Unlocked iPhone 5 now on sale through U.S. Online Apple Store

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Apple on Thursday began taking orders for factory unlocked versions of its latest iPhone 5 through the company's U.S. online store, suggesting that supply of the handset has finally caught up with demand.

Unlocked iPhone 5
Source: Apple


Unlocked iPhone 5 units range in price from $649 for the 16GB model to $849 for the highest capacity 64GB version. All unlocked units are seeing ship-by times of one week, identical to Verizon, AT&T and Sprint iterations, while orders are limited to two handsets per customer.

Apple also posted an informational webpage further explaining how the unlocked devices work, saying that users will receive all the features of an iPhone without having to sign onto a wireless contract. Any GSM network in the U.S. is supported, however unlocked iPhones do not support CDMA networks like those run by Verizon and Sprint.

From Apple's informational webpage:
If you don?t want a multiyear service contract, or if you prefer to use a local carrier when traveling abroad, the unlocked iPhone is the best choice. It does not come with a micro-SIM card for iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, or a nano-SIM card for iPhone 5, so you?ll need to get one from any supported GSM carrier worldwide. To start using it, simply insert the card into the slot on your iPhone and turn it on by pressing and holding the On/Off button for a few seconds. Then follow the onscreen instructions to set up your iPhone.
The news follows an earlier report which found brick-and-mortar Apple Stores to be mostly caught up with demand for the popular handset, finally having enough supply to sell walk-in customers the iPhone 5 of their choosing.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 24
    Finally.
  • Reply 2 of 24
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member


    If the unlocked iPhone 5 is model A1428 then 4G LTE will only work in the US (AT&T) and Canada.

  • Reply 3 of 24

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by NasserAE View Post


    If the unlocked iPhone 5 is model A1428 then 4G LTE will only work in the US (AT&T) and Canada.



     


    And T-Mobile US.

  • Reply 4 of 24
    Hay here's a thought if it has nano sim tray then what if local carriers don't use nano sims.
  • Reply 5 of 24

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Curtis Hannah View Post



    Hay here's a thought if it has nano sim tray then what if local carriers don't use nano sims.


    Use a nano sim cutter

  • Reply 6 of 24

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Curtis Hannah View Post



    Hay here's a thought if it has nano sim tray then what if local carriers don't use nano sims.


     


    T-Mobile had nano SIMs available in October.

  • Reply 7 of 24
    bagmanbagman Posts: 349member
    Every unsubsidized iphone5 from ATT has been unlocked from Apple since they were first available in Apple's stores. They just never advertised it, but if you asked, they admitted it. Fact. I know because I bought mine on the first day, and verified it with ATT and Apple later.
  • Reply 8 of 24


    Only three years late. Unlocked phones are nothing new in Europe and the rest of the world. It also goes to prove that there are not such things at a 99 dollar smartphone...

  • Reply 9 of 24
    cnocbuicnocbui Posts: 3,613member


    It also puts the lie to the idea that Apple performs a feat of incomparable economic magic and manages to have enormous margins that are not based on selling at a hefty premium.  Which is perfectly OK, as more than enough people seem to have no problem paying for the premium.

     

  • Reply 10 of 24
    The iPhone 5 has only been available since the end of September, so an unlocked version is at max two months late. As for the iPhone in general, launched in 2007, but I know for a fact that at the very least the iPhone 4 and 4S have been available unlocked from Apple.
  • Reply 11 of 24
    I was hoping Googles Nexus 4 would have more of an impact on the pricing. I guess not. Twice the price without being twice the phone. Oh well, time for a Nexus I guess.
  • Reply 12 of 24

    Quote:

    Any GSM network in the U.S. is supported, however unlocked iPhones do not support CDMA networks like those run by Verizon and Sprint.


     


    I hope this doesn't mean we won't see an unlocked version sold through Virgin Mobile (a la the 4/4S), since VM uses Sprint's network. image

  • Reply 13 of 24


    Originally Posted by KazKam View Post

    I hope this doesn't mean we won't see an unlocked version sold through Virgin Mobile (a la the 4/4S), since VM uses Sprint's network. image


     


    The Verizon model is already unlocked, AND it works on Verizon. So they're already selling an unlocked iPhone and always have been.

  • Reply 14 of 24

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


     


    The Verizon model is already unlocked, AND it works on Verizon. So they're already selling an unlocked iPhone and always have been.



     


    This.  It was a requirement when VZ purchased the spectrum from the FCC.

  • Reply 15 of 24


    Then how can I buy an unlocked/unsubsidized Verizon iPhone 5 without a Verizon contract and put it on the VM/Sprint network? I'm not being snarky, I'd really like to know if/how this is possible.

  • Reply 16 of 24


    Originally Posted by KazKam View Post

    Then how can I buy an unlocked/unsubsidized Verizon iPhone 5 without a Verizon contract and put it on the VM/Sprint network? I'm not being snarky, I'd really like to know if/how this is possible.


     


    You and me both.

  • Reply 17 of 24
    "It also puts the lie to the idea that Apple performs a feat of incomparable economic magic and manages to have enormous margins that are not based on selling at a hefty premium. Which is perfectly OK, as more than enough people seem to have no problem paying for the premium."

    Actually no it doesn't. Apple's iPhone success doesn't come from the Apple faithful.. it's from casual users.

    I mean be honest now... would you REALLY pay $650 up front for a cell phone?

    The original iPhone (2006/2007) sold, but nothing like the 3/4/5. Why? Because you had to BUY the phone outright for $299 then turn it on with AT&T. Once the iPhone 3's came on with carrier subsidies, that when you can chart climbing adoption rates.

    And again, the best selling iPhones (subsidized) are NOT the mid to high end models... it's the entry level ones.

  • Reply 18 of 24


    People all over the world pay $650 or more for the iPhones. Mid East, Asia, Europe... its the trend there. Only in the USA have I seen that people are willing to be handcuffed to a certain carrier for 2 years to get a new phone. I don't get it. Especially now since with the Verizon models you can easily move between any service provider.

  • Reply 19 of 24
    andreyandrey Posts: 108member


    omg. $650 for 16gb. Nexus 4 is $350.

  • Reply 20 of 24
    andreyandrey Posts: 108member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Zain Khan View Post


    People all over the world pay $650 or more for the iPhones. Mid East, Asia, Europe... its the trend there. Only in the USA have I seen that people are willing to be handcuffed to a certain carrier for 2 years to get a new phone. I don't get it. Especially now since with the Verizon models you can easily move between any service provider.



    And what's wrong with it?  There are only 4 major providers in US.  Changing AT&T for Verizon and the other way is pointless since they're the same price wise. T-Moblie doesn't have iPhone (this  is why my wife left them). I see no problem to pay $200 for the phone and stay with them another 2 years after 7-8 years with them.  Fanboys will upgrade hardware with partial discount when new hardware comes out. I don't think there will be big demand for unlocked iPhone5 in US. May be some T-Mobile customers and prepaid people will take advantage of it.

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