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Unlocked iPhone 5S or 5

S

sivaganesh

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 19, 2012
17
0
I want a factory unlocked iphone 5S or 5. My friend is visiting US next week. What is the best option to buy? and where?

us.apple.com/store doesn't list unlocked iPhone 5S . Is it possible to buy new iPhone 5S Unlocked at $649 or unlocked iPhone 5 at $500(or below) ?

(I'm from India)
 
Go to a store and tell them to give you a Verizon iPhone 5S. Say that you want it "device only," and that you don't want to set up or add an account. Give them money when they ask for it (or don't, if that's how you rock).

If they don't have the Verizon model, ask for the T-Mobile model. Don't get the Sprint model.
 
sivaganesh said:
I saw the thread before and went to choose the Verizon model and it is CDMA (not GSM)

+

I not sure where to buy (online or offline). My friend will stay in San Jose, California for 4 days only.
Click to expand...

The Verizon one is GSM unlocked as well and so is the tmobile one.
 
sivaganesh said:
I saw the thread before and went to choose the Verizon model and it is CDMA (not GSM)

+

I not sure where to buy (online or offline). My friend will stay in San Jose, California for 4 days only.
Click to expand...

The Verizon model also supports the same GSM and LTE frequencies that the AT&T and T-Mobile model uses. I am using a Verizon iPhone 5s on AT&T right now. Be sure to ask for a "device only" Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile phone in an Apple retail store. They are hard to find right now, but it can be done. Don't ask for the "unlocked" version since the associates will just say they don't have any, or that the carrier versions are locked. Verizon phones are all unlocked, and device-only AT&T and T-Mobile purchases from Apple are also unlocked.

Unfortunately, online they sell only phones with contracts, so you need to buy them from an Apple retail store.

They don't sell the 5 anymore (just the 5s), but if you can't get a 5s but really need a new phone, get the 5c. There are tons of them in stock and they support all the same frequencies. You can get an "unlocked" version either online or in store, but again, a "device-only" Verizon model will also work.
 
technically its not $649 for the 5S, with taxes it might go upto $750 as I am not exactly aware of taxes in CA.
iPhone 5 would go upto $600 if not more - not sure where you got the original number of 500$ for the 5?

Now make a judgement, you wont find iPhone 5's in apple/carrier stores, your friend has to get it from ebay/or 3rd party sellers.

i bought the 5 the moment 5S was announced because they dropped the price of iPhone 5 to 599 at AppleStores across canada to clear out the stock and replace it with the 5C, final price of the phone came to 670 after taxes. 5S would have costed me 830$+ here in canada so I decided to save up for the iphone 6.
 
Last edited:
sivaganesh said:
I want a factory unlocked iphone 5S or 5. My friend is visiting US next week. What is the best option to buy? and where?

us.apple.com/store doesn't list unlocked iPhone 5S . Is it possible to buy new iPhone 5S Unlocked at $649 or unlocked iPhone 5 at $500(or below) ?

(I'm from India)
Click to expand...

Buy a used AT&T iPhone 5 off of eBay, you can get a 32g for under $425, get it unlocked, then get an LTE SIM card from Straight Talk for $45/mo + taxes.
 
scotrinaf said:
Buy a used AT&T iPhone 5 off of eBay, you can get a 32g for under $425, get it unlocked, then get an LTE SIM card from Straight Talk for $45/mo + taxes.
Click to expand...

Link to ebay listing?
Even if I buy a AT&T i5, I need to wait for 60 days to unlock it, right?
How much it costs to unlock it?

----------
Fedmahn Kassad said:
Go to a store and tell them to give you a Verizon iPhone 5S. Say that you want it "device only," and that you don't want to set up or add an account. Give them money when they ask for it (or don't, if that's how you rock).

If they don't have the Verizon model, ask for the T-Mobile model. Don't get the Sprint model.
Click to expand...

Thanks :)

How much is Verizon "device only" model in apple store? is it same as unlocked price?

