Unlocked iPhone 4S coming in November, won't work with CDMA carriers

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  • Reply 21 of 125
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleGreen View Post


    This is disappointing. I was hoping for an unlocked world phone. This means Apple will be manufacturing 2 versions of the 4s - world phone and GSM only. Does not make sense. Anybody have an explanation?



    They aren't necessarily making two phones. THe issue could be software.



    to get the CDMA carriers to agree to this single phone system they may have had to write the software so that the GSM side is locked for roaming only. So if you activate the phone, even no contract, with CDMA, a lock is put on that only uses GSM if you are out of the CDMA area, at the carrier's roaming rates.



    But if you activate with a GSM, at full price once that date has past, no lock is put on but the CDMA software won't activate in the iTunes server after that.



    That said, I'm sure someone is working on a jailbreak that will unlock the GSM and override the whole roaming thing even as we speak. And if you are gutsy enough, go for it
  • Reply 22 of 125
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    Apple website says iPhone 4S standby time = 200 hours.



    It will be the greatest iPhone Apple has ever made and the best selling product in Apple's history, yet again. Sure, Android will chug along well and "beat" the iPhone but Apple ain't going anywhere at least for a few years. No one still is anywhere close to the iPad even after a few years now.



    iPhone4 Standby time: Up to 300 hours ... There will be some flies in the ointment though. Battery life decreasing is going to be a pain. Especially with 3G and apps and notifications running in the background. With Siri and A5, we'll be seeing going just about a full day on a single charge for moderate to heavy users... just as now with the iPhone4. Ah well.
  • Reply 23 of 125
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wiggin View Post




    What I want to know is, can I get a CDMA phone with a two-year contract and get it with the GSM part unlocked? So I can use it with Verizon in the US (on contract) but still put any SIM in I want when traveling overseas? Knowing the carriers, no. They will put their own SIM in and lock it so you have to pay their ridiculously high international roaming rates.





    Actually yes. Verizon will unlock SIM slots for free after a full 30 days of the phone being active on your account. I've done this twice with other world phones.
  • Reply 24 of 125
    kpomkpom Posts: 660member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Syan48306 View Post


    So how do you think a Verizon/Sprint phone will react if you stick a SIM card in it. Will the phone recognize the SIM card and automatically unlock to use that like a BB-Storm? Or will it just ignore it since it's "locked" to the carrier.



    On that note, what's the point of calling the 4s a world phone if verizon/sprint customers can't use sim cards and the unlocked phone can't use CDMA networks.



    You can use the CDMA version overseas, but only if you pay VZW or Sprint's roaming charges. The two of them already have some other phones with both CDMA and GSM radios. There's a locked SIM card in them, and they won't accept other SIMs.
  • Reply 25 of 125
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by KPOM View Post


    You can use the CDMA version overseas, but only if you pay VZW or Sprint's roaming charges. The two of them already have some other phones with both CDMA and GSM radios. There's a locked SIM card in them, and they won't accept other SIMs.



    See I'm asking because I know the blackberry storm for the verizon network will completely unlock once you stick a 3rd party sim into the slot.



    I have no interest in using verizon's service overseas. I just want to know will I be able to stick a Chinese sim into the phone and have it work?
  • Reply 26 of 125
    The dev community will have unlock for everything. Apple isn't making a completely separate phone. That would make zero financial/fiscal/supply chain sense. This is more for lowering expectations of people. This phone has both radios. You'll be able to use it anywhere once the dev community gets their hands on it.
  • Reply 27 of 125
    scartartscartart Posts: 201member
    yet again we are being tucked up in the UK



    Yes there are extra taxes and additional business costs to operate in the UK so I'm not complaining about the $649 / £499 starting price. But, why is there a £100 addition for each size increase when the equivalent in the US is only $100.



    Only at Apple does $100 = £100
  • Reply 28 of 125
    s4mb4s4mb4 Posts: 267member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    But customers who want to operate the handset on a GSM network, like Verizon,....







    i think they meant CDMA
  • Reply 29 of 125
    jdsonicejdsonice Posts: 156member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AjitMD View Post


    I do not think that Apple will be making a GSM/3G phone only in the 4S version. It is just that CDMA does not have SIM cards... it is something internal.



    Anyway, I am thinking of keeping an old iPhone for roaming after unlocking it.



    There is no concept of "unlocking" in CDMA. If you are using CDMA the carrier has your IMEI number and you are on that carrier. When you want to change carriers you go to the new carrier and give them your IMEI number and they put you on their service and discontinue service from the pervious carrier.



    When a phone is unlocked - it basically accepts SIM crds from multiple carriers. If it is locked then it accepts SIM cards from one carrier.



    The lock/unlock concept does not exist in CDMA only GSM.
  • Reply 30 of 125
    adybadyb Posts: 205member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by RichL View Post


    This story isn't true for all countries. In the UK, you can order an unlocked iPhone 4S right now.



    and if you take off the VAT, the costs for a 16GB iPhone4S in the UK & US are almost identical.
  • Reply 31 of 125
    reganregan Posts: 474member
    Ok...i think I got it. So the iphone 4S is now a "World Phone" no matter what plan you go with? I travel internationally alot, and am torn between the ATT and Sprint plans. I like Sprint's unlimited data....but was wondering since it's CDMA will i be able to swap out the sim for a GSM international one when abroad? If not, i will go with ATT since i know its GSM....but i am not sure since i hear that this iphone is universal. Is that true?



