What about unlocked iPhone 4S???

[Applejuiced]

Unbelievable.



It sounds like the phones are software locked to GSM or CDMA for domestic use. So we can buy so called "unlocked" iPhones that are still locked.

Damn. Figures
More nonsense.
So your gsm/CDMA iphone will not work with any other carrier in the world but the one it's originally locked to.
What a great world phone that is.

----------

I took that to mean that T-Mobile won't be getting the iPhone officially. That still could've left room for Apple to include the required bands so that people could buy it unlocked (and therefore give Apple a bigger cut as opposed to people buying it from carriers) and then use it on T-Mobile's network.

That would never happen.
You see how much Sprint had to offer Apple for the iPhone? 20 billion.
You really think Apple would add tmobiles frequencies for free with no agreement with them and no huge check that goes along with it?
Keep hoping

 

[karma13612]

?? Does unlocked also apply to non-phone use

OK,silly question: I want the better product as of todays Apple keynote:

basically the iPhone 4s.

Grrrrr

i wanted the iPod Touch, but if it is dead in the water, I will go with the iPhone depending on details. i want to use the internet but not the phone

Do i need to get a carrier contract or can I use my Verizon mifi device where I already have a wireless internet service.

if I find a mobile hotspot, can I just surf for free.

Does the iPhone need a contract for the wireless service to work?

Forgive me if the questions are silly. I just need to know all the parts to the puzzle.

Thanks!!

 

[al256]

Damn. Figures
More nonsense.
So your gsm/CDMA iphone will not work with any other carrier in the world but the one it's originally locked to.
What a great world phone that is.

From what little I've seen, it seems that an iPhone activated for CDMA will stay CDMA in the US (ie Verizon or Sprint) but when traveling abroad GSM will be available.

And an iPhone activated for GSM (ie AT&T) will be able to use other GSM carriers abroad.

BUT what if you wanted to take your GSM activated phone and move to Sprint or Verizon? Or vice versa. That appears to be prevented by Apple. I can only imagine the pain this will cause when trying to resell these phones.

All I *want* is the freedom offered to me by this new hardware. A phone that can work on the three biggest US carriers as I switch service providers. Sadly, I don't think that's going to happen.

----------

OK,silly question: I want the better product as of todays Apple keynote:

basically the iPhone 4s.

Grrrrr

i wanted the iPod Touch, but if it is dead in the water, I will go with the iPhone depending on details. i want to use the internet but not the phone

Do i need to get a carrier contract or can I use my Verizon mifi device where I already have a wireless internet service.

if I find a mobile hotspot, can I just surf for free.

Does the iPhone need a contract for the wireless service to work?

Forgive me if the questions are silly. I just need to know all the parts to the puzzle.

Thanks!!

Your Verizon mifi will work with any iPhone that's on its wireless network. You'll be fine.

WiFi is carrier-free from the perspective of the iPhone.

 

[EddyP]

Well, the only way in that case would be a Gevey or ultrasn0w soft unlock.
And guess what? You can't buy it full price elsewhere outside US because the CDMA would be locked

Regretting big time the switch to VZ, but here in NYC AT&T was almost unusable...

Exactly!

That's what has me concerned. I'm in the NYC area too. ATT is not good here. I am debating the switch to Verizon. I enough international travel to where I want it to work well when I travel.

----------

All I *want* is the freedom offered to me by this new hardware. A phone that can work on the three biggest US carriers as I switch service providers.

Yes!

 

[jokerz126]

carrier mafia needs to end...

this is a total carrier mafia....world "scam" phone....pure marketing garbage...if you pay the unlocked full price, you better damn well be able to do what you want...doesn't anyone think this control over making phones locked down to carriers is anti-competitive?...what needs to happen is legislation...it's the same thing as when you weren't able to port your phone number out to another provider...carrier mafia...
the carriers don't seem to get it...sell all phones unlocked.....if the customer is happy with AT&T, they will sign a contract with them..if you're not, you jump ship, and if they improve their service down the road, then you come back...that's the way a market is supposed to work...

...being sold a "world" phone so you can roam at AT&T's rates in Europe instead of sticking in a European country sim while you're on your trip is idiotic garbage..

 

[google]

If it was a "World Phone" it would run on T-Mobile. They are part of the "World".

so what do they mean by world phone?

It is a World phone because it will work on Tmobile but not 3G. You have to obtain a unlocked phone in order to make it work. There is no such thing as 3G World phone. So they are right!