----------
CEmajr said:
The Verizon one is GSM unlocked as well and so is the tmobile one.
Click to expand...

Please check this .. (CDMA at the right end)

MFnC1Z5.png


----------

Can I claim warranty for iPhone 5S in India?
 
Don't make this harder than it has to be:

Buy direct from an Apple store for full price/device only any of the following (do NOT buy the Sprint model):

1) TMobile
2) ATT
3) Verizon---yes it says CDMA b/c it's capable of CDMA AND GSM.

Again all three have the same model number = A1533.

All three will be fully unlocked for ANY GSM carrier in the world.
Honestly you should be more worried about trying to get the color you want.....

One last advice, do NOT ask the Apple employee if the 5S you are interested in buying will it work in India....you will get a resounding "NO" or "I'm not sure" and it will further complicate things for you and your friend.

Again for reference, please read carefully:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1649517/
 
Last edited:
Akack said:
Don't make this harder than it has to be:

Buy direct from an Apple store for full price/device only any of the following (do NOT buy the Sprint model):

1) TMobile
2) ATT
3) Verizon---yes it says CDMA b/c it's capable of CDMA AND GSM.

Again all three have the same model number = A1533.

All three will be fully unlocked for ANY GSM carrier in the world.
Honestly you should be more worried about trying to get the color you want.....

One last advice, do NOT ask the Apple employee if the 5S you are interested in buying will it work in India....you will get a resounding "NO" or "I'm not sure" and it will further complicate things for you and your friend.

Again for reference, please read carefully:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1649517/
Click to expand...

Thanks. Do you have idea about warranty in India(for US iPhone 5S)?
 
sivaganesh said:
Link to ebay listing?
Even if I buy a AT&T i5, I need to wait for 60 days to unlock it, right?
How much it costs to unlock it?

----------



Thanks :)

How much is Verizon "device only" model in apple store? is it same as unlocked price?

----------



Please check this .. (CDMA at the right end)

Image

----------

Can I claim warranty for iPhone 5S in India?
Click to expand...

Nopes, you can't claim warranty anywhere else apart from the country you bought your phone. However, if you have AppleCare+, then you can-but since there are no official Apple Owned stores in India, I wonder how this will work :confused:
 
sivaganesh said:
Link to ebay listing?
Even if I buy a AT&T i5, I need to wait for 60 days to unlock it, right?
How much it costs to unlock it?

----------



Thanks :)

How much is Verizon "device only" model in apple store? is it same as unlocked price?

----------



Please check this .. (CDMA at the right end)

Image

----------

Can I claim warranty for iPhone 5S in India?
Click to expand...

With regard to unlocks:

- Verizon 5S: CDMA+GSM; always unlocked.
- AT&T 5S: GSM; unlocked if you pay full price, call AT&T and they'll do it.
- T-Mobile 5S: GSM; unlocked from Apple Store, locked from T-Mobile stores, T-Mobile will unlock after 40 days of continued service with them.
- Sprint 5S: sucks. Always locked to Sprint in US, unlocked only abroad.

So if you want a phone to travel with, I think your choices are clear:

- Spend <$500: iPhone 5, Verizon model, used.
- Spend $649+Tax: iPhone 5S, Verizon model (mine came to $705 here in NY)

AFAIK, Apple warranties are only valid in the country in which your product was purchased. So you'd have to be in the US to claim any warranty service.
 
Fedmahn Kassad said:
With regard to unlocks:

- Verizon 5S: CDMA+GSM; always unlocked.
- AT&T 5S: GSM; unlocked if you pay full price, call AT&T and they'll do it.
- T-Mobile 5S: GSM; unlocked from Apple Store, locked from T-Mobile stores, T-Mobile will unlock after 40 days of continued service with them.
- Sprint 5S: sucks. Always locked to Sprint in US, unlocked only abroad.

