Can i buy an iphone from USA?

My daughter really wants an iphone 5s for christmas and i was looking on apple.com an the 16GB is $199 and then its like €599 in ireland. I was just wondering if i got my brother who lives in new york to buy it and ship it over to me would it work in ireland if it was unlocked?

Doesn't work on uk networks

The $199 iPhone 5S is on contract (which means you will have to pay At&t or Tmobile or whatever a monthly fee of approximately $40 for 2 years.

Apart from that, the only issue I see is the shipping. If you have a friend in the US, they can get it, and then ship it to you. Oh, you'll need a US credit card too.

It isn't really a good idea.

If you like the idea of a contract, go to you local cellphone shop and ask about contracts. Or else, visit the website of an irish cellular operator.

For example, Vodafone Ireland offers the iPhone 5S for 199.99 for a 2 year contract of 35.99 per month. Or else, you can pay 55.99 per month and get the phone for 99.99

The monthly fees is for using the vodafone network, so you can call, text, use the internet, whatever.

Hope I helped.

$199 is on contract, off contract it will be comparable to the UK/ROI price.

Bear in mind that there are two prices for these things on or off contract, on contract will appear cheaper because you are actually being financed for the phone and you are paying it back with an increased cost on your tariff.

You are comparing the US on contract price and the ROI off contract price. The price is pretty much the same all over the world.

People in the know don't buy these phones on contract anyway, especially when they are new to the market because you end up getting tied into a 24 month contract and paying an inflated rate. When the iPhone 5 came out in the UK it was about £600 to buy off contract but £200 to buy on contract but the tariff was about £65 a month. The basic contract (with no phone) was about £5 a month or £15 if you got the boosters you need to make it equivalent. It worked out that you'd be paying an extra £800 if you bought it on contract. It has since become a bit cheaper but the point still stands, you are better off buying the phone outright even if you have to buy it on a credit card and pay it back over a year.

The iPhone 5 costs $218 to make and there's no way you will get away with paying just $199 for it. The charges are hidden on contracts but you will pay through the nose for it in the long run.

Aside from anything else you won't be able to buy a contract phone in the US if you do not have a US bank account and address, and if you do you will be charged with the increased tariff.

Look on the apple website in the US and where you see the $199 price you will see (in small writing) that this offer is only applicable to people who will be taking the Verizon/t-mobile (or some other provider I can't recall right now) contract.

Apple aren't stupid and you can't get around the price by just importing one from the US, while you can use those ones over here (once they are unlocked or jailbroken), you won't be able to buy one at that price off contract. If there's one thing apple know how to do it is charge.

The $199.00 is the contract price. The non-contract price is $649.00, or €470.05

Thats on contract and if you don't live in the US Then it won't be an option for you. If your brother bought it then he would be forced to pay the contract for 2 years

Some unlocking information for US Carriers:

I bought a iphone 4s a few weeks ago from http://www.howtoidevice.com/iphone and i was unlocked and a really resonable price. As far as i know they have the new iphones aswell i would give them a look. If you do get a device th needs to be unlocked they also have an unlock page.

The phone will work if it is unlocked but you've got the prices wrong. $199 is for the "locked" iPhone with contract, which means it will work only with a US carrier. An unlocked phone costs more.