It has been more than two months since Apple started selling the brand new iPhone 5. But those were all in-contract with various wireless service providers. The 4G LTE capable smartphone powered by iOS 6 with major improvements both in terms of appearance and hardware specifications was already available in unlocked versions in other countries around the world, including Canada and Europe. Now, Apple has started selling the factory-unlocked GSM iPhone 5 models in the United States on its online Store.
We had already reported earlier that Apple had actually listed the iPhone 5 unlocked on their store in the beginning of this month. Well that listing was accurate in terms of the pricing, even though they didn’t sell it. In that listing. Apple is offering the unlocked GSM iPhone 5 models are $649, $749 and $849 for the 16, 32 and 64 GB models respectively. These handsets will be shipped within 1 week of purchase as listed in the Apple store page.
If you hate signing a service contract or you want to use a local carrier when travelling abroad, this unlocked iPhone 5 is the best choice for you. You can use the smartphone on the supported GSM wireless network i.e. AT&T and T-Mobile in the United States but it won’t work with CDMA-based US carriers such as Verizon or Sprint.
The smartphone will be available in black & slate and white & silver.