So if you want a phone to travel with, I think your choices are clear:

- Spend <$500: iPhone 5, Verizon model, used.
- Spend $649+Tax: iPhone 5S, Verizon model (mine came to $705 here in NY)

AFAIK, Apple warranties are only valid in the country in which your product was purchased. So you'd have to be in the US to claim any warranty service.
Click to expand...

Can the verizon iphone work on US GSMs? IF so, are there any limitations?
 
sivaganesh said:
Authorised Apple vendors ? like croma/istore ?

last month, i came across.. http://efytimes.com/e1/fullnews.asp?edid=116860
is it true?
Click to expand...

No,I was talking of 'Apple Stores' like we have here. I don't think Chroma or iStore will value AppleCare-am not sure though-does Apple offer AppleCare in India ? If it does, then having AppleCare will cover the warranty for your friend's 5s in India as well.

But why you want to purchase here, it's launching in India on 1st Nov, and with our dear old Rupee getting slaughtered by $ in the exchange rate,does not make any difference in price. I don't think it's worth getting it from US to save 5 thousand Rs or something.

And regarding the above link, never heard of such a thing.
 
Last edited:
NocturnalJazz said:
Can the verizon iphone work on US GSMs? IF so, are there any limitations?
Click to expand...

Yes, Verizon iPhone 5s models work on AT&T and T-Mobile with no limitations whatsoever. I have a "Verizon" iPhone 5s that I have used with AT&T and T-Mobile from Day 1. I get full LTE on it with no issues.
 
AnorexicPig said:
No,I was talking of 'Apple Stores' like we have here. I don't think Chroma or iStore will value AppleCare-am not sure though-does Apple offer AppleCare in India ? If it does, then having AppleCare will cover the warranty for your friend's 5s in Inda as well.

But why you want to purchase here, it's launching in India on 1st Nov, and with our deal old Rupee getting slaughtered by $ in the exchange rate,does not make any difference in price. I don't think it's worth getting it from US to save 5 thousand Rs or something.

And regarding the above link, never heard of such a thing.
Click to expand...

Yeah. No authorized Apple stores :(

The exchange rate is 40k - http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=649&From=USD&To=INR

During the launch, 5S expected price is 52k+.

Do you have any experience of taking ur Canada iphone to Airtel/Imagine/other India retailers for service?
 
sivaganesh said:
Yeah. No authorized Apple stores :(

The exchange rate is 40k - http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=649&From=USD&To=INR

During the launch, 5S expected price is 52k+.

Do you have any experience of taking ur Canada iphone to Airtel/Imagine/other India retailers for service?
Click to expand...

yeah it will be north of 50k for sure, just read on TOI that Reliance will carry 5c for 41k and 5s for 52k.

Oh yes, I always buy unlocked directly from Apple,from 3GS to 4 to 4S and now 5, and actually I pass on my older phones to my parents, and they all work perfectly. Used them on Airtel and Cellone. No worries, actually even cut my sims to micro and nano using a normal scissor .

So if you get a Verizon or ATT or T-Mobile phone directly from Apple Store, I think it will serve your friend nicely :)..whoops just read you asked for service-no never needed to, and I don't think I will want to take my iPhone to them for any issues !
 
sivaganesh said:
Link to ebay listing?
Even if I buy a AT&T i5, I need to wait for 60 days to unlock it, right?
How much it costs to unlock it?

----------
Click to expand...

Link here: (Make sure to read descriptions for condition of phone)

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...ack -cracked -damage -damaged -water&_sacat=0

You can buy an unlock on eBay for around $25-$30 (US) that will take 1-2 days to process. :)

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...nlock+at&t+iphone+-sim+-r-sim+-tpsim&_sacat=0
 
NocturnalJazz said:
Can the verizon iphone work on US GSMs? IF so, are there any limitations?
Click to expand...

As mentioned above, the Verizon 5S will work with any GSM carrier, period. I've used mine on AT&T from day one.

With regard to the AT&T unlock: correct, that was my mistake. If you buy the AT&T iPhone with no contract, it will be unlocked.
 
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