 

[PhantomStranger]

i just found something under the iPhone page, it says:

For those who are not qualified customers, are not eligible for an early upgrade, are purchasing an unlocked iPhone (for supported GSM wireless service provider networks only), or wish to buy an iPhone as a gift, see your carrier, an Apple Retail Store Specialist, the Apple Online Store, or an Apple Authorized Reseller for pricing.

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_iphone/family/iphone

probably they will sell as an unlocked model also

Doubt...in parenthesis it says GSM only (for supported GSM wireless service provider networks only). Apple's website has not always been accurate. I only wish i'm wrong.

 

[brave5213]

Doubt...in parenthesis it says GSM only (for supported GSM wireless service provider networks only). Apple's website has not always been accurate. I only wish i'm wrong.

I hope they sell unlocked 4s with pre-order, I (and probably majority) don't want to sign another 2 year contract.

 

[jokerz126]

"world phone" deception...

what if you're willing to sign a new 2yr contract with AT&T? why can't they just sell you the unlocked 4s at the $199/299/399 prices?...I'm not wanting to switch carriers--if that's what their worry is...I just want the flexibility of a "world phone"...which is what the 4s is NOT...totally deceptive marketing...I just talked to 2 apple sales reps...there is nothing in the 4s which makes it a "world phone"...one of the reps totally agreed with me, saying she was a world traveller as well, and thinks it's weird they call it a "world phone" but if you are on at&t, you pay at&t's awful roaming rates while abroad.....very interesting...

you will see many people who upgrade to the 4s with at&t shocked when they learn just how "worldly" their phone is!

 

[LapsangSouchong]

what if you're willing to sign a new 2yr contract with AT&T? why can't they just sell you the unlocked 4s at the $199/299/399 prices?...I'm not wanting to switch carriers--if that's what their worry is...I just want the flexibility of a "world phone"...which is what the 4s is NOT...totally deceptive marketing...I just talked to 2 apple sales reps...there is nothing in the 4s which makes it a "world phone"...one of the reps totally agreed with me, saying she was a world traveller as well, and thinks it's weird they call it a "world phone" but if you are on at&t, you pay at&t's awful roaming rates while abroad.....very interesting...

you will see many people who upgrade to the 4s with at&t shocked when they learn just how "worldly" their phone is!

Because those are the SUBSIDIZED prices.
PS: A "world" phone has nothing to do with roaming rates.

 

[jokerz126]

of course those are the subsidized prices...for people who sign 2 yr service agreements...of which i am fully ready to do...

 

[Enrico]

what if you're willing to sign a new 2yr contract with AT&T? why can't they just sell you the unlocked 4s at the $199/299/399 prices?

Honestly, this has a lot to do with the carriers, not with Apple itself. All the iPhones sold in Italy, for example, are unlocked whether you buy it from one carrier or another, and whether you pay discounted price or not.
Want to jump ship? No problem, Apple could care less, and you have 4 carriers to choose from, all supporting the same technology and frequencies.

 

[LapsangSouchong]

of course those are the subsidized prices...for people who sign 2 yr service agreements...of which i am fully ready to do...

yeah, not gonna happen.

 

[jokerz126]

I agree Enrico...I just feel it irresponsible to use this "world phone" terminology on Apple's part...I really think the US needs a law change forcing unlocking of phones to prevent this carrier BS

 

[LapsangSouchong]

I agree Enrico...I just feel it irresponsible to use this "world phone" terminology on Apple's part...I really think the US needs a law change forcing unlocking of phones to prevent this carrier BS

But that's what a world phone IS. One that can work all over the world. The iPhone CAN. US carriers don't allow it. They are the ones paying the subsidy. If you buy an unlocked, unsubsidized iPhone it WILL work (in 300+ countries). That's what a world phone IS.

The problem isn't the use of the word "world phone".

http://www.timeatlas.com/cell_phones/prospect/defining_a_world_phone
If you want the world phone capabilities of the IP4S you gotta pay for them.

 

[Enrico]

Sure you can use it all over the world, but ONLY by paying very "cheap" roaming rates (starting from $1-2 per minute or .50 per sms). But, having a master in Marketing, I can totally understand why that would suffice to the mass by looking like a convenient and good new feature. Until they receive their first bill with overseas charges, of course.