    Thanks!
  • Reply 32 of 125
    adybadyb Posts: 205member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ScartArt View Post


    yet again we are being tucked up in the UK



    Yes there are extra taxes and additional business costs to operate in the UK so I'm not complaining about the $649 / £499 starting price. But, why is there a £100 addition for each size increase when the equivalent in the US is only $100.



    Only at Apple does $100 = £100



    So for us in the UK, the basic model would seem to be the one to go for - before VAT, my 16GB iPhone 4S is £415.83, which at an exchange rate of 1.56 dollars to the pound, equates to $649.99!
  • Reply 33 of 125
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post


    Makes sense, since most (not all) of the world is on GSM and that's what international travelers usually want. Might as well save a few bucks on CDMA components....



    It's not a component issue. CDMA access is controlled at the carrier network level ( there are no CDMA SIM cards and no such thing as an "unlocked CDMA phone".
  • Reply 34 of 125
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jdsonice View Post


    There is no concept of "unlocking" in CDMA. If you are using CDMA the carrier has your IMEI number and you are on that carrier. When you want to change carriers you go to the new carrier and give them your IMEI number and they put you on their service and discontinue service from the pervious carrier.



    When a phone is unlocked - it basically accepts SIM crds from multiple carriers. If it is locked then it accepts SIM cards from one carrier.



    The lock/unlock concept does not exist in CDMA only GSM.



    CDMA phones can be rooted to clone an existing phone. It's not easy, but it's possible. I personally never got it to work though.
  • Reply 35 of 125
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jdsonice View Post


    There is no concept of "unlocking" in CDMA. If you are using CDMA the carrier has your IMEI number and you are on that carrier. When you want to change carriers you go to the new carrier and give them your IMEI number and they put you on their service and discontinue service from the pervious carrier.



    When a phone is unlocked - it basically accepts SIM crds from multiple carriers. If it is locked then it accepts SIM cards from one carrier.



    The lock/unlock concept does not exist in CDMA only GSM.



    OK. Two questions:



    1) If I purchase an unlocked iPhone 4s, can I call Verizon (or Sprint) and have them activate it? If this is possible, will I be able to go overseas and use it as an unlocked GSM phone?



    2) If I get a Sprint or Verizon "locked" phone, will I be able to go overseas and use it as an unlocked GSM phone?
  • Reply 36 of 125
    It would be really interesting if Sprint could arrange their CDMA access alongside a US "roaming" GSM SIM card that would activate in poor CDMA coverage areas.



    However, there's a few blocks to a creative idea like that -- execs at AT&T and maybe some egos at Sprint. AT&T could always use the revenue (sarcasm)
  • Reply 37 of 125
    reganregan Posts: 474member
    Ok...Im interested in the unlocked iphone 4S because i travel internationally alot.



    What i want to know is...if i get an unlocked iphone 4S in November....can i turn it on and use it as a wifi only device for awhile? I'm not travelling overseas until January, but would like to use the iphone to shoot pictures and video with its awesome new 8 megapixel camera, and then upload those pics via wifi to youtube etc. I'd also like to use iMessage and other features via wifi, but i don't want to pop an ATT sim in right now to do so. Not interested in a contract.



    Basically i want to know if i can activate/use my iphone 4S as a wifi only device without popping a sim in.



    Thanks :-)
  • Reply 38 of 125
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleGreen View Post


    OK. Two questions:



    1) If I purchase an unlocked iPhone 4s, can I call Verizon (or Sprint) and have them activate it? If this is possible, will I be able to go overseas and use it as an unlocked GSM phone?



    2) If I get a Sprint or Verizon "locked" phone, will I be able to go overseas and use it as an unlocked GSM phone?



    1.) NO. That's exactly the point. It's too much of a hassle to add back IMEI numbers that weren't manufactured for that carrier. Not mention you still need the right PRL file for that carrier.



    2.) Verizon will unlock SIM slots for free on their Global phones after 30 days of it being active on your account (though I'm hearing 60 days now). I've done this with Blackberries in the past. There may be other ways/3rd parties who will charge to do it, but I have no experience there. Can't speak to Sprint either.
  • Reply 39 of 125
    scartartscartart Posts: 201member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AdyB View Post


    So for us in the UK, the basic model would seem to be the one to go for - before VAT, my 16GB iPhone 4S is £415.83, which at an exchange rate of 1.56 dollars to the pound, equates to $649.99!



    except that Apple know 16GB isn't really enough, given that the camera is now 8MP and video is 1080 rather than 720 \
  • Reply 40 of 125
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jragosta View Post


    That's my thinking. AT&T is giving you a huge discount if you buy the hone through them. If you buy an unlocked phone and then use it on AT&T, you're going to be paying the same monthly charge, so why not take the discounted phone?



    If you're traveling on business, your company will probably pay the roaming charges, anyway, but if they won't (or you want to save them money), you can unlock the phone before you go overseas. If you're traveling on vacation, you can also unlock the phone before you go overseas.



    I just don't see the real benefit of buying an unlocked phone other than a VERY tiny number of people (who're going to MOSTLY be using their phone overseas).



    Except for one problem.. Apple will not unlock your iPhone if it is locked to AT&T. AT&T will not unlock your iPhone if it is locked to AT&T. An AT&T iPhone will only work with AT&T. If you ever used international roaming you will know that a few minutes of talk time (local or international) is so expensive that it is more feasible to pay for an unlocked iPhone and use local carriers instead of roaming.
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