iPhone 5 from USA

PCros

Hi all,

Thinking of buying the unlocked iPhone from the states as its much cheaper.

I have someone over there coming back at the end of April so they can bring it back with them. Is it possible to purchase the phone on the US Apple Store from here and have it delivered to a US address without any complications?

guil

As far as I know you can't buy it online and have it delivered in the US without a US credit card but my brother did it with an iPad mini for my sister and he is in Australia with a credit card over there

Gumbo

PCros wrote: »

Hi all,

Thinking of buying the unlocked iPhone from the states as its much cheaper.

I have someone over there coming back at the end of April so they can bring it back with them. Is it possible to purchase the phone on the US Apple Store from here and have it delivered to a US address without any complications?

Just get your mate to buy in store over there and you reimburse him when he gets home. Seemly you can't pay with a foreign registered credit card on the USA store.

culabula

PCros wrote: »

Hi all,

Thinking of buying the unlocked iPhone from the states as its much cheaper.

I have someone over there coming back at the end of April so they can bring it back with them. Is it possible to purchase the phone on the US Apple Store from here and have it delivered to a US address without any complications?

Just be aware, as we have discovered, that the LTE chip in it is incompatible with European networks. In Ireland this will not matter at the moment, but in the event of anything going wrong with the handset while under warranty, neither Apple in Cork nor the Apple Store in Belfast will be able to help you. It can only be swapped out in the States.

guil

culabula wrote: »

Just be aware, as we have discovered, that the LTE chip in it is incompatible with European networks. In Ireland this will not matter at the moment, but in the event of anything going wrong with the handset while under warranty, neither Apple in Cork nor the Apple Store in Belfast will be able to help you. It can only be swapped out in the States.

apple warranty is world wide, apple in cork never have anything to do with replacing iphones either

ironclaw

kceire wrote: »

Seemly you can't pay with a foreign registered credit card on the USA store.

You cannot use a Non-US credit card with the US iTunes.

However, you can use a Non-US credit card on the Apple US Store (Online & In store) but only if the item will be delivered within the US. In fact you can use any credit card, the key is however the US store will only deliver to a US address, likewise the French Store will only deliver to a French address etc.

ene

sorry to butt in, but i am going to new york next week and really want a iphone 5, it will save me 200euro to get it in the us just wondering in simple terms would it be ok working in ireland and the uk?

guil

yes just buy one sim free in an apple store

Zapp Brannigan

guil wrote: »

apple warranty is world wide, apple in cork never have anything to do with replacing iphones either

It is, you're correct. But Apple in Ireland or the UK won't have the model to replace it so you will have to send it to the states. Europe uses the A1429 model and you get the A1428 not the A1429 CDMA model in the States.

culabula

guil wrote: »

apple warranty is world wide, apple in cork never have anything to do with replacing iphones either

I'm afraid not, where iPhone 5, iPad 4 3G and iPad mini 3G are concerned. They cannot replace like with like.

Surely as we have seen time and time again here, Apple Cork have picked up faulty devices before and either repaired or replaced? However, in the case of the above models, this is only possible back in the States.

PCros

So if it had to be sent back to the states, how much longer would this take to process and send back? A week?

culabula

ene wrote: »

sorry to butt in, but i am going to new york next week and really want a iphone 5, it will save me 200euro to get it in the us just wondering in simple terms would it be ok working in ireland and the uk?

It will work but you don't want anything to go wrong with it while under warranty as it cannot be exchanged within Ireland. Typically, they are hardy machines and usually fault-free, but still.

ironclaw

PCros wrote: »

So if it had to be sent back to the states, how much longer would this take to process and send back? A week?

I'm going to go out on a limb and say it will be swapped right here in Europe as per usual. Apple offer a worldwide warranty and plenty of corporate customers use their tech. And those corporate customers are worldwide and as such the phones travel. I'm almost sure Apple's HQ for repairs is in Germany (And I know for certain Microsoft's is) They'll have stock of just about every device they sell on the shelf.

I sincerely doubt a major corporation would just flat out refuse to have the various models, even in limited numbers, in their worldwide centres. In fact I'd bet the store in Belfast has one or two.

Thats just a theory but I think its a reasonable one.

culabula

ironclaw wrote: »

I'm going to go out on a limb and say it will be swapped right here in Europe as per usual. Apple offer a worldwide warranty and plenty of corporate customers use their tech. And those corporate customers are worldwide and as such the phones travel. I'm almost sure Apple's HQ for repairs is in Germany (And I know for certain Microsoft's is) They'll have stock of just about every device they sell on the shelf.

I sincerely doubt a major corporation would just flat out refuse to have the various models, even in limited numbers, in their worldwide centres. In fact I'd bet the store in Belfast has one or two.