While that would work for a few days' trip, I think that by going back for a few weeks to Italy, I could afford to buy a new iPhone there full price instead of paying the roaming charges to US carriers. Not mentioning the fact that my family or friends there would have to do an international call while I'm in Italy.

Oh, well, I guess in a week we're going to know for sure if the GSM part will be unlocked/unlockable or not.

 

[LapsangSouchong]

Sure you can use it all over the world, but ONLY by paying very "cheap" roaming rates (starting from $1-2 per minute or .50 per sms). But, having a master in Marketing, I can totally understand why that would suffice to the mass by looking like a convenient and good new feature. Until they receive their first bill with overseas charges, of course.

While that would work for a few days' trip, I think that by going back for a few weeks to Italy, I could afford to buy a new iPhone there full price instead of paying the roaming charges to US carriers.

No. You can buy and pay for an unlocked iPhone. And use it on any carrier you want in 300+ countries. That's the point.

I have an unlocked IP3GS. I spent a month in Ireland. I paid around 20bucks for data/minutes for a month.
No roaming. Just an unlocked phone. If you want an unlocked phone. BUY ONE. That's the way it is in the U.S. And, if you think that's unfair, buy one abroad, or take it to your legislators.

 

[Enrico]

No. You can buy and pay for an unlocked iPhone. And use it on any carrier you want in 300+ countries. That's the point.

I have an unlocked IP3GS. I spent a month in Ireland. I paid around 20bucks for data/minutes for a month.
No roaming. Just an unlocked phone. If you want an unlocked phone. BUY ONE. That's the way it is in the U.S. And, if you think that's unfair, buy one abroad, or take it to your legislators.

If I'm reading you correctly, I can go to an Apple Store (or maybe pre-order it this friday), buy an iPhone 4S full price and use my Verizon contract here aswell as my Italian sim abroad?
That's cool! This solves all my issues!

 

[LapsangSouchong]

If I'm reading you correctly, I can go to an Apple Store (or maybe pre-order it this friday), buy an iPhone 4S full price and use my Verizon contract here aswell as my Italian sim abroad?
That's cool! This solves all my issues!

When they will offer one is the mystery. They haven't said.

But yes, if you buy an unlocked iPhone, thus paying full price (the last one was like 600bucks) then you're free to use it wherever you want with whatever carrier you want. (there seems to be some hassle with CDMA carriers...but meh).
Apple's website says:

For those who are not qualified customers, are not eligible for an early upgrade, are purchasing an unlocked iPhone (for supported GSM wireless service provider networks only), or wish to buy an iPhone as a gift, see your carrier, an Apple Retail Store Specialist, the Apple Online Store, or an Apple Authorized Reseller for pricing. In CA and RI, sales tax is collected on the unbundled price of iPhone.

They are advertising unlocked iPhones on the apple.ca site for 649ish.

 

[Enrico]

They are advertising unlocked iPhones on the apple.ca site for 649ish.

I'm betting iPhones bought abroad would not work in CDMA here....

quote:
CDMA available only if iPhone 4S is sold and activated for use on a CDMA network.

 

[LapsangSouchong]

I'm betting iPhones bought abroad would not work in CDMA here....

Dunno. I have zero interest in CDMA (because I travel so much) so I've never really considered it. I *am* considering having my buddy buy me an unlocked IP4S from the apple store in canada and ship it to me.

 

[arunim]

Check this out. I found on the apple website. Looks like 4S is available unlocked at launch!

 

[LapsangSouchong]

Check this out. I found on the apple website. Looks like 4S is available unlocked at launch!

Excellent. Thanks. Link?

I suppose the no CDMA part will piss off some but it's meaningless to me.
I'm figuring the 32GB will run around 700USD.
I'm expected to be abroad 3 different times next summer. And have an account with a carrier in one of those countries already.
I'll make my 400bucks back.
My plan is to buy every other phone unlocked.

 

[dehory]

Link here, or click "About the unlocked iPhone" on the right here.

I'm puzzled, though, as to how a factory unlocked "world phone" could not work on any given CDMA network, much less a (the?) major one like Verizon. Presumably, it's a restriction determined by the carriers, but if I have an unlocked GSM phone, there's no GSM prepaid SIM card in the world that won't give me phone service on that device...

 

[LapsangSouchong]

According to Google, this should be the link, but it doesn't seem to be working right now.

hmm. thanks. I'll bookmark that and check back. I tried adding an S but that didn't work either. ha.