of mine, transiting via Dubai's international airport recently, decided to pick up an iPhone from Dubai duty free. I was trying to get FaceTime up and running for him, and couldn't download the app for some reason.

Researching the issue, I came across this little nugget of information:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204170

He has a SIM from a country not mentioned in the link above(obviously), and his iTunes account is set to a country which has the FaceTime app.

So, a word of warning to those considering buying iPhones/iPods/iPads in the places mentioned in the link above and hoping to use FaceTime.

Cheers

 

[eyoungren]

A friend of mine, transiting via Dubai's international airport recently, decided to pick up an iPhone from Dubai duty free. I was trying to get FaceTime up and running for him, and couldn't download the app for some reason.

Researching the issue, I came across this little nugget of information:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204170

He has a SIM from a country not mentioned in the link above(obviously), and his iTunes account is set to a country which has the FaceTime app.

So, a word of warning to those considering buying iPhones/iPods/iPads in the places mentioned in the link above and hoping to use FaceTime.

Cheers

Nothing new, although this is the first time I've seen a support document.

Periodically, the MR forums will get someone through here trying to activate FT on a device purchased in these countries.

It's not possible.

 

[Newtons Apple]

Yep, Apple had to jump though some "hoops" to even get permission to sell iphones in places like the UAE.

 

[avanpelt]

This is interesting. While I knew about this issue, I always figured that once an iPhone was physically out of the handful of countries that disallow FaceTime (even if said iPhone was purchased in one of those countries), FaceTime would be able to be used. I learned something new today. Thanks, OP!

 

[dontwalkhand]

So why is FaceTime not allowed?

 

[se95dah]

I relocated from the Middle East to Europe last year and since my wife and I had both bought iPhones while living out there I did my own testing on this. There are at least two different versions on sale in the Middle East at the moment. Model AE only allows FaceTime if it is specifically activated by the carrier bundle (I.e. FaceTime is removed if you use a sim from outside the region). Model AH does allow FaceTime with a sim from outside the region, with no restrictions. I saw both AE and AH on sale next to each other in the same shops (in both 6S and SE). The model number is marked on the back of the box, so you can check before buying.

I tested the above using a variety of international SIM cards and iPhones. Based on our findings I sold my iPhone 6 (model AE) before relocating and kept my wife's iPhone SE (model AH). 9 months later (and after several iOS updates) her phone still works 100% on a local sim in Europe including FaceTime.

 

[Adhi Krishnamurti]

I relocated from the Middle East to Europe last year and since my wife and I had both bought iPhones while living out there I did my own testing on this. There are at least two different versions on sale in the Middle East at the moment. Model AE only allows FaceTime if it is specifically activated by the carrier bundle (I.e. FaceTime is removed if you use a sim from outside the region). Model AH does allow FaceTime with a sim from outside the region, with no restrictions. I saw both AE and AH on sale next to each other in the same shops (in both 6S and SE). The model number is marked on the back of the box, so you can check before buying.

I tested the above using a variety of international SIM cards and iPhones. Based on our findings I sold my iPhone 6 (model AE) before relocating and kept my wife's iPhone SE (model AH). 9 months later (and after several iOS updates) her phone still works 100% on a local sim in Europe including FaceTime.

I have the AH/A iPhone SE, I'm looking around the websites to find out where this guy came from. I couldn't find info about AH/A. and I saw your post that saying its from the Middle East but it's like the "general" version that sold on that region. I saw Arabic on the back of the box but wondering why the FaceTime is allowed and the camera sound can be muted. Thank you for your information.

 

[M.Rizk]

I have the AH/A iPhone SE, I'm looking around the websites to find out where this guy came from. I couldn't find info about AH/A. and I saw your post that saying its from the Middle East but it's like the "general" version that sold on that region. I saw Arabic on the back of the box but wondering why the FaceTime is allowed and the camera sound can be muted. Thank you for your information.

Have you tried the AH/A model? If yes, did FaceTime work outside the Middle East?

Btw, not all Middle Eastern countries ban FaceTime, only KSA and UAE do it. FaceTime is available in Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait and many others so it was really unfair getting an AE/A in the first place. Regarding the camera sound, the only model that can't be muted is the Japanese model and that's due to local laws in Japan. All others can be muted.

 

[itsmilo]

iPad works by setting the region to „Egypt“

Source: my iPad Pro from Dubai

 

[M.Rizk]

iPad works by setting the region to „Egypt“

Source: my iPad Pro from Dubai

That's probably a WiFi only iPad that's why it will depend on the region you set. I need to know for the iPhone as it depends on the SIM card inserted. FaceTime will work in Egypt on any iPhones because carriers support the "AllowVoIP" field in the carrier bundle settings. What I am asking about is whether an AH/A iPhone will work using a non Middle Eastern SIM card.

 

[se95dah]

That's probably a WiFi only iPad that's why it will depend on the region you set. I need to know for the iPhone as it depends on the SIM card inserted. FaceTime will work in Egypt on any iPhones because carriers support the "AllowVoIP" field in the carrier bundle settings. What I am asking about is whether an AH/A iPhone will work using a non Middle Eastern SIM card.

Yes. An AH/A iPhone will work with FaceTime using a non middle eastern sim. AE/A and AB/A will not.

 

[M.Rizk]

Yes. An AH/A iPhone will work with FaceTime using a non middle eastern sim. AE/A and AB/A will not.

That's amazing! I haven't bought any iPhone from Qatar in 4 years because of this as I travel a lot. Now I can finally use my bank rewards program and get myself an iPhone for free! That's the best news ever!

 

[Shinigami301]

Regarding the camera sound, the only model that can't be muted is the Japanese model and that's due to local laws in Japan. All others can be muted.

To be precise: It's because of an industry agreement, there are actually no such laws.

I bought an unlocked Moto Razr2 in Dubai a little over a decade ago, it was much better than the AT&T infested model sold in the USA.

One of Apple's greatest achievements has been to break the carrier-infestation of bloatware that used to be forced onto every platform.

 

[se95dah]

That's amazing! I haven't bought any iPhone from Qatar in 4 years because of this as I travel a lot. Now I can finally use my bank rewards program and get myself an iPhone for free! That's the best news ever!

Enjoy! I also bought my wife an AH/A iPhone SE in Qatar in 2016 and she’s happily FaceTiming on T-mobile in Europe now...

 

[Scrounger]

just to revisit this thread.

I’ve just bought an iPhone 7 from Dubai duty free and was wondering if it will work ok with a uk sim?

The last three digits on the model number are A/B which is the same as my current 7.

Just concerned I’m going to have to go back to the duty free shop on my return back to Dubai in a week to get it changed.

Any ideas?