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Unlocked iPhone 4S
- Thread starter Crazysah
- Start date
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i'm in the same boat in the boston area. they had a few unlocked in the stores around here but not the one I wanted and even they were gone within 5 min. It seems there are only 2-3 unlocked phones per store or so.
Only way to get one is keep trying. I don't need one right now but the speaker in my 3GS just stopped working so I will upgrade sooner than I wanted. There is still the Android option.
I would think a lot of the unlocked phones go to Europe due to the exchange rate making them cheap for Europeans as X-mas present.
After X-mas it should be easy to get one.
Only way to get one is keep trying. I don't need one right now but the speaker in my 3GS just stopped working so I will upgrade sooner than I wanted. There is still the Android option.
I would think a lot of the unlocked phones go to Europe due to the exchange rate making them cheap for Europeans as X-mas present.
After X-mas it should be easy to get one.
Yeah but there don't even seem to be 2-3 per store here in NYC. That's the problem. What about in Dubai airport? Can I get an unlocked iPhone 4S there? How much is it?
If there's an Apple store in that airport and they have them in stock then yes.
If not order one online and wait a few weeks for them to ship it to you.
I have 4 Apples stores in my area, I have no problem making reservation for the factory unlocked 4S. However, it is harder to find 32gb in white color. Others are almost available each night after 9pm, but it will be gone after 9:30.
How do they know they are unlocked or not cause the part number is the same as the locked ones isn't it?
The unlocked SKUs don't have any carrier branding on the box. And even if you got an AT&T model, it would be unlocked as long as they sold it to you as "device only"
See the message below. If you have access to a car, also try the New Jersey stores if you can't reserve either an AT&T or unlocked model. They tend to have a little less traffic.
That's also how I got my unlocked version before they officially went on sale. The only difference is that it ships with an AT&T MicroSIM card and does not have the SIM ejector. You can use a bent paper clip.
All you need to do is tell them you are buying the AT&T phone "device only." I.e. don't give them an account number, etc. They should charge the full price and it will be unlocked. Note this works only at an Apple store. The ones that the AT&T stores sell (even at full price) are locked.
So the AT&T iPhone 4S is exactly the same as the unlocked 4S? And what happens about the sim then?
The SIM is inactive. If you have an AT&T account, then you can call customer service later to have them transfer your account to it.
Oh, so besides for the sim being inactive, it's exactly the same as the factory unlocked version?
Technically the CDMA models are the same as well. It's just Apple being Apple will only sell their "official" GSM model AKA AT&T model as unlocked if you buy it device only.
Trust me, I've bought 5 iPhone 4S's unlocked already.
I have heard you are get it somewhere else on the say day, in NJ, or anywhere not in the Manhattan store. What's up with NYC not having enough iPhones?
A lot of tourists who want the iPhone not to mention a lot of residents who also want the iPhone?
The other difference is that the SIM ejection tool isn't included. Not really a big deal though, a paper clip works fine (honestly, it works better than the official tool).
It's the tourists, I'm sure. Did you see the pictures of the opening at Grand Central? Plus, the 5th Avenue store was packed even when it was under construction.
People need cars to make it to the NJ stores, so they tend to be a little less crowded.
I'm sure it's the tourists too, because i have two friends who visited NYC the other week and they bought an iPhone 4s 64GB each, pre-ordered the day before than went down and bought it before a specific time that you had to be there otherwise they would sell out if you where not in time.. Just saying 
i posted this in a different post a few weeks ago.
for a week i tried to reserve my 4s at 9 but there was never any left even if i went on at exactly 9 so one day i decided to do it a 8:56 and i was able to order on. i did the same thing the next day and it also worked.
i am in the uk and i don't know if they still put them on a few minutes before but its worth a try
so I walked just now at 7pm into the Boston/Cambridgeside Galleria Apple store and got a 16GB white unlocked phone although I was unable to reserve one yesterday with the App.
$788 with Applecare and Tax. Ouch!!!!
Anyway, it seems the reservation is not perfect and checking after 6pm works. They also had at least one black unlocked phone there.
It seems you have to reserve within less than 1 minute because it showed no phones for me but the one I got was a reserved one that did not get picked up.
Maybe somebody had a robo reservation program for multiple stores?
$788 with Applecare and Tax. Ouch!!!!
Anyway, it seems the reservation is not perfect and checking after 6pm works. They also had at least one black unlocked phone there.
It seems you have to reserve within less than 1 minute because it showed no phones for me but the one I got was a reserved one that did not get picked up.
Maybe somebody had a robo reservation program for multiple stores?
What do you mean no carrier branding on the box? Like on the back of the box?
Cause my ATT 16GB White 4S I bought Wed, does not have the ATT logo on the back like every other iPhone I have bought has had.
I'm sure it's locked I just thought it was weird.