Apple released the iPhone 4S on October 14th, 2011 in the US, but only allowed phones to be sold on contract. These phones sold on contract are sold at a discounted price ($199 for 16GB, $299 for 32GB, and $399 for 64GB) and locked to the specific carrier.
Supposedly Sprint’s iPhone 4S is GSM unlocked buy they are going to lock it down. This has yet to be verified. We are waiting for Alan to give us confirmation. Verizon’s iPhone 4S comes locked but you can request an unlock after you have been in good standing for 60 days. Lastly AT&T’s iPhone 4S comes locked if you purchase it at the subsidized price. If you pay the full retail price which is also a non commitment or no contract iPhone 4S you will receive an officially unlocked iPhone 4S.
The best way to make sure that you get a factory unlocked iPhone 4S before Apple’s official release sometime in November is to follow these steps.
1. Go to the Apple Store and ask for a no contract iPhone 4S. An AT&T model. I told them that it was a gift for my brother and did not want to extend his contract.
2. They will then sell you the iPhone 4S at full retail price ($645 for 16GB, $745 for 32GB, and $845 for 64GB).
3. Before you turn the iPhone 4S on make sure to swap the included AT&T sim card with a different sim. I used T-Mobile USA.
4. Plug the iPhone 4S into your computer and open iTunes 10.5+.
5. Go through the setup without selecting wifi, and click connect to iTunes.
6. iTunes will then go through the setup process and you will get the message Congratulations. Your iPhone is Unlocked.
Here is a video of my process. Sorry there is currently no sound. I will try and re-upload it later.
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I just got one at the apple store and it is unlocked! Thanks I didnt want to wait until November to get a factory unlocked iPhone 4S.
is it ture . but i went to apple store .they toid me no unlocked iphone 4s right know.i feel unhappy.
where did you buy the iphone 4s . i don’t want to wait until novembmer .
Yes the ones apple is selling at the apple store are unlocked. They won’t say they are though. Just tell them you want to buy it off contract.
will apple store sell my iphone 4s without contract? i mean . is it unlocked iphone 4s ? i want to use it for t-mobile. does every apple store sell iphone4s without contract? i live in houston tx. please tell me
Yes. I just got one from the apple store and am using it on tmobile. The video is of me unboxing it and using T-Mobile. I told them I wanted to get a no contract phone to give to my brother as a gift. They asked me if they could have his account info and I said I didn’t know. They said ok and sold it to be at full price. I just put in my tmobile sim and it said congratulations your phone is unlocked.
i an very sad. today i went to apple store.i told them.i want to buy a free contract iphone4s buy they said we don’t sell free contract iphone4s .my god help me please…
next week i have a party. i don’t have a camera , i think,i should wait untill november ^_^
Just tell them you are buying it as a gift and you don’t know the persons account info.
Hwo can you do it , I got it mc920ll. It says sims card is invalid?
only works if you paid full price and didn’t sign a contract. Do a full restore.
It was a iPhone 4s from apple store, but it is from upgrade, and my iPhone 4s model number is mc920ll. Is it possible, it keep saying e some card I insert is not supported.
will it work on TMo’s 3g service
no only 2G. It is missing the 1700MHZ band still.
after watching your video, I tried to restore my iPhone 4S and put a non legit sim card, connect it to iTunes and followed the steps, but, it did not work, I guess my iPhone 4S is locked with AT&T… oh well, at least I tried… 🙁
Hey Randy, How and where did you purchase yours? It seems to only work for people who bought them directly from Apple and at full price. If you got it through an upgrade or had Apple/AT&T activate it for you they lock it.
im interested if you buy it as an upgrade, BUT don’t first-activate with an AT&T sim, if it’ll unlock
I upgraded my plan and ordered it online on the very 1st day. Its too late for me to unlock it, I should had activated it with non AT&T sim.
You said that you got it from upgrade from apple store, right? I did the same .
What model number is your iPhone 4s?
What model number is your iPhone 4s?
Please reply. This is real emergency, thanks
Hi LEI,
what is the model # of your iphone4s ?
MC919LL?
Yes that is the model number I received.
Does the model # matter? Mine is MC920LL.
I bought one with att contract. It does not work for me.:(
Did you put you’re sim card in before ac tivating it?
yes, you do need a sim card to activate the phone.
When i put my tmobile one, it said it is invalid.
I think it only works to those who bought it without contract.
I’m going to buy a new iPhone 4s today without the contract and hopefully I’ll get it unlock and sell my AT&T iPhone 4s. But if It’s not UNLOCKED I can still return it right?
Wish me luck boys!!!
Yes buy it without a contract from apple and it will be unlocked. Don’t give them any AT&T information. If for some reason it is not unlocked you can easily return it.
hi.
My IPhone4s model number is MD277LL
can i unlock it?
Call Verizon and ask them to do it.
Is there REALLY any difference in the phones that come from the factory? Specifically, if I ordered a new 4S with a contract renewal (several hundred dollars less, and I am not going to change carriers anyway), and had it shipped, could I just do this same thing without activating through AT&T, but with my other SIM card from another country?
