T-Mobile's iPhone 5 to support AWS, will ship unlocked in April
For its debut on T-Mobile, the iPhone 5 is being reworked straight from the factory to take advantage of the carrier's Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) bandwidths, a modification that reportedly cannot be done with a simple software update.
Apple confirmed to Engadget on Tuesday that the T-Mobile version of the iPhone 5 carries the same A1428 model number as the AT&T iteration, but has AWS enabled thanks to a factory tweak. The change can't be duplicated by a firmware update, meaning current AT&T iPhone 5 owners must buy the newest version if they want AWS functionality.
As a consolation, the new A1428 model will be factory unlocked when it ships on April 12, the same day as T-Mobile's launch date for the device. Apple will reportedly be selling the unit at full MSRP prices in a "SIM-in unlocked fashion." While the handset has been customized for T-Mobile's AWS bands in the U.S., AT&T customers will be able to take advantage of the slightly revamped model on their 4G LTE network.
The publication goes on to say that Apple is phasing out the older A1428 model in favor of the T-Mobile-compatible version, suggesting that AT&T iPhone 5 units sold after April 12 will support AWS.
T-Mobile announced on Tuesday that it will be offering the iPhone 5 as part of the company's unsubsidized payment plan, which allows users to pay a low $99 up front fee for a 16GB version of the smartphone, with the remainder of the unit's cost spread out across 20 additional monthly payments of $20.
Apple confirmed to Engadget on Tuesday that the T-Mobile version of the iPhone 5 carries the same A1428 model number as the AT&T iteration, but has AWS enabled thanks to a factory tweak. The change can't be duplicated by a firmware update, meaning current AT&T iPhone 5 owners must buy the newest version if they want AWS functionality.
As a consolation, the new A1428 model will be factory unlocked when it ships on April 12, the same day as T-Mobile's launch date for the device. Apple will reportedly be selling the unit at full MSRP prices in a "SIM-in unlocked fashion." While the handset has been customized for T-Mobile's AWS bands in the U.S., AT&T customers will be able to take advantage of the slightly revamped model on their 4G LTE network.
The publication goes on to say that Apple is phasing out the older A1428 model in favor of the T-Mobile-compatible version, suggesting that AT&T iPhone 5 units sold after April 12 will support AWS.
T-Mobile announced on Tuesday that it will be offering the iPhone 5 as part of the company's unsubsidized payment plan, which allows users to pay a low $99 up front fee for a 16GB version of the smartphone, with the remainder of the unit's cost spread out across 20 additional monthly payments of $20.
Comments
Seriously. I don't see why Apple doesn't fire the CEO.
I know I am going to get flamed for this, but I am not looking at Android or Windows based phones for my own reasons. Android is a kludged together OS and I don't like the Metro interface on the Windows phones. Just my opinion on both of those and I don't mind saying so.
If Apple can do this for T-Mobile USA they can surely support the HW needed for China Mobile so the hold up has to be about what Apple is going to allow China Mobile do with Apple's iPhone.
Quote:
Originally Posted by amrit
*whining*
Buzz-off troll.
Quote:
Originally Posted by amrit
Seriously. I don't see why Apple doesn't fire the CEO.
Apple's CEO is doing just fine. Apple is just being Apple and is going to release their new device(s) when they are darn good and ready to thrill us as opposed to when we rumor them into existence. It was ever the same when Steve Jobs was here. Sure, there was a record short duration of only three years between iPhone and iPad, but there really wasn't much to change there, and the barriers to entry in the tablet market were nowhere near as challenging as those of, say, the television industry with all of its tangles of exclusivity on content.
The only problem with Apple right now is the Wall Streeters who focus on near-term gains (most all of them, that is) and if they have declared innovation dead at Apple, well, then the stock price will follow in a self-fulfilling prophecy fashion. If, on the other hand, you have a long-term view and even the insight to realize that whatever Apple has got cooking for so long is probably going to have tremendous impact, then you should view this stock decline as an excellent buying opportunity.
Thompson
AWS is just a common name given to UMTS Operating Band IV. There was nothing removed from the iPhone to keep it from working, the spectrums were simply not added as to the design as we can see per the FCC filing. As you can see from the link there are many operating bands not included with the iPhone, or most other phones. Hopefully Qualcomm will have a variable frequency chip that can cover all the major spectrums as needed, or at least wit a certain baseband update.
It does have the FCC certification to do LTE over 850/1900 though.
See the class 2 permissive change letter in the latest article. Straight from the words of Apple
The architecture of Qualcomm's RF transceivers is that it doesn't care what signal goes out over what port. And if you read the spec sheets for the power amps Apple used, the Avago band IV LTE module already supported UMTS.
I just read that on AnandTech. So they did include the proper HW with the original iPhone 5 despite not having it active. Mea culpa on that point, but it's not correct to think that all operating bands are just "tuning" like you would a car radio, which is commonly assumed, hence my reply to you. There is specific HW that needs to be added to support that feature if you do plan to use it.
PS: This is not the first time Apple has done something like this. I think it was the iPhone 4 in 2010 that had a 5th operating band that was tested by the FCC but they never mentioned it on their site. It was one for Japan's largest carrier, NTT DoCoMo, which I still don't think they have contract with.
That was the Japanese 850 band, which is a strict subset of the US 850 band, so unlike this case, there were absolutely no changes necessary to anything. I remember RIM did the same thing, they just edited their marketing materials.
What exactly does AWS do over non-AWS? Wikipedia is rather vague about what exactly is it.
it's just a specific radio spectrum that has a common name. Most don't but AWS does. I think Wikipedia explains why. Think of it how the UHF spectrum has a common name. It's just easier than saying UMTS-DD Operating Band IV.
It's the same HW so I don't see why it's not possible but baseband firmware isn't the same as doing a firmware update on a PC. I think it's up to the JB community to figure out.