Thats just a theory but I think its a reasonable one.

I'm sorry, but this is completely wrong and we have already discussed this in another thread.

To keep it short and to the point, they cannot replace the American phones (or iPads) in Europe -and by this I mean the latest ones. Wifi iPad and iPad mini -no problem. iPhone 5, cellular iPad 4 and iPad mini -problem.

I do not recommend these purchases in the US, therefore, if living in Ireland.

guil

culabula wrote: »

I'm afraid not, where iPhone 5, iPad 4 3G and iPad mini 3G are concerned. They cannot replace like with like.

Surely as we have seen time and time again here, Apple Cork have picked up faulty devices before and either repaired or replaced? However, in the case of the above models, this is only possible back in the States.

Have you any links to back that up? I'm genuinely curious because, from reading on here before, they only manufacture macs there.

Pappacharlie

The good news is that you can purchase an iPhone 5 in the USA that works (or will work on the 4G network in Ireland when available). Just ensure that you tell the store assistant that it is for use in the UK or Ireland. I know this because I bought one at Christmas. Google iPhone 5 for UK and you will get the specific model number which is compatible. Serious saving to be made..

culabula

guil wrote: »

Have you any links to back that up? I'm genuinely curious because, from reading on here before, they only manufacture macs there.

I fully researched it for the guy a couple of months ago with a faulty iPad 4 LTE bought in the States, brought to our attention on this forum.

He was turned down by Apple Cork for the reasons described above.

I offered to go into Apple Belfast for him and did so. They totally concurred and explained as I have posted above.

In that thread there was a link for just such an eventuality in the latest Apple T&Cs.

It is not a supposition, it is fact. Apple policy is to replace like with like. They do not have "like" to offer in the case of LTE devices.

culabula

Pappacharlie wrote: »

The good news is that you can purchase an iPhone 5 in the USA that works (or will work on the 4G network in Ireland when available). Just ensure that you tell the store assistant that it is for use in the UK or Ireland. I know this because I bought one at Christmas. Google iPhone 5 for UK and you will get the specific model number which is compatible. Serious saving to be made..

That's totally new information. If that is so, then it is brilliant and prospective buyers should follow your instructions to the letter.

guil

culabula wrote: »

I fully researched it for the guy a couple of months ago with a faulty iPad 4 LTE bought in the States, brought to our attention on this forum.

He was turned down by Apple Cork for the reasons described above.

I offered to go into Apple Belfast for him and did so. They totally concurred and explained as I have posted above.

In that thread there was a link for just such an eventuality in the latest Apple T&Cs.

It is not a supposition, it is fact. Apple policy is to replace like with like. They do not have "like" to offer in the case of LTE devices.

Yes but my question was since when have apple in cork replaced iPhones? Wouldn't it be cheaper to send them all there from Ireland if that was the case?

culabula

guil wrote: »

Yes but my question was since when have apple in cork replaced iPhones? Wouldn't it be cheaper to send them all there from Ireland if that was the case?

There has often been discussion on these forums about Apple Cork exchanging devices and talk of a 29€ courier charge (some time ago). They pick them up, test and replace/return.

My advice has always been (for those in Leinster at least) to come up to Belfast and exchange it over the counter there.

I totally agree with you that there IS a global warranty for the vast majority of iOS devices.

However, this is simply no longer the case for the LTE devices.

guil

culabula wrote: »

There has often been discussion on these forums about Apple Cork exchanging devices and talk of a 29€ courier charge (some time ago). They pick them up, test and replace/return.

My advice has always been (for those in Leinster at least) to come up to Belfast and exchange it over the counter there.

I totally agree with you that there IS a global warranty for the vast majority of iOS devices.

However, this is simply no longer the case for the LTE devices.

You said time and time again apple in cork replaced them. Afaik they all go to tamworth in the uk.

Zapp Brannigan

The reason I know about this is because a mate of mine is one of the Genius' in their retail stores. He was letting me know about how basically any LTE product (iPhone, iPad, iPad Mini) is only able to be replaced in the region it was bought in because of the differences in the LTE bands.

culabula

guil wrote: »

You said time and time again apple in cork replaced them. Afaik they all go to tamworth in the uk.

Isn't this just nitpicking? What Apple in Cork do with them once they're picked up scarcely matters. The point is, as correctly outlined in the post above and as I have stated, is that the latest-gen LTE will not be exchanged in Belfast or picked up by Cork. Unfortunately, these most be returned to the States.

guil

culabula wrote: »

Isn't this just nitpicking? What Apple in Cork do with them once they're picked up scarcely matters. The point is, as correctly outlined in the post above and as I have stated, is that the latest-gen LTE will not be exchanged in Belfast or picked up by Cork. Unfortunately, these most be returned to the States.