And then just plug in my existing AT&T SIM card for use in the USA?
Hi, how would i get a sim card that matches 4s since they got a smaller sim.
Cut yours or go ask for a mini sim from your carrier.
And what about MC922LL, can i unlock it?
If I buy a no-contract 4s AT&T version, go thru ur steps, then put an AT&T sim card in, will it re-lock the phone? Or once I have gone thru ur steps using an inter sim card, the phone is unlocked forever. Pls help!!!
I went to buy the iphone 4s from the apple store and the guy mentioned even buying it full retail no-contract price it would still be locked for AT&T. Can you still factory unlock it or is it really locked to AT&T even at full price without contract?
Apple is now selling them unlocked.
Hi, LEI Mobile. I bought iphone 4s from one of sellers in Russia. I has got USA Iphone 4S 16gb with sim-card At&t. I turn on mi iphone with my region sim-card. my phone works well 5 days. Model of iphone is MC918LL (without /A). may i reactivate my iphone and done thing, what you do in your video? sorry for my English…
and what does mean MC918LL and MC918LL/A? what difference in this two models?
Thy are the same.
I bought a 4S at Apple store with a 2yr (upgrade) contract with AT&T and I think Apple rep messed up because when I got home, I tried to put my International sim and it works. I also tried putting a T-mobile (USA) sim card and it works also… According to AT&T rep, my iPhone 4S is FACTORY UNLOCKED.
MODEL # MC918LL
WATCH THIS VIDEO:
hey, how you do the unlock, i can not do it at all. my model number is mc920ll/a from apple store,too. werid .
I did not do anything. I tried putting my international and T-mobile sim and it work!
I’ve bought no-contract iphone 4s as a gift (645$) – model MC924LL/A. Now I’m in Russia.. I thouhgt it will got unlocked anyway. But the first switch on I did with at&t simcard. And its doesn’t work (in Russia there is no at&t). Then I restored my iphone 4s – it get ios 5.01 with bb 1.0.13 . Can I get it working?? Please answer me. Can I do factory-RESET. sorry for my English
Today I’ve got the black contract-off (MC922LL/A) 16gb iphone 4s and made first switch-on with russian simcard. it doesn’t work
So i have 2 bricks
Dears,
I would like to buy and iPhone 4s from a certain shop here in Iraq, it is MC918LL/A – 16GB – Black, I activate it on my SIM card from local carrier “Zain IQ” and it works ok, I would like to update its firmware to 5.0.1 because its 5.0 now, all I want to know is, will it be locked after update it? or it will remain unlocked? I need a reply as soon as possible please.
Thank you,
Ali
Once it is unlocked it is always unlocked. Feel free to update.
if i get a phone from apple. would it remain unlocked even if i update the phone?
Yes just make sure you tell them you want an unlocked version.
hi there,
according to this video i did same things and at the end iphone is reported as unlocked.
however it does no recognize my simcard inside.
on the left top corner i will no service warning.
i am living outside of usa and what can i do ?
thanx for help
maybe you have a bad sim card. go to your carrier and get a new one.
i see but i am using same sim card on iphone 4 smoothly without getting any troubles.
i have tried with 2 simcard and same error.
i have made airplane on and off several times, i changed timezone but no change.
try restoring with the sim card in.
Hello!
I wanted to ask if i bought an iphone 4s not in the apple store will they unlock it?
thanks
probably not, ask the carrier it is locked to if they will.
Hey, If I buy a IPhone 4S and use my TMobile Sim Card, will I still have the same data plan and services I have on my TMobile phone. Such as, unlimited text, pics, 5GB data plan, etc…?
Yes. Just pop your tmobile sim in and set the data APN. I am using tmobile!
I’ve bought no-contract iphone 4s mod. MC922LL from USA now am in Iraq I try to activate it on my SIM card but it doesn’t work
how I can fix it
thanx for help
which sim card do you use for activating ?
if i go to the apple store n asked for an iphone4s unlocked and i put my sim card simplemobile will it still work.
Yes it will!
I bought an iphone 4s with (T-MOBILE) in London now am in Africa, am trying to use a new sim with it, not working with my sim here, what can i do to unlock it pls?
hay LEI my bro sent me mobile i phon 4s model MC922LL/A from America am in Africa when i want to dawnlod some thing it will ask me app ID CAN I GET APP id plz tell me son as possible sorry about my english
Hi LEI,
I have been trying to purchase an unlocked iphone 4s. I found a person / company on Ebay that is selling a NEW iphone 4s with the Order No / MPN # MC918LL/A which he claims is FACTORY UNLOCKED.
He offers a 1 year APPLE WARRANTY.
My question is… Can this iphone 4s truly be FACTORY UNLOCKED if the MPN# describes it as being a locked AT&T iphone 4s / black / 16gb ???? I have been trying to purchase the MPN# MD234LL/A which is the FACTORY UNLOCKED MPN#, but I have not been able to find one. I don’t want to pay full price at the Apple store.
I need to go with a prepaid plan. I do not want to be locked in to any contract or company.
Please let me know what you think.
Thanks !
There are unlocking services. This may be unlocked.