I remember the unlocked 4S wasn't released until 3-4 weeks after the carrier versions of the device and I'm hoping that this time the 5 will be release simultaneously. I know nobody knows for sure but what do you guys think?
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Will the unlocked iPhone 5 be available at launch?
- Thread starter El3ctronics
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That would suck. I wonder if buying the full priced, off-contract AT&T iPhone would automatically be unlocked by iTunes like it was for the 4S.
What I did last year to get a factory unlocked iphone 4s was buying a full retail att 4s at apple! Activated it with a tmobile sim rite on spot worked like a charm!
That's what I was talking about above. You don't even have to activate it with a SIM from another carrier, you just have to make sure they don't set it up at the Apple store and you do it yourself via iTunes. iTunes should automatically unlock a full priced iPhone.
I wish but I doubt it.
Still waiting for T-Mobile to re farm it's local towers for 3G in my area. My unlocked iPhone 4s holds a great connection despite being on EDGE. Slow but works well for battery life for now.
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I was actually going to ask about this. Had to send my 4s back to Apple for service. I may end up with a refurb unit and hope I still can drop my Tmo sim in and go.
Still waiting for T-Mobile to re farm it's local towers for 3G in my area. My unlocked iPhone 4s holds a great connection despite being on EDGE. Slow but works well for battery life for now.
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I was actually going to ask about this. Had to send my 4s back to Apple for service. I may end up with a refurb unit and hope I still can drop my Tmo sim in and go.
I'm kind of surprised there. I always thought since ATT sells it, it would still be carrier locked to them.
I believe it's very dependent on the sale at the Apple store.
In Canada we've had them sold unlocked directly for 2-3 years without delays at launch. But since the iPhone 4 we noticed depending on how the sales rep at Apple does the purchase it can be inadvertently locked to a carrier - Eg, when scanning a free sim card onto the same receipt it was registering the iPhone on that receipt to be locked to that carrier in their database.
Just something to look out for if buying a full price 'ATT' iPhone.
Factory unlocked iphone status carry over to the one apple will give you in exchange!
I did say apple store! All att store that carry the iphone are already locked once they get to the store! Att locked all imei in their system. On the other hand at an apple store the imei will lock once you purchase it at a contract price such as $199, and not full retail price.
Well dont know about canada I dont live there! So yea it worked for all 5 iphone 4S i bought on launch day.
This is true, but his location is NYC. So I'm, and probably others are, assuming he's in the US, so the unlocked phones will probably go on sale about a month after the new iPhone launches (it was about 1 month for the 4S)
It won't be automatically unlocked, but you can call AT&T to unlock it if you pay full price (they'll place a limit on unlocks to prevent resellers from using them as suppliers).
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He bought it from an Apple Store. I did the same thing. Hopefully Apple just releases the unlocked phone right away. I'd rather buy it online since I have a deal in place to sell my 4S.