Yes I understand the issue about replacing like for like but I asked you to show me the posts time and time again saying apple in cork receive the phones sent for repair. Like I've already said, I believe they all go to the UK.

ironclaw

I stand corrected on my post, as I said, merely a theory. This backs up culabula, its from the iPhone 5 warranty for the USA:

Apple may restrict warranty service for iPhone and iPad to the country where Apple or its Authorized Distributors originally sold the device.

Granted its a 'may' but I'd read that as they'll only honor it in the country it was bought it. Its the exact same wording for Ireland.

Either way, its not a deal breaker for most consumers who wouldn't be able to tell the difference between LTE, 3G and Edge, let alone if their network even offers it.

culabula

ironclaw wrote: »

I stand corrected on my post, as I said, merely a theory. This backs up culabula, its from the iPhone 5 warranty for the USA:



Granted its a 'may' but I'd read that as they'll only honor it in the country it was bought it. Its the exact same wording for Ireland.

Either way, its not a deal breaker for most consumers who wouldn't be able to tell the difference between LTE, 3G and Edge, let alone if their network even offers it.

It is a "may" but in practice, both Apple in Cork explained this to another member regarding his iPad 4 LTE and were unable to assist him and the Apple Store Belfast confirmed it to me in person, when I offered to find out for him what the situation was. There was nothing they could do.

It is also a may because it would not apply to a non-cellular iPad mini, for example.

In his case it was a volume control issue (IIRC) and nothing to do with mobile data, yet they were unable to replace it as they could not therefore substitute like with like. It is issues like this that would give prospective buyers pause for thought.

culabula

guil wrote: »

Yes I understand the issue about replacing like for like but I asked you to show me the posts time and time again saying apple in cork receive the phones sent for repair. Like I've already said, I believe they all go to the UK.

You have hardly asked me "time and time again" nor am I trawling through posts looking for instances of this when only last night, I found one from yourself referring to the 29€ fee. This means it is charged for and picked up in this country. Where it goes afterwards, I have no idea and it certainly doesn't matter because if we are talking about a latest-gen cellular iOS device bought Stateside it ain't going nowhere -and that and that alone is what is under discussion at present.

In the days before the Apple Store in Belfast, I myself had occasion to phone Apple in Cork regarding problems -in my case a Macbook air which exploded in my lap and they arranged for it to be picked up in Belfast and replaced. The replacement did not come from Cork but from Germany. However the entire debacle was sorted by them (at no cost, save for the price of the eggs on many faces).

More recently -and this was what alerted me to the lack of global warranty on certain newer devices - a poster in another thread was quite cross about his telephoning Apple Cork re his LTE US iPad 4. They had explained they could not exchange it, I poo-poo'd that, but the contemporary T&Cs were discovered, I was shown to be wrong, went into the Apple Store to discuss it and they confirmed those T&Cs, Apple Cork's stance and their own inability to assist.

So -where iPhone 5 picked up in Ireland actually go is unimportant; if its a US-bought device, the UK or anywhere else in Europe cannot and will not help.

culabula

Here is the thread in question:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056892859

Anyone interested in reading can see how my unshakeable faith in the global warranty assurance was eventually exposed as not being the case for all devices.

PCros

culabula wrote: »

So -where iPhone 5 picked up in Ireland actually go is unimportant; if its a US-bought device, the UK or anywhere else in Europe cannot and will not help.

So basically I would have to contact Apple in the states if I had a problem and I would have to ship it there, resulting in a longer waiting time for unit to be fixed/replaced?

guil

Look we seem to be getting wires crossed here probably because my lack of putting what I'm thinking in to writing but I didn't know you could organise a replacement of an iPhone through apple in cork. I know you can with a mac but. Anytime someone is looking for apple support for an iPhone they are always given the 1850 number.

From reading previous posts here before it appears all iPhones for repair go direct to apple in the UK where a replacement is sent from

culabula

PCros wrote: »

So basically I would have to contact Apple in the states if I had a problem and I would have to ship it there, resulting in a longer waiting time for unit to be fixed/replaced?

I'm afraid so.

You would need to have a contact in the States or send it over with a friend or in some way get it to the US where an Apple Store will deal with a legitimate complaint under warranty.

culabula

guil wrote: »

Look we seem to be getting wires crossed here probably because my lack of putting what I'm thinking in to writing but I didn't know you could organise a replacement of an iPhone through apple in cork. I know you can with a mac but. Anytime someone is looking for apple support for an iPhone they are always given the 1850 number.

