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Should I get the factory unlock ip4 from HK

V

Vincentmoy

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 29, 2009
19
0
Hi all, here is something I've been thinking about.

While myself is residing in the US, my whole family is in Hong Kong and I don't think it's all that hard for me to get a hand on one once the factory unlock ip4 comes out there. However, there are some things that make me jump between the decision.

Regarding S/W unlock:
S/W unlock of the iphone is more or less uncertain. Right now what I've heard is that only 2 people/groups doing the hacking (Correct me if I'm wrong). And it seems to take months for them to release a new unlock after a firmware update. Also, I usually go back to HK once every year or 2, I may update to a new firmware and the unlock may not be available in time.

Regarding Factory unlock:
Since the warranty in Hong Kong is not valid in the US, it will be a long process to get the phone fixed (maybe couple mo.). I personally have not used an iphone before, but I've heard stories about people replacing their faulty iphone 4 times within warranty. I don't know if it should be a major concern.

What would you guys do?

Thanks!

Vincent
 
Getting it from China factory unlocked seems like the best choice if you don't mind paying the costs. I think if you get a working iPhone, just be careful with it and you'll be fine. It shouldn't break on you or anything like that unless you just run into some bad luck.
 
why not get a factory unlocked one from UK or France?
Does it make a whole lot of difference on the price then?
Anyway, I've got one from France and it works perfect.
Not being fixxed to a carrier means I can get a sim only
with the best plan & network combination, so I'm not constrained
by the T-mobile problems other iphone users experience.
 
I bought my 3Gs in Thailand Sim unlocked. The Iphones in Thailand are brought in from HK.

I have used sims from Thailand, Oman, UAE and the UK in it and not had one single problem.

It cost me 28,000.00 Thai Bhat which is $865.807 for the 16gb.

I don’t mean this to sound as crappy as it will read, but why worry too much about it breaking? No one i know has had any problems with their Iphone that has not been self inflicted. If you take care of it well it will be ok.
 
Troon said:
I don’t mean this to sound as crappy as it will read, but why worry too much about it breaking? No one i know has had any problems with their Iphone that has not been self inflicted. If you take care of it well it will be ok.
Click to expand...

The thing I'm worry is things like dead pixels, broken cam, PS, etc.
 
I wonder if iPhones bought overseas will run at full 3G speeds on AT&T, or if they will end up only able to do EDGE, due to the incompatible frequency bands T-Mobile and AT&T use.
 
mlts22 said:
I wonder if iPhones bought overseas will run at full 3G speeds on AT&T, or if they will end up only able to do EDGE, due to the incompatible frequency bands T-Mobile and AT&T use.
Click to expand...

It should work the iphone sold in HK is running UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz). Same as the one sold at AT&T.
 
Vincentmoy said:
I personally have not used an iphone before, but I've heard stories about people replacing their faulty iphone 4 times within warranty.
Click to expand...

They're the annoying little whiners who just can't bare to have a spec of dust under their screen, only visable in the light, and with a microscope.

Most normal people will never replace their iPhone, it's just a few OCD people really.
 
Why don't you get the unlock iphone4 from HK, since you are going with AT&T, get another iphone 4 from AT&T at subsidiary price and sell it to get some of the money back.

Option 2 is to get the iphone locally, jailbreak/unlock will come out soon, I have no doubt in my mind.

Also don't go to technical about factory or software unlock, iphone 5 will come out in less than 1 year, so just buy it and enjoy it.
 
CBR900RR said:
Why don't you get the unlock iphone4 from HK, since you are going with AT&T, get another iphone 4 from AT&T at subsidiary price and sell it to get some of the money back.

Option 2 is to get the iphone locally, jailbreak/unlock will come out soon, I have no doubt in my mind.

Also don't go to technical about factory or software unlock, iphone 5 will come out in less than 1 year, so just buy it and enjoy it.
Click to expand...

You mean get the iphone 4 from ATT now, then wait till I get my unlock iphone from HK, then sell my ATT 4 with S/W unlock?

Am I getting that right?
 
Vincentmoy said:
You mean get the iphone 4 from ATT now, then wait till I get my unlock iphone from HK, then sell my ATT 4 with S/W unlock?

Am I getting that right?
Click to expand...

That will work too, and you can always buy the factory unlock and sell the one from AT&T, the key is to get the subsidary iphone since you will be using it on AT&T anyway.
 
Vincentmoy said:
AFAIK, iphone doesn't have international warranty, only other product
Click to expand...
I'm not sure where you heard that the warranty wouldn't work in the US if you bought the phone in HK. I picked up a factory unlocked 3GS from HK during a flight stopover and I was able to register it on the US Apple website for warranty. I even needed some tech support help recently and was able to buy AppleCare for my phone, it registered fine on Apple's website.
 
thatdrewguy said:
I'm not sure where you heard that the warranty wouldn't work in the US if you bought the phone in HK. I picked up a factory unlocked 3GS from HK during a flight stopover and I was able to register it on the US Apple website for warranty. I even needed some tech support help recently and was able to buy AppleCare for my phone, it registered fine on Apple's website.
Click to expand...

Here's the post

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa;jsessionid=47F2C32779778B2941ADEF53D3E21939.node0?messageID=11308018&#11308018

I think as long as you don't have to get it fix, the tech support will still be able to help. That's to my understanding.
 
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