From reading previous posts here before it appears all iPhones for repair go direct to apple in the UK where a replacement is sent from

Well, as far as I know they do (in some way). As recently as four weeks ago I had to bring a new 4S into Three in Grafton St who came up with their usual dawdling and said, as they always do, "we have to send it back to Apple in Cork".

That is what I have always heard and base my premise on that but for all I know, you could be 100% accurate and they find their way to the UK.

In Belfast a phone will be swapped out in the store on the spot and if it is a model locked to Three IRL (for example), it will be locked to same as soon as you boot up again.

The only new issue is this one of LTE devices bought in Amerikay. PITA.

imtdub

PCros wrote: »

Hi all,

Thinking of buying the unlocked iPhone from the states as its much cheaper.

I have someone over there coming back at the end of April so they can bring it back with them. Is it possible to purchase the phone on the US Apple Store from here and have it delivered to a US address without any complications?

Yes, just get a GSM iPhone and it'll work perfectly.

ironclaw

imtdub wrote: »

Yes, just get a GSM iPhone and it'll work perfectly.

Kinda highlights the complete lack of consumer understanding when it comes to new tech. Why do people buy things they don't fully understand?

whiterebel

Apple in Cork don't repair anything. It is the European HQ for Finance, Logistics, Customer Support, Tech Support, etc.
Their customer service is in Cork, as well as using Bangalore in India.
They manufacture Mac Pros (until recently) only in Cork. Even if you buy one in Ireland from the Applestore, they have to ship it to the UK, who will then deliver it back to Ireland........
iPhones etc are sent back to the UK for repair.
Different machines go to different 3rd party repair companies.
When iPhones started first, the only repair centres were in the US, that's why they weren't on sale here - they hadn't got the service end sorted out. It was the same with the original iPod, and I think the iPad 1 was initially restricted to the country it was bought in.
if Three told me today was Monday I still wouldn't believe them......:(

ironclaw

Here's the thing though, if the iPhone can be used worldwide i.e Edge, 3G, GSM why did they put a different LTE chip in the US / Euro versions? Are the freq. that far apart? I'm an Elec Engineer and it wouldn't make sense to me to fabricate different chips if at all possible.

Zapp Brannigan

ironclaw wrote: »

Here's the thing though, if the iPhone can be used worldwide i.e Edge, 3G, GSM why did they put a different LTE chip in the US / Euro versions? Are the freq. that far apart? I'm an Elec Engineer and it wouldn't make sense to me to fabricate different chips if at all possible.

Remember when GSM was banded by region, hence dual band, tri-band and quad-band phones.

Like any new technology the chips, or in this case radios I believe, are expensive so it will take a while for phones to have a multi-band LTE chip.

ironclaw

Zapp Brannigan wrote: »

Remember when GSM was banded by region, hence dual band, tri-band and quad-band phones.

Like any new technology the chips, or in this case radios I believe, are expensive so it will take a while for phones to have a multi-band LTE chip.

Multiband LTE chips exist. Seems like an odd move by Apple.

But here is the official support and model numbers:

http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/

imtdub

ironclaw wrote: »

Here's the thing though, if the iPhone can be used worldwide i.e Edge, 3G, GSM why did they put a different LTE chip in the US / Euro versions? Are the freq. that far apart? I'm an Elec Engineer and it wouldn't make sense to me to fabricate different chips if at all possible.

Kinda highlights how much Elec Engineers know about technology themselves in various countries...

Btw by GSM I meant AT&T iPhone as the Verizon versions doesn't work on Irish Networks.

guil

imtdub wrote: »

Kinda highlights how much Elec Engineers know about technology themselves in various countries...

Btw by GSM I meant AT&T iPhone as the Verizon versions doesn't work on Irish Networks.

What else could you of meant by GSM? It's all well and good getting it cheaper but if anything goes wrong with you have to go back to the US or whatever region it was bought in

PCros

Many thanks for all the above input. I will probably go ahead a purchase - the only main concern would be having to send it back to the USA if there was a problem, but as a poster mentioned iPhones are pretty solid.

In terms of the LTE thing, not the biggest issue as I have wifi connections at home, work, family and friends houses and nearly every 2nd bar, restaurant has wifi these days.

Worth the saving of €200.00

ironclaw

PCros wrote: »

Worth the saving of €200.00

I'm a tech head myself and even I see the value of a €200 saving. It wouldn't put me off buying one if I was in the States. When iPhone 6 comes out, the saving you make now will stand to you on the depreciation. You basically saving yourself the depreciation now with the downside of having a potential issue if you ever need a warranty job done.

PCros

ironclaw wrote: »

When iPhone 6 comes out, the saving you make now will stand to you on the depreciation. You basically saving yourself the depreciation now with the downside of having a potential issue if you ever need a warranty job done.

Very true, didn't even think of it that way!